Cat Ba Island is one of the best starting points for exploration of Halong Bay. Haiphong, one of the largest cities of Vietnam, is normally passed by on the route to the island. There are several ways to travel from Haiphong to Cat Ba Island and you can even choose to get directly from Haiphong Airport to Cat Ba Island.
Haiphong to Cat Ba
Travelers can choose to travel to Cat Ba Island by a combination of bus and speedboat. Previously, it was possible to take a direct hydrofoil from Haiphong to the island but now the hydrofoil is moved to Got Pier, which is reached from Ben Binh Pier by bus.
Bus and Speedboat from Haiphong to Cat Ba
The most popular option for traveling to Cat Ba Island is taking a bus and speedboat. If choosing to travel by this mean of transport, you should check the trip itinerary offered beforehand because each company provides different services.
Some companies offer traveling from Haiphong to Cat Ba Island by taking a speedboat from Ben Binh Pier to Cai Vieng, then taking a bus from Cai Vieng to Cat Ba.
Other companies take you from Ben Binh to Dinh Vu by bus, change there to a speed boat going to Cat Ba Island and then bring you from the distant pier to Cat Ba Town by a shuttle bus.
If you will choose to use a bus and speedboat, the journey will be longer but cheaper and the departure time will be more flexible as there are many departures during the day.
A combined bus and speedboat ticket normally costs about 140,000 - 150,000 VND.
To discover other bus services in the city, explore the Haiphong Bus guide.
Hydrofoil to Cat Ba Island
There were previously 2 companies that provide service of hydrofoil between Haiphong and Cat Ba. All boats were departing from Ben Binh Pier (4 Bến Bính, Minh Khai, Hồng Bàng, Hải Phòng) in Haiphong and arrived at the centrally located Cat Ba Pier.
Currently, the hydrofoil was moved to Got Pier on Cat Hai Island so you are taking a bus from Ben Binh Pier to Got Pier, where you board the hydrofoil to reach Cat Ba Town. For more information about current hydrofoil service, check their website.
Traveling by hydrofoil was the fastest and most convenient way to get into the island as the boat stopped at the pier which is located in the very center of Cat Ba Town.
For a previous experience on getting from Haiphong to Cat Ba Island by Hydrofoil check Haiphong - Cat Ba by Hydrofoil.
Where to book hydrofoil tickets?
Hydrofoil tickets could be purchased at Ben Binh Pier in Haiphong, at Cat Ba Pier or online.
For anyone traveling to Cat Ba Island in June-September, it is recommended to book hydrofoil tickets in advance as it's a high season in Northern Vietnam and there are normally a lot of tourists using this service so.
How to travel to Ben Binh Pier?
When traveling from Haiphong City Center to Ben Binh Pier, you can take taxi or motorbike as the pier is located only about 4 km from the center of the city. Another alternative way is taking a local bus No. 2 directly to the pier.
We took a taxi from our hotel in Haiphong city center to the pier and taxi fare was just around 30,000 VND.
Haiphong Public Transport
It is also possible to take Haiphong Bus 16C for getting from Haiphong City to Cat Hai Island, where the cable car station and the ferry pier for crossing to Cat Ba Island can be found.
Haiphong Bus 16C can be used for crossing to Cat Ba in any way, as the bus route reaches Cat Ba Cable Car station and Dong Bai Ferry Terminal, where Cat Ba Island Ferry was moved recently. Therefore, you can choose to take the cable car (faster and better views) or the ferry (cheaper and more frequent) for reaching the island.
On another side, you can use Cat Ba Bus 14 for getting from the ferry terminal or cable car station to Cat Ba Town, which is the place, where majority of travelers choose to stay.
Haiphong Airport to Cat Ba Island
If you have no intention to visit Haiphong City on the way from Cat Bi Airport (HPH) to Cat Ba Island, you can book a trip all the way from the airport to the island. The journey will consist of transfers between a van, ferry and bus. It should take about 2 hours to get to the final destination, which is Cat Ba Town.
Otherwise, you can take a taxi from Haiphong Airport to Cat Ba Island, which can be booked online here: HPH Airport – Cat Ba Island.
It is also possible to cover this route by public transportation. At first, you need to take Haiphong Bus 16B from Cat Bi Airport into the city. Then, change to the bus 16C for getting to Cat Hai Island so you could cross to Cat Ba by cable car or ferry, as detailed above.
Tips
If you are traveling on a budget but still want to enjoy view from the cable car, in addition to using Haiphong Bus 16C, make sure to book online the cable car tickets here Sun World Cat Ba Cable Car Ticket, as it will help you to save some money and you won’t need to waste time queueing at the cable car ticket counters.
Cat Ba Island is a famous destination among Vietnamese tourists. The island also attracts many foreign travelers because it offers an array of fun activities and natural attractions to its visitors. For inspiration, discover the best things to do in Cat Ba.
The most popular activity on Cat Ba Island is cruising Lan Ha Bay with more than 300 scenic karst islands and limestone outcrops along with numerous small white-sand beaches. One of the most affordable options is this Lan Ha Bay Kayaking & Snorkeling Full-Day Cruise.
Some of the best Halong Bay cruises also start their 2-day or 3-day trips on Cat Ba Island.
