Ferry to reach Cat Ba island : two most convenient routes for tourists

Cat Ba island – the mustsee tourist attraction in Hai Phong city

Though being the largest island in Halong bay, Cat Ba island belongs to Hai Phong city & be the top attraction of this city.Thanks to its beautiful scenery of the bay, national park, beaches, Cat Ba Island have become one of the must- visited destination in Vietnam and attracted a huge number of tourists for beach breaks or trekking adventure every year, especially during summer time. The new highway Hanoi – Hai Phong – Halong recently operated has helped us to get to Cat Ba town faster, but we still have to get the ferries to travel from the mainland to Cat Ba island.For travellers planning a trip to Cat Ba by private car or bus, we highly recommend you take the following convenient ferry routes to Cat Ba island : Dong Bai Pier ( Hai Phong) – Cai Vieng Pier ( Cat Ba) & Tuan Chau pier (Halong city) – Gia Luan pier (Cat Ba) whether you travel from any provinces in Northern Vietnam.

Lan Ha bay – Cat Ba island

Dong Bai pier ( Hai Phong) – Cai Vieng pier ( Cat Ba) : Schedules & Prices

Travellers from Hanoi and Halong city can take a shuttle bus, or limousine bus, or hire a private car transfer to Hai Phong through Hanoi- Hai Phong- Halong expressway connecting with the Tan Vu overpass bridge, you will reach the Dong Bai pier (bến phà Đồng Bài), where you will take the ferry to Cai Vieng pier ( bến phà Cái Viềng)

From Cai Vieng port, you will take 40 minute drive along beautiful coastal roads to reach Cat Ba town ( 20km away)

Dong Bai Pier – Cai Vieng ticket price (one way/ person)

Dong Bai Pier – Cai Vieng ferry schedule (every 30 min/ trip from 5:30 am to 6:30 pm)

(* – the large ferry departure time)

Notes : This route is really busy in high tourist season ( summer time between May & September) & at weekends with a lot of private family cars & buses queuing up on the way to the ferry, it will end up you with a couple of hours waiting for the ferry and sometimes ruin your vacation by stucking here.

Traffic on the way to Got Ferry on public holiday

Tuan Chau island pier (Halong city) – Gia Luan pier ( Cat Ba) : Schedules & Prices

Tuan Chau Ferry– Gia Luan pier ( Cat Ba) is the most convenient ferry route to get to Cat Ba island in term of scenic landscapes & traffic.It will take around 1 hour to travel on ferry between Tuan Chau island & Gia Luan harbour, but offer you great chances to admire Halong bay & Cat Ba area. Also, the distance from Hanoi is a bit longer than Dong Bai pier so the traffic in this ferry is normally less than Dong Bai ferry. From Tuan Chau, the Cat Ba Island ferry runs only 3 times/ day in winter and 5 times/ day in summer.

Arrive at Gia Luan harbour, it will take you around 45 minutes more with wonderful drive thru Cat Ba national park to reach Cat Ba town.

Tuan Chau – Cat Ba ticket price (one way/ person)

Tuan Chau – Cat Ba ferry schedule

Local tips of travelling by ferries to Cat Ba island

To enjoy a safe and comfortable ride, you can take this local suggestions into consideration :

• Avoid public holidays in Vietnam or summer’s weekends if you don’t want to immerse in the crowds of local visitors.
• Bring along your identity card and passport when buying the ticket
• Prepare yourself medicines in case of your seasick
• Ask a local travel consultant or hotel receptionist for help because there is a lack of online booking sites for ferry boats

We do hope this blog will be great of use for you to plan a trip to Cat Ba island by ferry routes. In need of local consultancy of private car hire Hanoi to Cat Ba island, tours to explore Cat Ba or Lan Ha bay cruises, don’t hesitate to drop us an email to [email protected] or contact us at +84.988451530 ( whatsapp)

See you soon & have a good trip in Cat Ba islands !