Kathba Island (Vietnam) is the largest of the 366 islands of the archipelago of the same name, which is located in the famous Halong Bay in southeast Asia. The island is inhabited by approximately 30,000 people. About half of its territory, in order to protect the various ecosystems located here, was declared a national park back in 1986. These are humid subtropical forests covering the slopes of mountains and hills, and coastal mangroves, and deserted beaches, and small swampy areas with freshwater lakes at the foot of the mountains, and, of course, coral reefs.
This article will describe the island of Katba, one of the most promising centers for the development of tourism in this region. In addition to the national park, tourists are expected here: three beautiful equipped beaches, fashionable hotels, interesting sights, as well as impressive landscape panoramas. You can get to the island from the mainland by taking advantage of the permanent ferry service.
How to get to the island
Before each traveler who decided to visit Qatbu (Vietnam), the first question that arises is how to get there. Most tourists prefer the fastest and most convenient mode of transport - the plane. Since there is not a single airport on the island itself, there is no way to get here by air. After you arrive at the international airport located in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, you can, using the services of domestic airlines, get to the city of Haiphong, which is closest to the island.
From the capital to Haiphong can also be reached by rail, but this, according to numerous tourists, is not the best option, since trains go there only a few times a day. To get there faster, it is better to use the bus service, which is perfectly debugged here and costs less. From Haiphong to the island of Qatba (Vietnam), you can already easily get there by boat or ferry.
The best time to relax
You can come to the island and spend your vacation at any time of the year, although when planning this or that type of vacation, you must always take into account the season. Air temperature and weather often depend on the proximity of the sea or ocean. Vietnam is no exception in this case. Therefore, if you just decided to get acquainted with such a landmark as a national park or take a boat trip along Halong Bay, then winter fogs and a cloudy pagoda should not confuse you. And the prices at this time of the year are much lower, and fewer tourists.
If you prefer to spend your vacation mostly sunbathing on the beach, then come to Kathba in late spring. The weather in Vietnam in May is best suited for sunbathing and swimming in the azure waters of Halong Bay. But the beach season has its negative side: at this time the resort has the largest concentration of vacationers, both locals and tourists from around the world. And the prices for everything jump at least twice.
It is very hot in the summer, it often rains. The number of guests is reduced to a minimum. But by mid-October, when there are almost no rainy days, the air is still warm enough to swim in the sea and lie on the beach, vacationers again start to flock to Kathu (Vietnam), especially since the prices of all food and accommodation remain affordable .
Where is better to settle
Actively developing over the past few years, the tourist infrastructure of the island attracts a huge number of vacationers, not only from neighboring China. Spending a vacation in Vietnam to Kathba is becoming a trend for tourists from Europe and America.
About fifty middle and budget class hotels have been erected for them here. Most of them are located along the promenade or in the city of the same name. Here are restaurants, shops, a small market, etc. In addition to inexpensive hotels on the island, there are several more luxurious hotels that can offer their guests superior rooms and additional services. Prices there, of course, will be much higher. Let's get acquainted with some of them:
- Catba Island Resort & SPA 4 * - This hotel is located on a hilltop surrounded by virgin forest. It offers magnificent views of the bay and its own private beach with a length of 8 km. The hotel has 109 spacious rooms. All are well equipped. Available: bathroom, toilet, minibar, all necessary furniture, satellite TV, free Wi-Fi. The hotel has two restaurants with Vietnamese and European cuisine, two bars, swimming pools, shops, etc.
- Catba Sunrise Resort 4 * - this hotel offers its guests modern rooms, villas and suites. During its construction, only natural materials were used - teak and terracotta tiles. The hotel offers fantastic views of the mountains, white beaches and the bay with crystal clear water. The rooms have showers, satellite TV, air conditioning and a jacuzzi.
Village Viet Hat
If you came here not only to see the sights of the island of Kathba, but also to get acquainted with the customs and life of the local population, then you better settle in one of the tourist bungalows in the village of Viet Hat. Here you will definitely enjoy it, especially since all rooms are made in eco-style, although the bathrooms are equipped with the most modern sanitary ware.
The best beaches
Most people, when planning their vacation, most often dream of spending it sunbathing on the seashore or ocean. Vietnam attracts such tourists by the fact that there are many beautiful sandy beaches washed by sea waters.
On the island of Katba, the best beaches are in its southeastern part. They are called simply: Cat Co-1, Cat Co-2, Cat Co-3. The beaches are well equipped, with toilets and showers, they are always maintained in perfect cleanliness. Hotel guests are offered sun loungers and umbrellas.
In May in Vietnam (the weather at this time is most suitable for relaxing at sea), as a rule, it becomes very crowded. Therefore, some vacationers prefer to find more secluded beaches. They rent a boat and go in search of them. Such beaches are most often located in small bays. Rocks protect them from prying eyes. In some of them you can even find mini-hotels.
Vacation with children
Nowadays, most families prefer to take their children with them when they go on vacation to exotic countries. Demand creates supply, therefore, at all the famous and prestigious resorts, so that the rest was comfortable, the infrastructure includes everything that small guests may need.
Unfortunately, this is not the case in Katba (Vietnam). There are few shops where there are departments with baby food, an insufficient number of pharmacies, it is problematic to purchase something from children's clothing or special items for the care of the baby. But if the child is older than 5 years old, he is healthy and he does not have a strict diet, then you can also have a great time. He should like visiting sights such as the old fort, boat trips on a boat or exploring deer in an aviary.
