Cat Ba Travel Guides

Lan Ha Bay Guide 2026: How to Visit, Fees, Cruises and Best Time

Name: Flamingo Cat Ba Sea & Sand Resort
Address: Cat Co 1 & 2 Beach, Cat Ba Island, Cat Hai Special Zone, Hai Phong, Vietnam, Cát Bà, Hải Phòng, VN
Telephone: +84 364 901 393

October 17, 2026Flamingo Cat Ba Sea & Sand Resort

Where Lan Ha Bay is, how to get there from Cat Ba, the 2026 bay fee, day tours and cruises, the best months to go and the stops worth your time.

Lan Ha Bay is the quieter southern neighbor of Ha Long Bay: around 400 limestone islands and islets scattered off the east and southeast coast of Cat Ba Island. Since 2023 it has been part of the Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba Archipelago World Heritage Site, yet it usually sees fewer boats than Ha Long. This Lan Ha Bay guide covers where it is, how to get there, the 2026 fee, the stops worth your time and when to go.

Updated October 2026. Fees, sailing rules and tour prices are for reference and can change with the season, the weather and the operator.

1. Where is Lan Ha Bay?

Lan Ha Bay lies off the east and southeast coast of Cat Ba Island, directly south of Ha Long Bay. It covers more than 7,000 hectares of sheltered water, with steep limestone towers, small beaches and enclosed lagoons tucked between them.

The bay belongs to Hai Phong. Since July 1, 2025, Cat Ba and its bays have been part of Cat Hai Special Zone, and a local management board runs the bays day to day. Most boats leave from Ben Beo Pier, about 2 kilometers east of the center of Cat Ba Town.

Lan Ha shares its geology with Ha Long. In September 2023, UNESCO extended the Ha Long Bay World Heritage Site to take in the Cat Ba Archipelago. The combined site counts 1,133 islands and islets, and it's Vietnam's first World Heritage Site to cross a provincial boundary.

2. Is Lan Ha Bay worth visiting?

Yes, especially if you want karst scenery with a little more room. Lan Ha has the same limestone towers as Ha Long, but the routes are shorter and you can pair the bay with beaches, a floating village and the forest of Cat Ba National Park on the same trip.

It isn't empty, though. Hai Phong counted more than 740,000 visits to the Cat Ba bays in the first seven months of 2026, and summer weekends and Vietnamese holidays bring queues of boats at the best-known stops. Go out early in the day, or come in spring or autumn, and the bay feels much calmer.

3. How to get to Lan Ha Bay

You see Lan Ha Bay from a boat, and nearly every trip starts on Cat Ba Island. The main exception is a cruise that sails in from Ha Long Bay.

3.1. From Cat Ba Town

Ben Beo Pier is the main base for day boats, private boats and most overnight cruises on the Cat Ba side. It's a short taxi or scooter ride from town, or a 25-minute walk along the coast road, and many tours include hotel pickup. In summer, book a day ahead or ask your hotel to arrange it.

3.2. From Hanoi, Hai Phong or Ha Long

From Hanoi, the usual route is a limousine bus to Cat Hai Island, then the cable car or the car ferry across to Cat Ba, about four to five hours door to door. From Hai Phong city, speedboats reach Cat Ba in about 45–50 minutes. From Ha Long, the Tuan Chau to Gia Luan ferry lands on the north of the island, about 25 kilometers from town, so allow time for the drive to Ben Beo.

Since April 20, 2026, four cross-bay cruise routes have linked Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay. They leave from Tuan Chau and Ha Long International ports and run as overnight trips only, which suits travelers who want to see both bays without crossing to Cat Ba first.

4. Lan Ha Bay entrance fee in 2026

Under Hai Phong's fee schedule in force since January 1, 2026, a day visit to the Cat Ba bays, Lan Ha included, costs VND 120,000 per adult and VND 60,000 per child aged 6 and over. Children under 6 go free. The rate is the same as the one set in August 2024, so older blogs quoting VND 80,000 are out of date.

Sleeping on the bay costs more, because the overnight fee replaces the day fee:

1 night: VND 400,000 per adult, VND 300,000 per child aged 6 and over.
2 nights: VND 600,000 per adult, VND 500,000 per child.
3 nights: VND 650,000 per adult, VND 550,000 per child.

Vietnamese seniors aged 60 and over and a few other groups pay half. Most tours and cruises include the fee in the price, but check when you book, especially for a private boat.

5. Day tour, cruise or private boat?

Most visitors staying on Cat Ba take a shared day tour. An overnight cruise suits anyone who wants the bay at dusk, and a private boat suits families and small groups who want to set their own pace.

5.1. Shared day tours

Full-day tours usually leave Ben Beo around 8:00 or 9:00 a.m. and return in the mid to late afternoon, with lunch on board and two or three stops. Expect to pay around VND 550,000–950,000 per person in 2026, depending on the boat, the group size and what's included. Shorter sunset trips start from around VND 450,000, and some operators add a surcharge on weekends and holidays.

5.2. Overnight cruises

A night on the bay gives you the quiet hours after the day boats have gone. One-night cruises from the Cat Ba side typically board in the late morning and return around midday the next day, for around VND 2,200,000–6,500,000 per person depending on the boat. Read the inclusions carefully, because meals, the overnight bay fee, activities and drinks vary from one boat to the next.

5.3. Private boats

Hiring a whole boat costs more but lets you choose the route and the timing. As a rough guide, a boat for 10–12 people runs around VND 1,800,000–3,000,000 for a half day and VND 4,000,000–5,000,000 for a full day, before the bay fee. Agree the route, the hours and the inclusions at the pier, and make sure there's a life jacket for everyone on board.

6. What to see in Lan Ha Bay

Itineraries change with the operator, the season and the tide, but most trips combine a few of these stops.

6.1. Cai Beo floating village

Cai Beo sits right beside Ben Beo Pier, so it's often the first thing you pass. Floating homes and fish farms line the water above one of the oldest known settlements in the region: an archaeological site found in 1938, ranked a national relic in 2009, with layers dating back around 6,000–7,000 years. Ask before photographing people's homes, and keep the noise down as you pass.

6.2. Monkey Island

Monkey Island, which locals call Cat Dua, is 10–15 minutes by boat from Ben Beo and has two small crescent beaches with calm water. The monkeys are macaques that roam freely and grab bags, drinks and phones, so keep everything zipped away and don't feed or touch them. If one bites or scratches you, wash the wound well and see a doctor the same day. Hai Phong's 2026 fee schedule has no separate charge for the island, so ask your boat operator what the price covers.

6.3. Dark and Bright Cave

Dark and Bright Cave, also called Sang Toi, sits on the edge of Lan Ha near Ha Long Bay. A tunnel of about 70 meters leads into a lagoon ringed by cliffs, and the only way through is by small boat, either a kayak or a bamboo boat rowed by a local, depending on what's allowed when you visit. Some operators skip it in summer because of currents and weather, so check the itinerary before you pay.

6.4. Ba Trai Dao and the small beaches

Ba Trai Dao is a group of three small islets named for their peach shapes, with sandbars that show for only a few hours a day. Van Boi, a small crescent beach a short boat ride from town, is another common swim stop. Some tours drop Ba Trai Dao and Dark and Bright Cave from roughly May to mid-August and swim elsewhere, so read the itinerary closely in summer, and swim only where the crew says it's allowed.

6.5. Viet Hai Village

Viet Hai is a village of fewer than 300 people in the buffer zone of Cat Ba National Park. Boats drop you at Viet Hai pier, and from there it's about 5 kilometers through the forest by bike or electric cart. It's an easy way to see the island's green interior without a long hike.

7. Can you kayak in Lan Ha Bay?

Sometimes, but don't count on it. In November 2024, local authorities suspended kayak services in the Cat Ba bays, and in late 2025 some cruise lines said a new notice had extended the suspension; several now offer bamboo boat rides instead. Other operators still list kayaking at set stops, and the bay rules in force since January 2026 allow water activities only in permitted areas, with safety gear.

