The prettiest trail on Cat Ba

Cat Ba has several hiking trails, some of them inside the national park which I talked about in my 2024 post about the island. At the south of the island the “Rock trail” takes you along the coastline, with beautiful views of Lan Ha Bay.

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To reach it you follow the main promenade until you reach Cát Tiên street. Follow it until you reach the viewpoint where you can go down to Cat Co 1 Beach to the left. Past the hotel resort entrance to the right you can go down stone stairs. From there you turn right and reach the start of the rock trail.

When the trail is empty, like it was for me you might get lucky and meet some of the local wildlife. Cat Ba has many different types of insects. Beetles and butterflies frequent flowers, leaves and the shady crevices between stones. Salamanders can also be found if you find the time to stay still so these shy animals show themselves long enough for you to admire them before they disappear into the grove.

Eventually you will reach a high point from which you can see the Hôtel Perle d’Orient Cat Ba – MGallery. Less pretty of a sight, but you can just look to your left 😉

Eventually you’ll reach Cát Cò 3, a public beach. It marks the end of the beautiful trail. Footpaths will take you back to the centre, with construction on your left past Lepont bungalow and eventually along the newly built project by Sun Group Cát Bà.

The entirety of the trail will take you no longer than an hour if you go slow and enjoy the views on the way. Just be sure to apply sunscreen and wear a hat, since there is no shade whatsoever along the path.

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