Cat Ba Beaches - 9 Best Beaches for Cat Ba Trip

Last updated: 4 September 2026

Cat Ba Island is in the north of Vietnam, and it has more beaches than most visitors expect. Some are a few minutes from the town. Others are small and quiet, and you can only reach them by boat. This guide covers all the Cat Ba beaches, what each one is like, how to get there and what it costs.

What makes the beaches on Cat Ba Island different

The beaches on Cat Ba Island belong to two groups. Knowing the difference will save you a lot of time when you plan your day.

The first group is the town beaches. You can walk to them or take a short ride from Cat Ba town. They are free, and you do not need to book anything.

The second group is out in Lan Ha Bay, on small islands among the limestone rocks. These beaches are quieter, and the water is clearer. Every one of them needs a boat, and that is the main thing to plan for.

The best beaches in Cat Ba town

These five beaches in Cat Ba are close to the town. You can reach them on foot, by electric car or by taxi. If you only have one afternoon on the island, choose from this list.

Cat Co 1 beach

Cat Co 1 is the busiest of the three Cat Co beaches. Many visitors call it beach 1. It is a few minutes from the town centre, the sand is wide, and local families swim here next to travellers all day.

Come before nine in the morning or after four in the afternoon if you want more space. Between June and August, this beach is very busy in the middle of the day.

Cat Co 2 beach

Cat Co 2 is right next to Cat Co 1, but it feels very different. The beach is smaller and more protected from the wind. It is a good choice if you want to swim, rest and do nothing else for a few hours.

You can walk here from Cat Co 1 in a few minutes on a path along the cliff. The sea is on one side and the rocks are on the other. The walk is free and it is one of the nicest short walks on the island.

Cat Co 3 beach

Cat Co 3 is also called beach 3. It has the newest facilities of the three beaches and a wide flat path behind the sand. This makes it the easiest Cat Co beach for families with young children, for older visitors, and for anyone carrying a lot of bags.

It is also the quietest of the three outside the summer months. This is useful to know if you visit between October and April.

It is easy to move between the three beaches. Electric cars drive the short route from town for about 10,000 to 15,000 VND per trip. You can see all three beaches in one afternoon without planning anything.

Cat Ba Beach at Sun World

This beach is part of the Sun World area, and it is the most modern beach in Cat Ba. The sand is well kept, there are changing rooms, and you can buy food and drinks nearby.

It is a good choice for your first afternoon on the island, especially with children, because everything is close together. Do not come here if you are looking for a quiet beach.

Tung Thu beach

Tung Thu is a long beach with shallow water, a short ride from the town centre. We send families here when the Cat Co beaches are full. The water stays shallow far from the shore, so it is the safest beach in Cat Ba for young children.

It is usually quieter than Cat Co 1, and the beach is long enough that a busy day still feels comfortable. There are places to eat nearby, but fewer than in the town.

Cat Ba island beaches out in Lan Ha Bay

The Cat Ba island beaches in the bay are the reason many people come back to the island. They all need a boat, they are all quieter than the town beaches, and most of them are small. If you arrive early or late, you may have the beach almost to yourself.

One thing has changed in recent years. Several small resorts used to operate on these islands. The city of Hai Phong ordered them to be removed, because they were built inside Cat Ba National Park without the right permits. As the report said, "building these structures inside Cat Ba National Park breaks the law and does not match the approved zoning plan."

Today Nam Cat, Freedom Island and Castaway are quiet, undeveloped beaches. There are no rooms, no shops and no restaurants on any of them. Our guides visit these beaches every week, and this is the situation in 2026.

Source: Tuoi Tre Online, "Hai Phong quyet do nhieu resort tren vinh Lan Ha", 13 January 2021. Read the article

Ba Trai Dao beach

Ba Trai Dao means Three Peach beach. It is three small pieces of sand at the bottom of three round islands. This is the beach you see in most photos of the bay, and it is worth the trip.

You need to plan around the tide. The sand gets smaller and bigger during the day, and at high tide there is very little beach left. Any local boat crew knows the tide times and can plan the stop for you.

Van Boi beach

Van Boi is a small, quiet beach between the rocks, on the way to Viet Hai village. The water is calm and shallow near the shore.

It is a good place to try kayaking. The water around the beach is protected, so it is easy to paddle even if you have never done it before.

Nam Cat island beach

Nam Cat is a small island in Lan Ha Bay with a quiet beach and clear water. There used to be a small resort with wooden bungalows here, but it is gone. The island is empty today.

Come here to swim and to rest for an hour, not to stay the night. Bring your own water, and take your rubbish back to the boat with you, because there are no bins and no services on the island.

Freedom Island beach, also called Tu Do

Freedom Island has an unusual shape. The sand faces open water on two sides, instead of sitting inside one small bay. This gives you wider sea views than at most beaches in Lan Ha Bay.