In practice, ask your operator whether kayaking is allowed on your date before you book, wear the life jacket you're given, and don't rent a kayak to paddle off on your own. The rules here can change at short notice.

8. When is the best time to visit Lan Ha Bay?

April to October brings warm water and the calmest seas for swimming, with the sea close to 30°C in July and August. The trade-off is storm season: Hai Phong gets three to five storms or tropical depressions a year, mostly between June and September, and tourist boats stay in port whenever warnings are issued. In 2026, the city stopped boats on several storm days, including July 3 and August 22.

November to March is cool, drier and often misty, with the sea around 19–20°C in February. It's a good time for photos and quiet boat trips rather than long swims. For the best balance, aim for April–May or September–October, and head out early, because the best-known stops are busiest from about 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

9. Where to stay near Lan Ha Bay

Cat Ba Town is closest to Ben Beo Pier and has the widest choice of budget hotels, though parts of the waterfront have been under construction since 2024. The Cat Co beaches, a short walk from the town center, suit travelers who want the sea on the doorstep after a day on the boat. To spend the night on the water, choose an overnight cruise or a floating homestay near Cai Beo, and remember the overnight bay fee.

10. Good to know

Life jackets: Since June 2026, every passenger must wear a life jacket for the whole boat trip, not only in the water.
Weather: Boats stay in port during storm warnings, so keep a spare day in your plans from July to October.
Waste: Boats must sort their rubbish and hand it in at the pier, so leave plastic bags behind and carry your trash back.
Cash: Bring Vietnamese dong for drinks, tips and small boats. Drinks on board often cost more than in town.
Inclusions: The bay fee, lunch, hotel pickup and activities vary from one boat to the next, so ask before you pay.

11. FAQs about Lan Ha Bay

Is Lan Ha Bay part of Ha Long Bay?

For UNESCO, yes. Since 2023 both belong to the Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba Archipelago World Heritage Site, but Lan Ha lies in Hai Phong and is managed separately from Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh.

How much is the Lan Ha Bay entrance fee in 2026?

A day visit costs VND 120,000 per adult and VND 60,000 per child aged 6 and over, and children under 6 go free. Spending the night on the bay costs VND 400,000–650,000 per adult, depending on the number of nights.

Can you visit Lan Ha Bay as a day trip from Hanoi?

It's possible on a long day tour, but much of the day goes on the road and the crossing. Staying at least one night on Cat Ba gives you a full, unhurried day on the water.

How do you get to Lan Ha Bay from Ha Long?

Take the Tuan Chau to Gia Luan ferry to Cat Ba and drive to Ben Beo Pier, or book one of the overnight cross-bay cruises from Tuan Chau or Ha Long International ports.

Can you swim in Lan Ha Bay?

Yes, at the beaches and spots your crew allows, and never in restricted zones. The water is warmest from May to October.

Is Lan Ha Bay less crowded than Ha Long Bay?

Usually, yes, although summer weekends and holidays get busy. Head out early, or travel in spring or autumn, for the quietest water.

Lan Ha Bay rewards a little planning: check the season, the 2026 fee and what your boat includes, then give yourself a full day on the water. Pair it with a night or two on Cat Ba and you'll see the bay at its calmest.

Back on land, Flamingo Cat Ba Sea & Sand Resort sits on Cat Co 1 and Cat Co 2 beaches, a short drive from Ben Beo Pier. Cool off in the Shell Pool infinity pool on the 4th floor of the Sea tower, ease tired legs in the Japanese-style mineral baths at Ruriko Onsen, then watch the evening settle over Lan Ha Bay from Lan Ha Sky Bar on the 17th floor.

Plan your stay at Flamingo Cat Ba Sea & Sand Resort:

Book your stay at Flamingo Cat Ba Sea & Sand Resort Hotline +84 364 901 393

Photo: Christophe95, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.