How to get to Lan Ha Bay Vietnam is the frequent question for travelers who are looking for cruise trips to this beautiful destination. As a twin sister of Halong Bay, but smaller and less famous than its glorious twin, Lan Ha Bay is also gifted with interesting karst formations and mysterious grottoes for awesome sightseeing, which raises a query of how to get to Lan Ha Bay. This destination remains pristine and beautiful with many untamed lagoons, beaches, cliffs, and caves. Also, private travel lets you get closer to the locals’ fishing life. And, you don’t have to worry about the noise or crowd in this serene venue. There covers nearly 400 islands and 139 exquisite beaches for everybody to unwind and stay away from the city bustle.

By car from Hanoi to Hai Phong via Got pier

Lan Ha Bay has a distance of 134 km from Hanoi. It’s easy and convenient to drive from Hanoi to Hai Phong, and this land transport will take around 3-4 hours due to traffic. Most travelers choose to use the tourist bus from Hanoi to Cat Ba that departs every day. The pick-up time from Hanoi includes 8:00 AM / 11:00 AM / 14:00 AM. You can also ask for the hotel pick-up services in Hanoi Old Quarters. The cost is USD14/person/one way. A good recommendation for you is Good Morning Cat Ba bus.

Another option of land transport is the public bus which often takes around 4.5 hours, and you can consider the companies like Cat Ba Express, Hoang Long, or Inter Bus Lines. The bus ticket prices already cover the speedboat to Cat Ba Island. What’s more, the fastest way of land transport draws your attention to the private van which takes only 2 hours. This is an expensive yet perfect option for a big group or family with kids. Upon your arrival at Got pier, continue the route with speedboat to Cai Vieng Port, and bus to Cat Ba town, and then a boat to Lan Ha.

The route:

• Hanoi – Hai Phong (Got pier) by land transport (~ 2-4 hours)
• Got pier – Cai Vieng Port of Cat Ba Island by speedboat (~ 10 minutes)
• Cai Vieng Port – Cat Ba town by bus (~ 40 minutes)
• Cat Ba town – Lan Ha Bay by boat

Nowadays the most comfortable way to discover Lan Ha Bay is the tour package combining transport and cruise. You will have transfer by van from Hanoi to Got pier (2 hours by highway) and then board on the Lan Ha Bay Cruise 2 days 1 night or 3 days 2 nights Trips.

By Airplane from Saigon to Hai Phong Airport

You can take a flight from Saigon to Cat Bi Airport (Hai Phong) with the preferred airlines. Then, upon your arrival at Cat Bi Airport, take a taxi or motorbike taxi to Binh harbor for 35 minutes.

The route:

• Saigon – Cat Bi Airport by air (~ 2 hours)
• Cat Bi Airport – Binh harbor by land (~ 35 minutes)
• Binh harbor – Cai Vieng Port of Cat Ba Island by speedboat (~ 10 minutes)
• Cai Vieng Port – Cat Ba town by bus (~ 40 minutes)
• Cat Ba town – Lan Ha Bay by boat

Cat Ba Town on Cat Ba Island

From Ha Long City to Cat Ba Island by Ferry

You can travel from Halong City to Cat Ba Island by first heading to Tuan Chau – Cat Ba Ferry Terminal and buy your ticket. Check out the timetable on the spot, which might be updated as time passes. You might also need to take a look at the return routes. The number of ferry departures depends on the seasons. From October to mid-April, the Tuan Chau – Cat Ba ferry departs at 7:30 AM, 11:30 AM, and 15:00 AM. From 16 April to the end of September, the ferry departure times increase to five, namely at 7:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 11:30 AM, 13:30 AM, and 15:00 AM.

Embarking the ferry, you will soon marvel at the enchanting views from the ferry as it weaves its route through the limestone towers. The voyage through Halong Bay will last around 1 hour and is very relaxing and scenic. Then, the ferry will dock at the north end of Cat Ba Island in Gia Luan ferry terminal, from which you can take a local bus to the town. The other options are taxi and minivan which cost you more. Then, from Cat Ba, continue your ways to Lan Ha Bay by boat.

The route:

• Tuan Chau – Cat Ba by ferry (~ 1 hours)
• Gia Luan ferry terminal of Cat Ba Island – Cat Ba town by bus
• Cat Ba town – Lan Ha Bay by boat

From Cat Ba Town to Lan Ha Bay

From the center of Cat Ba Town, move to Beo pier (Ben Beo) to buy the ticket, and then embark the boat to the place you want. The boat trip from Beo pier to Lan Ha Bay often takes around 6 minutes. If you just go for a tour around this peaceful Bay, it’s possible to hire a motorized boat of the local for the convenient sightseeing tour. If you go with a group or family, be active to hire a vessel for the group right in the pier.

The placid Bay of Lan Ha with nearly 400 islands creates the giant pictures of the fairy scenery. Being different from Halong Bay, all islands of Lan Ha are covered by trees and vegetation even though some have quite small sizes. When you finally get to Lan Ha Bay, make sure you explore the notable “Hang Luon” – a water cave that is famous for interesting shape, harmonious scenery, and calm water inside the cave. Next, continue the boat ride to the untouched Nam Cat Island, which is just 15 minutes from Beo pier, toward Lan Ha Bay. Other remarkable names include Monkey Island (Dao Cat Dua), Van Boi beach, Turtle Islet, and Bell Islet.

So how to get to Lan Ha Bay, there are 2 ways. The first “Luxury” option is going to Got Pier to board on overnight cruises to Lan Ha Bay. The 2nd “Budget” option is to geting to Cat Ba Island and then Cat Ba town center from which you find ways to Beo pier to buy the boat ticket. What’s more, if you ask where to sleep at low cost and by the pristine Bay, here are two good recommendations: Vu Binh Stilthouse and Little Cat Ba. As Lan Ha Bay is close to Cat Ba Island where owns many better accommodations, people might consider sleeping on the island too. Let Lan Ha Bay become your next beautiful hideaway!

Vu Hoang Anh

I love traveling and have been working in tourism industry since 1996. Vietnam is my homeland so I would like to share with you my experience to discover this destination best!