Lan Ha Bay & Cat Ba Island

Bến Bèo, đảo Cát Bà

Ha Long-grade scenery with far fewer boats

Hours

Tours typically leave 8–9am and return 4–5pm

Tickets

Tour prices vary by agency (check locally). Hanoi–Cat Ba bus-and-ferry combo 230,000–350,000 VND

Address

Ben Beo pier just east of Cat Ba town, where most Lan Ha Bay boats leave

It's the same limestone seascape as Ha Long, continuing south; it just sits in Hai Phong, so it got a different name. In 2023 UNESCO extended the listing to the Cat Ba archipelago, making it one World Heritage site. Tours leave from Ben Beo pier on Cat Ba, drop you on small beaches between islets to swim, send you kayaking through caves and lagoons, and stop at Monkey Island. The common thread in reviews: fewer boats and a quieter bay. Many people base themselves on Cat Ba for a night or two and add a hike in the national park.