Lan Ha Bay, Vietnam

 Notes from the journal:

6/25

  • Landed in Hanoi and realized we were kind of screwed transport-wise due to our flight delay and had very limited options that we could book in order to make it to the ferry port in Hai Phong on time to catch the last ferry to Cat Ba so we ended up paying a lot to get a private Grab to Hai Phong but we caught one of the last ferries over and then boarded a public bus to get to the village/town of Cat Ba on the other side of the island
  • Ate a seafood dinner in the town and went to our hostel

6/26

  • Headed to the tour office for our Lan Ha Bay boat trip and took a short bus to the boat, where we cruised around the beautiful bay
  • It was a cloudy/rainy day which was unfortunate (downsides of traveling during rainy season) but the water was still turquoise and the cliffs were still beautiful
  • Our guide was very informative and we learned a lot about Vietnam and the language in particular
  • Jumped off the top deck of the boat a bunch at a swimming spot
  • Some of the tourists on the boat were obnoxious but we sat with a nice group of people during the expansive family-style lunch on the boat
  • Entered Cat Ba National Park and went kayaking through a small bat cave and a small section of the bay with a ton of non-stinging jellyfish near the surface
  • Sailed through part of Ha Long Bay
  • Stopped at a secluded swim spot and jumped off the boat some more and then sailed to a floating fish farm where we learned about the business of fish farming and life out on the water. Got to see the huge fish (one was 100 kilos) that were raised for breeding and watch them be fed. Interestingly, 80% of the fish farmed there go to China, even though Vietnam is big on seafood. We also learned that once in awhile there are “lucky fish” that aren’t killed or sold, even after death
  • We had paid extra for pre-arranged transport to leave the boat tour a bit early in order to make it back to Hanoi that night so that we could leave early the next morning on a bus, but the water taxi that was supposed to pick us up was running very late so it went really fast on the way back to land and we got super wet from the waves but we did get to see 4 Cat Ba langurs (one of the rarest primates in the world, a critically endangered species only found on Cat Ba, with only about 70 left)
  • We jumped into a van, which sped along the highway until it abruptly stopped in the middle of an intersection and we were ushered onto a bus
  • The bus stopped at the ferry port, we took a boat to the mainland, then got on another bus back to Hanoi, which was pretty fancy. 
  • Got dropped off near our hostel, got groceries, pho for dinner, and I stressed about trying to figure out how to get to the next day’s homestay due to bus drop off points, but eventually figured it out after texting with the homestay and bus company so I was able to get some rest

Read if I referred you to this post:

  • Ha Long Bay is the most popular place to see the famous bay/cliffs in Vietnam but it is known for being crowded and overtouristed, so Lan Ha Bay has become popular amongst backpackers for a different and less expensive option with the same views (if not better). Lan Ha is still touristy, but for just a day, it is nice to see the views and have fun swimming, kayaking etc. Cat Ba is the only way to access Lan Ha, but I wouldn’t recommend staying on the island more than just the nights on either end of the boat tour. 
  • We booked the boat tour through Cat Ba Ventures, which is reasonably priced and is the main tour group for most English-speaking tourists.
  • Information about travel to and from Cat Ba can be a little lacking/incorrect online, but you can either buy full transfer services that get you all the way from Hanoi to Cat Ba town, or you can buy the journey in separate pieces, which is cheaper but more complicated.


























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