About Cat Ba Island
Cat Ba is the largest island in the vicinity of Ha Long
Bay. Lan Ha Bay, off the eastern side of the island, offers numerous beaches to
explore. With an area of 356 square km wide, Cat Ba encompasses forested zones,
coastal mangrove and freshwater swamps, beaches, caves, and waterfalls. The Cat
Ba town is small and ancient, with clusters of fishing boats and inspiring
sunsets across the harbor. It's a short hike from Cat Ba town through a tunnel
to Cat Co Beach, whose mountains look like a throne holding a marvelous sandy
coast, or if you hike further along, you will reach the rockier Cat Vang Beach.
When coming out of the caves and grottoes you should spend a little time to
contemplate the sunset over Lan Ha Bay. On the golden background of the horizon
and the dark blue of the sea, the heaving islets become multiform, the white
sea-gulls hover and sea-eagles make circles in the sky, all beautifying the
immense and fascinating space, and enchanting the visitors.
Approximately half of the island is covered by a
National Park, which is home to the highly endangered Cat Ba Langur. The island
has a wide variety of natural ecosystems, both marine and terrestrial, leading
to incredibly high rates of biodiversity. Types of natural habitats found on
Cat Ba Archipelago include limestone karsts, tropical limestone forests, coral
reefs, mangrove and sea grass beds, lagoons, beaches, caves, and willow swamp
forests. Cat Ba Island is one of the only populated islands in Ha Long Bay, with
roughly 13,000 inhabitants living in six different communes, and 4,000 more
inhabitants living on floating fishing villages off the coast. The large
majority of the population can be found in Cat Ba Town which is located at the
southern tip of the Island (15 km south of the national park) and is the
commercial center on the Island. Since 1997, Cat Ba Town has grown rapidly and
has become a tourist hub for both the Island and greater Ha Long Bay.
Cat Ba Island now is one of the most attractive
place for whom to like nature and of the beaten track.
