Scooter Trip on Cát Bà Island
Scooter trip on Cat Ba Island in Vietnam
2 Days on Cát Bà Island, Vietnam
Getting to Cát Bà Island From Hanoi
The transfer from Hanoi to Cát Bà Island took about 5 hours. Bus - Ferry - Bus. We were surprised to see the somewhat sketchy ferry pier in Hai Phong.
The pier was near the container terminal. Everywhere you looked, there was construction. Dust, cranes, trucks, and industrial equipment abound.
The gravel road was bumpy and made bus travel challenging. The old, well-worn speedboat-type ferry carried about 50 people. Once on the other side, it was clear we were in for a quieter experience, far away from the city's noise.
Cannon Point, Cát Bà Island
On Cát Bà Island, we settled on a simple two-day itinerary. Day one: Lan Ha Bay Cruise. Day two: Scooter trip around the island. You can see the post from Lan Ha Bay here:
Our scooter trip started with a quick detour to Cannon Point. The hill to Cannon Point was especially hard on the scooter, but it was plenty fast on the straightaways. Cannon Point was an interesting first stop with bunkers, tunnels, and signs telling the history of the Vietnam War.
Sea Pearl Hotel
We booked a deluxe room for a couple of nights at the Sea Pearl Hotel. This is a large conference-style hotel located on the waterfront in Cát Bà Town.
The room was huge and very comfortable, and it cost a reasonable $41.00 per night, including the breakfast buffet. We were overall happy with this choice. It had a good central location, with other restaurants and coffee shops just a few steps away.
Bumpy roads but great scenery on Cát Bà Island in Vietnam
Cát Bà National Park, Scooter Day trip
We window-shopped in a few scooter rental places before picking one that looked reputable. The rental process was easy. One-day rental: $5.00. No paperwork or waivers to sign. You pay and go. This will not be the last time we rent a scooter.
Traveling by scooter gives you a tremendous feeling of freedom, and you can stop and go as you please. We probably pushed the smaller engine to the limit. We do not have a motorcycle license, which is what you need to rent the larger 125cc scooters.
Our scooter day trip took us through Cát Bà National Park, to Cannon Point, the Hospital Cave, North of the Island, and back to Cát Bà Town.
Hospital Cave, Cát Bà Island, Vietnam
Hospital Cave
Located about halfway up the island, we stopped to visit the Hospital Cave. This was an eerie experience, probably because we were almost entirely alone, wandering the long, empty hallways and rooms that had been used as an underground hospital during the Vietnam War, hidden from the world above.
On a lighter note, we also paid a visit to the restaurant across the road and struck up a wonderful conversation with the owner. He was about the same age as us with a similar family setup. We had lots to talk about.
Approaching Bến tàu Du lịch Đảo Cát Bà on the north shore of the island. Yes, I copied and pasted that :)
The obligatory: Look, we are on a scooter selfie :)
We hit a full-blown road construction zone with rough patches for about 5 kilometers. Not the best terrain for a scooter.
Cát Bà Island is preparing for the future. There is no doubt in our minds this destination will gain in popularity.
It seems every available lot is being utilized or re-developed. The terraces around Cát Bà City have construction crews milling about. Dirty, dusty work. Can you see four workmen? Please click to view larger images.
These skilled foot badminton players let me photograph them in action
Using hand and body language I asked a couple of boxers if it would be okay if I took a few photos
The bay of Cát Bà Town, Cát Bà Island, Vietnam
We had a wonderful time on Cát Bà Island. The Lan Ha Bay Cruise was fantastic and something we will never forget. We enjoyed good meals, had excellent service, and got to know the island better during our day trip on a scooter and while walking the back alleys of Cát Bà Town.
We could easily have stayed for longer, but it was time to head back to Hanoi, where we would spend another couple of days.
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The photos in this article are made using a Fujifilm X-Pro2. Lenses: XF 14mm f/2.8 R - XF 35mm f/1.4 R (links to my camera and lens reviews). Editing was done in Lightroom. I used of Fujifilm film simulations in some of the photos.
