Cat Ba National Park — Complete Visitor Guide

Written by the Beka Travel guide team on Cat Ba Island. We walk the trans-park route to Viet Hai most weeks, so the ticket lines, the gate hours and the state of the limestone underfoot come from working days rather than from other travel blogs.

Last updated: 1 August 2026

Quick Summary: Cat Ba National Park covers 17,362 hectares of limestone forest, wetland and sea at the centre of Cat Ba Island. Gates open daily 07:00 to 17:00 and tickets run from 80,000 to 160,000 VND for adults depending on which route you walk. It is the only place on earth where the Cat Ba langur lives, and the population has climbed from about 40 in 2003 to around 90 as of October 2024.

Is Cat Ba National Park worth visiting?

Yes, the park is worth visiting. It covers 17,362 hectares of limestone forest, wetland and coastal water, and it sits at the core of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve recognised on 2 December 2004. It protects the critically endangered Cat Ba langur, a primate found nowhere else. Trails range from short, easy walks to a full-day jungle trek.

Why visit Cat Ba National Park

Stepping inland from the island's emerald bays reveals a completely different world: a dense, ancient limestone jungle protecting rare wildlife and plant life found almost nowhere else.

Unmatched biodiversity: the park blends coastal wetlands, mangrove forests, and rugged mountain terrain into one ecosystem, home to hundreds of animal and plant species.

The Cat Ba langur: this golden-headed primate is one of the rarest animals on Earth, and the park was heavily protected specifically to save it from extinction.

The endemic Kim Giao forest: ancient groves of Kim Giao trees, a wood historically used to craft chopsticks believed to detect poisoned food for Vietnamese royalty.

The park was established on 31 March 1986 and turned 40 this year. It started at 15,200 hectares and has since grown to 17,362 hectares, of which roughly 10,912 hectares are forest and 6,450 hectares are sea surface.

What is the entrance fee and opening hours for Cat Ba National Park?

The park headquarters and main gates are open daily from 07:00 to 17:00. Every visitor needs an entrance ticket, and the price depends on which route you are walking rather than on how long you stay. Buy at the gate before you start, in cash, and keep the stub with you.

Children under six years old, or under 1.2 metres tall, enter free. Visitors aged 60 and over, people with severe disabilities and students travelling in a school group pay half. Keep your ticket on hand if you're visiting Trung Trang cave the same day, since you may need to show it again.

These are statutory prices, not operator prices. They are set by Resolution 47/2025/NQ-HĐND of the Hai Phong People's Council, issued 10 December 2025 and in force from 1 January 2026, replacing Resolution 06/2024. Anyone quoting you a different figure at the gate is quoting the wrong document.

Two things worth budgeting for. The park ticket does not cover the bays: a day trip on the water carries its own 120,000 VND adult fee under the same resolution. And the ticket price doubled on 1 August 2024, from 80,000 VND to 160,000 VND, so older guides still quote half of what you will actually pay.

When is the best time to visit Cat Ba National Park?

The park is open year-round, but the season changes the experience significantly. Dry months give you grip underfoot and clear views from the peaks. Wet months give you slippery limestone, leeches and a real chance of the long routes being closed for the day.

Dry season (October to April): the best window for trekking, with cool, dry, comfortable weather. November and March are especially good for long hikes, with clear skies and low humidity.

Wet season (May to September): heavy rain and humidity make the limestone paths slippery. If you hike during these months, come prepared for mosquitoes and jungle leeches.

Storm season in the Gulf of Tonkin runs June through September, and a storm closes trails as well as boat routes. Our best time to visit Cat Ba guide has the month-by-month rainfall figures if you are still choosing dates.

What are the best trekking trails in Cat Ba National Park?

Whether you have two hours or a full day, the park has routes for most fitness levels. The important thing to understand is that the marked routes are not interchangeable: each one has its own gate, its own ticket price and its own terrain, so pick the route first and buy the matching ticket second.

Ngu Lam Peak trail

The most popular hike in the park: a steep climb up rugged limestone steps to a 225-metre summit, rewarded with a 360-degree view over the surrounding mountains and valleys. It is the shortest way to earn a view on Cat Ba.

Kim Giao forest short walk

A gentle, shaded trail through the Kim Giao trees, with no strenuous elevation gain, a good fit for families or anyone wanting a peaceful walk rather than a climb. It shares a ticket with Ngu Lam Peak and Trung Trang cave.

Viet Hai village trek

A challenging 14-kilometre, one-way route straight through the jungle core, past frog lakes and large root systems, ending at the remote Viet Hai settlement. This is the route our guided trek walks, and the boat picks you up at the village rather than making you walk back.

Trung Trang cave short trail

A short walk from the main gate leads into a 300-metre cave with visible stalactites, a natural add-on to the Ngu Lam Peak hike. For the rest of the island's sights, see our Cat Ba Island Travel Guide.

The Tien Duc cave route

The quietest of the ticketed routes, entered from the Dong Ninh Tiep trailhead on level ground. It is the route we swap to when rain closes the crossing to Viet Hai, because the walking is flat and the cave itself is unaffected by weather. The cave floor can be wet, so bring grip.

Phu Long mangrove and Thien Long cave

The park's coastal edge rather than its jungle core, reached from Phu Long at the north-west end of the island. Expect flat ground, mangrove channels and part of the route on water. It is the only ticketed route where you see the wetland side of the reserve.

Trail comparison at a glance

The park publishes no official walking time for the Tien Duc or Phu Long routes, so we have left those cells blank rather than guess at them.

What wildlife and plants can you spot in the park?

The park records around 4,120 plant and animal species, including 1,595 higher plants, 209 birds and 177 corals, and 156 of those species are listed as threatened under Vietnamese or international law. The wider Cat Ba Archipelago Biosphere Reserve, which is a larger area than the park itself, records 4,151 species across 26,241 hectares.

Mammals and primates: keep an eye out for macaques, civets, and giant black squirrels. Spotting the Cat Ba langur itself is rare, and the section below explains why.

Birdlife: the park is a good spot for birdwatching, hosting species like the Oriental Pied Hornbill alongside various local eagles.

Flora: alongside the Kim Giao trees, expect ancient cycads, wild orchids, and strangler figs wrapping around the limestone cliffs.

Will you actually see a Cat Ba langur?

Almost certainly not, and no honest guide will tell you otherwise. Around 90 langurs remained as of October 2024, up from roughly 40 in 2003, and they live in two subpopulations on sea cliffs well away from the walking routes. Most visitors finish the park without seeing one.

That is worth saying plainly, because the recovery is the better story anyway. The population more than doubled in two decades under a conservation project running since 2000, and 15 infants were recorded in 2024 alone. What you actually see on the trail is the forest that keeps the population alive.

What does the UNESCO listing actually cover?

Two separate designations get mixed up here, so it is worth separating them. The Cat Ba Archipelago has been a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2 December 2004, covering 26,241 hectares. That is the older and wider of the two, and the national park sits inside it as the core zone.

The World Heritage listing came much later. On 16 September 2023, decision 45 COM 8B.3 extended the existing Ha Long Bay property to take in the Cat Ba Archipelago and renamed the site "Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba Archipelago, Viet Nam". So the park is part of a World Heritage site, but the park is not itself the World Heritage site.

How do you get to Cat Ba National Park?

The main entrance sits inland, roughly in the centre of the island, and there is only one road worth using. Allow half an hour from town, and set off early if you want the long route, because the gate stops selling tickets well before it closes at 17:00.

From Cat Ba town: the entrance is about 14 kilometres away. A scooter, local taxi, or electric tourist bus all work, and the drive takes roughly 30 minutes. The route runs from the town centre along Tung Thu Road toward Ang Soi junction, then follows Ha Sen Road onto the island crossing road.

From Hanoi: the trip runs by road to the coast, then a ferry crossing to the island before driving to the park, taking about 3.5 to 4 hours in total. See our Hanoi to Cat Ba Island transport guide for route options and current ferry schedules, or the full transport comparison if you are coming from somewhere else.

The park management board answers on 0225.3888.741 and at vuonqgcatba@haiphong.gov.vn if you want to check trail conditions before you set off. That is worth doing in the wet season, when the long routes close without much notice.

What should you know before visiting Cat Ba National Park?

Three things catch people out. The gate takes cash in Vietnamese dong only, the trails have no shops or water points once you pass the entrance, and the limestone underfoot is sharper and more slippery than it looks in photographs. Sort your footwear, your water and your cash before you leave town.

What to pack and wear

Footwear: sturdy, closed-toe trekking shoes with good grip, because the limestone rocks are sharp and slippery.

Hydration: at least 1.5 litres of water per person; there are no shops on the trails.

Protection: insect repellent (leeches are common in the wet season), sunscreen, and lightweight, breathable clothing.

Cash: the ticket windows take Vietnamese dong in cash only, and there is no ATM at the gate.

Hiring a local guide vs self-guided trekking

For Ngu Lam Peak or the Kim Giao forest walk, you don't need a guide, since the paths are clear and well-marked. For the 14-kilometre Viet Hai village trek, a professional local guide is strongly recommended, because the deep jungle trails can be confusing to navigate alone and there is no phone signal for much of the crossing.

Beka Insight: our trekking guides average four years of experience leading routes through Cat Ba National Park.

Should you visit the park independently or on a guided trek?

Both work, and the honest answer depends on which route you want. The short routes near the gate are easy to do alone for the price of a ticket. The 14-kilometre crossing to Viet Hai is a different proposition, because it ends on the far side of the island with no road back.

If the crossing is what you came for, our Cat Ba National Park trekking and cycling day tour walks the same route, covers the entrance tickets and picks you up by boat at the village. If you would rather spend the day on the water instead, the Lan Ha Bay day tour runs from Ben Beo harbour.

Frequently asked questions

What makes Cat Ba National Park different from the rest of the island?

Unlike the beaches and bay cruises Cat Ba is known for, the national park is a dense limestone jungle protecting rare wildlife like the Cat Ba langur, a wilder side of the island reached by trekking rather than boat. It is also the only part of the island where you pay a statutory entrance fee to walk.

How long does it take to hike Ngu Lam Peak?

For most travellers with average fitness, the round trip from the entrance gate to the summit and back takes about 1.5 to 2 hours. The climb is short but steep, on rough limestone steps rather than a graded path, so allow longer in wet weather and start before mid-afternoon.

Do you need a guide to trek in Cat Ba National Park?

Not for short trails like Ngu Lam Peak or Trung Trang cave. For the challenging cross-island trek to Viet Hai village, a local guide is strongly advised for navigation and safety, since the route runs 14 kilometres through the jungle core and ends at a village with no road connection back to town.

Which Cat Ba National Park ticket do I need?

It depends on your route, not your age or your stay. The 120,000 VND ticket covers Kim Giao, Ngu Lam Peak and Trung Trang cave. The Tien Duc and Phu Long routes are 80,000 VND each. The full crossing to Viet Hai needs general admission at 160,000 VND.

Can you visit Cat Ba National Park as a day trip from Hanoi?

Yes, but it is a long day. Road and ferry take 3.5 to 4 hours each way, so a day trip means leaving Hanoi before dawn and getting back after dark. Guided day trips do exactly that. If you would rather not, stay a night on the island.

Explore Cat Ba National Park with Beka Travel

Ready to step into the jungle? Beka Travel's local guides know these trails well and handle the transportation, entrance tickets, and pacing, so you can focus on the trek itself.

Beka Travel holds 4.9 out of 5 from 1,140 reviews on TripAdvisor and won a Travelers' Choice award in 2026. Explore more guides and tours at Beka Travel.

Check Availability

Share: