Most of tourists come to Vietnam want to visit Halong bay
and many of those start to find out that Cat Ba islands are one of the best
place to discover as it is not as crowded as Halong bay and there are many
beautiful sighseeing here also.
After you have spent one day to cruise on Halong bay, visit
caves and go swimming then you should choose one or two more nights in Cat Ba
island. Here, you can choose to sleep on a private beach bungalow, go kayaking,
swimming in clean water, visit hundred year floating village or go rock
climbing...There is Lan Ha bay in Cat Ba island that will give you real relax
time and unforgetable holiday.
About Cat Ba islands
Cat Ba islands is located in Hai Phong city. It is about 10
km South East of Halong bay. Cat Ba incuded Cat Ba islands and Lan Ha bay where
many tourists love to come to trek in to Cat Ba national park or take a cruise
to visit Lan Ha bay islets and beaches and floating villages
Cat Ba Islands is in the South of Halong bay world heritage.
It consists of 367 islands, off the coast of Hai Phong city and Quang Ninh
province, it is far from the center of Hai Phong city about 30 km, from the
city of Ha Long about 25 km. Administratively, it is the islands of Cat Hai
district, Hai Phong city. It has been recognized as the World Biosphere
Reserve.
Cat Ba island, Hai Phong
Cat Ba is the place between the forest and the sea blend ,
creating a one of a kind landscapes . Come to this beautiful island , visitors
are not only bathed in cool blue beaches , but also can discover mysterious
nature through primitive forests on the island . Cat Ba National Park is
extensive 15,200 ha of tropical forests with system wide 570 ha rich flora and
fauna , the species is characteristic white head and Kim Giao trees .
Cat Ba Island is the giant green carpet contains many
mysterious and attractive . Worthy of the Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve 3rd Vietnam
, is now recognized as a UNESCO biosphere reserve in the world. The total area
of the Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve 26,000 ha wide , with 2 core zone ( strict
conservation and human impacts ) , 2 buffer ( allowing economic growth combined
with limited but conservation ) and two transition zones ( economic development
) . Zone Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve is the full convergence on the tropical rain
forest of limestone islands , mangroves , coral reefs , grass beds and
especially the cave system . Cat Ba Cai Beo there remains the Halong culture ,
the way people have lived here 6475 - 4200 year .
With charm bestowed by nature , biological diversity and the
tremendous value of the nation's history , Cat Ba has been and will be an
attractive destination for domestic and foreign tourists
Cat Ba island town
Cat Ba is the largest island in the Bay and approximately
half of its area is covered by a National Park, which is home to the highly
endangered Cat Ba Langur. The island has a wide variety of natural ecosystems,
both marine and terrestrial, leading to incredibly high rates of biodiversity.
Types of natural habitats found on Cat Ba Archipelago include limestone karsts,
tropical limestone forests, coral reefs, mangrove and sea grass beds, lagoons,
beaches, caves, and willow swamp forests. Cat Ba Island is one of the only
populated islands in Ha Long Bay, with roughly 13,000 inhabitants living in six
different communes, and 4,000 more inhabitants living on floating fishing
villages off the coast. The large majority of the population can be found in
Cat Ba Town which is located at the southern tip of the Island (15 km south of
the national park) and is the commercial center on the Island. Since 1997, Cat
Ba Town has grown rapidly and has become a tourist hub for both the Island and
greater Ha Long Bay.
Gia Luan harbour - Cat Ba island
History of Cat Ba Island
Archeological evidence suggests that people have lived on
Cat Ba Island for almost 6,000 years, with the earliest settlements being found
on the southeastern tip of the Island close to the area where Ban Beo harbor
sits today. In 1938, a group of French archeologists discovered human remains
belonging "to the Cai Beo people of the Ha Long culture, which lived
between 4,000 and 6,500 years ago… considered to be perhaps the first
population group occupying the North-Eastern territorial waters of Vietnam… the
Cai Beo people may be an intermediary link between the population strata at the
end of the Neolithic Age, some 4,000 years ago". In more recent history,
Cat Ba Island was inhabited mostly by Viet-Chinese fisherman and was largely
influenced by both the French and American wars. The Island was a strategic
look-out point and bombing during the wars often forced local residents to hide
among the Island's many caves. Today, the best reminders of the two wars have
been turned into tourist attractions. Hospital Cave, which was a secret,
bomb-proof hospital during the American War and as a safe house for VC leaders.
This three-story feat of engineering was in use until 1975 is only 10 km north
of Cat Ba Town. The second attraction, the newly built Cannon Fort, sits on a
peak 177 meters high, offering visitors a chance to see old bunkers and
helicopter landing stations as well stunning views Cat Ba Island, its coast,
and the limestone karsts in Lan Ha Bay offshore.
Cat Ba national park:
At the heart of Cat Ba Island lies a visually stunning and
ecologically diverse national park. In 1986, 9,800 [98 km²] hectares
(approximately one third of the Island's total land mass) was annexed as Cat Ba
National Park, the first decreed protected area in Vietnam to include a marine
component (Dawkins 14). It had previously been the site of a timber company. In
2006, the boundaries of the national park were redefined, so the park contained
109 km² of land area and an additional 52 km² of inshore waters and mangrove
covered tidal zones (langur website). The park is staffed by 92 people,
including over 60 park rangers. In 2004, Cat Ba Archipelago was declared a
UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve Area in order to protect the multiple
terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems as well the diverse plant and animal life
that is found on the Island. The UNESCO designation divides the archipelago
into three distinct areas, each with certain functions and restrictions that
regulates development and conservation measures on the Island.
Lan Ha bay
Lan Ha Bay has about 400 islets. Going by boat to cruise Lan
Ha bay, you will see alot of islets with small beaches. The Bay is home to
hundreds of mounts with different form depending on travelers' imagination like
Hòn Guốc (Wooden Shoe islet), Hòn Dơi ( Bat grotto), etc.
Many beaches for swiming in clean water
Lan Ha bay has about 139 beautiful, small sandy beaches,
many island has sandy beach lie between two stone mountains. Many tourists come
to these beaches for swimming, kayaking, having sunbath or have a picnic lunch
on the beach. Especially, in some big beaches, local people has invested to
build some bungalows where you can come to stay overnight such as Monkey Island
Resort, Sandy Beach Resort, Castaway bungalow, Cove Beach bungalow...
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