Like Nam Cat, this is now a wild beach with no buildings and no services. Because the sand is open on two sides, you also feel the wind more here than at Van Boi or Ba Trai Dao. It is a better stop on a calm day.

Castaway Island beach

For many years Castaway Island was known as a party island for young travellers, with music, drinks and shared dormitories. That is no longer true. The buildings have been removed, and today it is a quiet, empty beach like the others around it.

If you read an older guide that still describes bars and beds on Castaway, that information is out of date. Come here for the swimming and the quiet, and bring everything you need with you.

Monkey Island beach, also called Cat Dua

Monkey Island has two beaches, Cat Dua 1 and Cat Dua 2. A group of monkeys lives on the island, and this is how it got its name. Behind the beach there is a short but steep climb, and the view from the top is one of the best in the bay.

Keep your food and drinks inside your bag. The monkeys are used to people, they are fast, and they will take an open bag if you leave it on the sand. Please do not feed them.

How to reach each Cat Ba beach and what it costs

The town beaches are free. Electric cars between the Cat Co beaches cost about 10,000 to 15,000 VND per trip. Taxis and motorbike rentals are easy to find in town, and Tung Thu is a short ride from the centre.

The bay beaches work differently, because there is no road to any of them. Most visitors see these beaches on a Lan Ha Bay tour. The boat, the route and the stops are all arranged for you, so you do not need to plan anything yourself.

You can also rent a private boat or a speedboat from Ben Beo pier and choose your own beaches. Please note that the price of a private boat does not include the Lan Ha Bay entrance ticket. You pay that ticket separately for each person.

Which Cat Ba beach to choose

If you have one afternoon and no boat, go to Cat Co 1 or Cat Co 3. They are close to the town, they are free, and you can be in the water twenty minutes after you leave your hotel.

If you travel with young children, Tung Thu is the best choice because the water stays shallow. Cat Co 3 is the second best choice, because of the flat path and the facilities.

If you have a full day and you want the best beaches on Cat Ba Island, not just the closest ones, take a boat into the bay. Visit Ba Trai Dao and Van Boi on the same trip. You get the famous beach and the quiet beach in one day.

When is the best time of year for a Cat Ba beach day

May to September is the swimming season. The sea is warm, everything is open, and the bay beaches are at their best. This is also the busiest time, because many Vietnamese families visit between June and August.

April and October are the two months we recommend most often. The sea is still warm enough to swim, the light is better for photos, and the town beaches are much quieter.

From November to March, the sea is too cold for most visitors. The bay is calm and clear, and beach walks are pleasant, but plan your trip around the views rather than the swimming.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best beaches in Cat Ba?

For an easy trip, choose the Cat Co beaches or Tung Thu. For the best views, choose Ba Trai Dao or Van Boi in the bay. Most visitors do both, a town beach on the first day and a boat trip on a full day.

Which is the best beach in Cat Ba for a day trip?

If your time is short, Cat Co 1 and Cat Co 3 are the best choice. You can reach both in minutes and you do not need to book anything. If you have a full day, take a boat to Ba Trai Dao or Van Boi.

Are the beaches on Cat Ba Island free to enter?

The town beaches are open to everyone and free to walk onto. You pay only if you rent a sun bed or use the changing rooms. The bay beaches are different, because you need a boat and a Lan Ha Bay entrance ticket. Most bay tours include the ticket, but if you rent a private boat you pay for the ticket yourself.

Can you stay overnight on the bay beaches?

No. The small resorts on Nam Cat, Freedom Island and Castaway have been removed, and there is no accommodation on these islands today. If you want to sleep on the water, book a boat that stays overnight on the bay.

Which Cat Ba beach is best for swimming?

Tung Thu has the calmest and shallowest water. Cat Co 2 is the best choice close to the town. In the bay, Van Boi is the calmest of the popular beaches.

Which beach on Cat Ba is quietest?

Van Boi on most days, and Cat Co 2 among the town beaches. The time of day matters too. Any beach here is quiet before nine in the morning.

Is Tung Thu beach good for children?

Yes. It is the beach we recommend most often for families. The water stays shallow far from the shore, and the beach is long, so it rarely feels crowded.

How do you get to Ba Trai Dao and Van Boi beach?

Both beaches are reached by boat from Ben Beo pier. There is no road to either of them. Most visitors see them as part of a day trip on the bay.

How much does the electric car cost between the Cat Co beaches?

About 10,000 to 15,000 VND per trip. The route is short, so many people walk one way and ride back.

Would you like to see the bay beaches yourself? Our boats leave from Ben Beo pier most mornings. If you are still planning your journey, read our guide on how to get to Cat Ba Island from Hanoi, or browse all our island guides at Beka Travel.

Share: