Located in northern Vietnam, about 3-4 hours from the capital of Hanoi, you will find the lovely island of Cat Ba. It is the largest island in the Ha Long Bay area. When you hear Ha Long Bay, your mind may take you to green waters and huge limestone rocks soaring out of the water. While Cat Ba does have that, another part of the island has a beautiful mountainous jungle like forest housing Cat Ba National Park.
Cat Ba National Park is a World Heritage Site, and a destination that should not be missed on any trip to Cat Ba. You will come across all different kinds of wildlife and see thousands of different plant species.
How to get to Cat Ba National Park
The easiest way to get to Cat Ba National Park is to rent a motorbike and drive there yourself. We rented a motorbike from our hotel, but you can also rent them on the street. It cost us 100,000 dong + 40,000 in petrol. You can also pay $5 on the street.
Our rental included helmets for Dan and I. Isabel did not get one, not that one would have fit her anyway, but worth noting for those with kids. We put her in between us on the bike and the 3 of us fit very nicely. We never felt unsafe, it is part of the culture to ride with infants/toddlers on the motorbikes. For a little extra protection if you are worried, you could wear the baby in a baby carrier.
You could also get there through an organized tour if you don’t want to do it yourself, but I would not recommend that.
What to bring with you for hiking in Cat Ba National Park
Hiking up through Cat Ba National Park is challenging and you will get thirsty. The only way to complete this hike is with gym shoes or hiking shoes. I would bring a full water bottle for everyone person. The sun is also extremely powerful. Even though a lot of the hike is shaded, there will be a lot of sunny spots too. Sunscreen is important as well as sunglasses or a sun hat. I made sure to put sunscreen on and still got burnt on the hike. Dan did not wear any because he didn’t think he needed it, but also got burnt, so make sure to wear it. Mosquitoes are also pretty prevalent, so make sure to wear bug spray.
Finally, if you are hiking Cat Ba National Park with a baby, you will need a good carrier with support. Most likely you won’t be traveling with a baby hiking pack, so I would recommend the Lillébaby which we love and worked out great.
So your checklist:
Water bottle, Sunscreen, Bug spray, Hiking shoes/ Gym shoes, Sunglasses/ Sun hat, Baby carrier
The entrance fee into Cat Ba National Park
Unfortunately, it is not free to hike in Cat Ba National Park. When you arrive, you will first have to pay 5,000 dong to park your motorbike. There are signs across the street for free parking, but you can only park there if you buy something from the store or restaurant and that will cost you more than 5,000 dong.
The entry fee is 40,000 dong per person (babies are free).
Hiking in Cat Ba National Park
The self-hike will take you roughly 2-3 hours depending on your fitness level and pace. The park closes at 5pm, so make sure to get there by 3pm at the latest.
Finding your way through the park
When you first go past the entry gate you will see some information on the right. You can stop to check it out if you want, but then head straight on the strip. You’ll pass a farm stay to your left, and then on the left you’ll see an enclosed area housing many deer. Isabel especially loved to look at the deer.
Anyway, once you’ve had a look, continue going straight until you run into a restaurant. In front of that restaurant is a big map. The trail is not always clearly marked, so I would recommend taking a good look at the map before you start so that you have a general idea of the way you’re going.
Go left up the stairs to the restaurant and work your way behind it. That is where you will start the trail. We were a bit confused when we got there, but if you just follow the stairs you’ll get to the right place.
Hiking in Cat Ba National Park is tough!
BEWARE – this hike is tough. There are A LOT of stairs. If you cannot climb a lot of stairs, this hike is not for you. It’s almost all stairs of stone and there are some parts where you have to climb through the pointed limestone. If you are not able to do that, this is not for you.
There was a point when hiking on the trail that I told Dan that if I died Isabel could still nurse from me for a couple hours. HAHA! A little dramatic I know, but I was struggling through the stairs (and humidity) after a while. Of course my fit footballer husband didn’t have trouble going up at all. He ended up taking Isabel for me and hiking up the mountain with the baby strapped to his front and a beer in his hand!
Dan has one bad knee, and had a bit of a hard time going back down the mountain. If you have bad knees, going down might be a bit of a struggle for you. (He was also carrying a baby on his front, so if you don’t have major knee issues than it should be okay).
Don’t despair, this hike isn’t actually THAT hard. It’s just a lot of stairs and a lot of sweat. Many people do the hike every year and are able to reach the top no problem. Don’t let my dramatics deter you!!!
Reaching the summit
When you have gone up and up and up through luscious green jungle paths, you will come across a man-made, 2-story, covered viewing platform. You will think you’ve finally reached the top, but you have actually NOT reached the summit. However, if you want to get some good sturdy pictures with a nice camera, this is the place to do it. The actual peak is just one rock and it’s hard to stand there and move around to take pictures. There are also other people that want to see the view, and you can really only have one/two people on the rock at a time, so it doesn’t leave you much time to get your equipment set.
Anyway, if you look through the brush, you will see a trail that leads you about 10 more minutes up to the top for an amazing natural view. There are no safety rails or guard walls, so make sure to pay attention to where you are going. If you are hiking with kids, make sure to keep an extra eye on them and tell them to be careful.
Even though I thought I was going to die at one point, the beautiful panoramic views from the top were definitely worth it. The views are absolutely amazing. There is a real sense of accomplishment when you reach the top too (especially if you’re like me who had a tough time hiking up there).
Other hikes through Cat Ba National Park
If you are an experienced hiker, this tough hike for me might be a piece of cake for you. There isa longer, 11 mile hike you can take. It is usually done with a guide and takes the whole day. It goes through the National Park and then keeps going east to see land that you can only reach by foot. At the end of the day, you are transferred back to the center of Càt Bá by boat.
More attractions in Cat Ba National Park
If you want to learn a little something or see some sights after your trek, the Cat Ba National Park also has a small zoo and museum (among other things) that you can check out. They are only open on certain days though, so plan ahead if that interests you.
I hope you are inspired to take a hike through Càt Bá National Park! For more information like this, or to follow our adventures around the world make sure to subscribe!