Cat Ba National Park

We started at the museum. Nice old building. No staff but left open to wander through. Signage all in Vietnamese but Google translate is very useful. Some nice photos of what you may (rarely) see in the park. Some old jars with animal specimens in. Then we walked along a newly concreted path into the forest. Past the sign to a village and frog pond to an eel pond which we never saw. Then the road just stopped. In the middle of nowhere. Then we walked back out. 6.5km round trip. Up and down steep hills. One area off the road was a previously flooded limestone field which we explored and found old dried fishing nets containing small dead fish from in the flood.

Cát Bà was absolutely stunning. The cruise experience was excellent, with breathtaking views at every turn and landscapes that felt straight out of a postcard. Calm waters, towering limestone cliffs, and changing shades of green made the journey truly mesmerizing. What stayed with me most was Cát Bà Island itself. It is incredible to see locals living there despite how remote and isolated it feels. The simplicity of life against such raw natural beauty makes the place even more special and unforgettable.

An Unforgettable Jungle Escape My visit to Cat Ba National Park yesterday was absolutely amazing. The trek through the lush, wild jungle to Ngu Lam Peak was a real adventure, and the panoramic 360-degree view from the top was breathtaking and worth every step. The serene, pristine atmosphere of this UNESCO biosphere reserve is truly special. A perfect five-star experience for any nature lover.

🌿 Cat Ba National Park – Amazing Experience! 🌿 Cat Ba National Park was absolutely amazing. The hike up to Ngu Lam Peak was a bit tough at times, but 100% worth the effort. The views from the top were out of this world – lush green mountains, deep valleys, and scenery that feels untouched. If you’re visiting Cat Ba Island and enjoy nature or hiking, this is a must-do. Just bring water, good shoes, and be ready for a climb. Totally unforgettable experience!

The park is absolutely beautiful. We did the long hike and it was totally worth it. I just want to mention that a road has been made, and the first kms of the long hike are through the road. I really hope no other road will be made as the impact on the beautiful forest would be devastating. Also they left a lot of plastic and it would be really necessary for the environment to be taken away. A part from that I really recommend it. Definitely one of the highlights of the island.

It's possible to hike the trek alone without a guide to Viet Hai Village, but the path is challenging, good shoes, fitness and hiking experience would be good, some bits need to be climbed and throughout thick jungle, watch daylight hours! Takes about 2-3 hours. Ask the woman by the first restaurant after the path ends for a boat taxi back to cat ba, her sister will come pick you up in a small old fisher boat at the harbour 4km away from the village (1 hour walk), best experience to see the iconic islands and floating fisher village without some overcrowded tourist boat tour.

Amazing! But the 12 km hike is NOT moderate. Scaling ricks on all fours, steep drops and challenging for this 65-year old. 10 kilo backpack was a big mistake. Hey, I made it but had a few days of recovery for a semi in shape old guy.

Always love to support national parks. The climb to the peak looked abit steep for me but plenty of others were heading up and its only 1km according to the signs. The specimen rooms were cool and freaky. We walked a couple of kms towards the village and turned back as we were never going to actually make the whole 12kms. That walk is well concreted but steep. Well worth the look. Ticket for the day as sightseeing also includes the Trung trang cave down the road.