In addition, on the territory of beach-1 there is a special children's playground, as well as a water park. All this, no doubt, will leave a lasting impression on the child throughout his life.
Pearl farm
Growing pearls on a special pearl farm is a very common business in many countries in Southeast Asia. In Vietnam, it is also quite well developed. Near each fishing village, along the coast there are similar farms. Here they are quite primitive and are sticks stuck into the bottom, between which are stretched nets, to which pearl shells are attached. Thus grown Vietnamese pearls are supplied to local jewelers. Pearl jewelry made from it is very popular among numerous tourists coming here.
Not far from the island of Kathba, in Halong Bay, there is such a floating farm. Once this enterprise was founded by the Japanese, but due to low profits they left it to the locals. Excursions to this place are very popular.
In the city markets of Vietnam, a lot of pearls or just pearls are sold. But if you want to buy such a souvenir in memory of your trip to this beautiful country, then in order to avoid fake it is better to buy it on a farm.
What to see: Halong Bay
Where else can I go on an excursion? One of the most beautiful, unearthly beauty places on the planet, a real natural miracle can be called Halong Bay. No wonder it is on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and everyone who has been here says: "If you have not seen Halong Bay, you have not seen Vietnam."
This amazing place is not just a part of the Gulf of Tonkin in the South China Sea in the usual sense of the word. Halong Bay is a fantastic cluster of about 3,000 islands scattered throughout its waters, covered with virgin rainforests, with a huge number of cliffs and cliffs. Indeed, the bay can be called the most important attraction not only of Vietnam, but also of the entire southeast Asian region.
The appearance of such a large number of islands in a relatively small area, the locals associate with an ancient legend, which tells about the dragon, who once lived in the mountains of Halong. According to her, walking along his possessions, he made many gorges and valleys with his tail that filled the waters of the bay ... Therefore, the name of the bay translates as “the place where the dragon descended to the ground.”
In 2011, this bay was included in the list of “Seven New Natural Wonders”, and it fell under the protection of UNESCO. Thousands of tourists from all over the world seek to visit this unique natural national park every day. Therefore, in order not to harm nature, the world organization has developed special rules for visiting the reserve, which all companies that organize tours and excursions in Halong Bay adhere to.
National park
More than half of the territory of Kathba is occupied by a national park. It is rightly called the largest attraction of the island. Most travelers come here to see this natural wonder. In the virgin tropical forests of the national park, according to biologists, there are about 700 species of relic plants, 100 species of mammals, amphibians and birds.
For the convenience of exploring the reserve, several excursion options have been developed. The most popular are short routes from the entrance to the park to observation platforms from which you can view almost the entire territory of the island of Katba. What to see in the national park first of all, professional guides will always tell you.
If you are full of energy and you have enough time, then it is better to book a full tour of the reserve. It includes visits to remote forest lakes, walks through the jungle and the sea, acquaintance with traditional Vietnamese cuisine, as well as extensive and interesting information about the flora and fauna of the national park.
Before visiting the reserve, check out a few helpful tips:
- Going on a tour of the park, take with you up to three liters of drinking water. You can buy it at the entrance to the reserve, as it is not for sale in another place throughout its territory.
- It is necessary to wear comfortable shoes, since you will have to go along the mountainous terrain and overcome even the shortest route in heels will be very difficult.
- If you came to the island in the winter and decided to visit the national park, then you better take care of the guide in advance, contacting one of the local travel agencies of the city, as full-time guides serve vacationers, as a rule, only during the season.
Most of the tourists who visited here, in their reviews advise not to be limited to an excursion on the island of Katba only in the national park, but to examine it in its entirety. To do this, it is best to rent a bike and go where your eyes look.
Narrow country roads lead you through the evergreen jungle, you can visit tiny villages and get acquainted with the life of ordinary Vietnamese, visit rice plantations, sunbathe on wild beaches, admire colorful coral reefs and visit many other places fabulously beautiful and untouched by civilization.
Historic Sites: Cannon Fort
In addition to visiting the nature reserves of the island, it is worthwhile to devote a little time to familiarizing yourself with its historical monuments. One of these is the open-air museum - the defensive fortification of Cannon Fort.
It was built by the Japanese military in 1942 for the defense of the island. This fortification was used not only during the Second World War, but also during the liberation of the Vietnamese-French colonial war, and in the last war with the United States.
Today this place is quite famous as one of the local attractions and is open for tourists to visit. Cannon Fort is a fairly well-preserved fortification, where visitors can get acquainted with samples of anti-aircraft guns of those times, go through trenches and tunnels. On the territory of the complex there is a small museum building, in the rooms of which there are exhibits of small arms and uniforms of the military era.
The ring route laid for tourists gives you the opportunity to explore this attraction on your own, without resorting to the services of a guide. There are signs on almost every object, where all the necessary information about it is placed in English.
Having visited the fort, you, as an additional bonus, get the opportunity to admire the magnificent panoramic views of the skeleton and bay that have opened before you. After the tour, you can relax by visiting the cozy cafe located nearby. Getting to the fort is pretty easy. It is located only two kilometers from the central promenade.
Cave hospital
Another historical site that you would be interested to visit along with the Cannon Fort is the Hospital Hospital (Cave), located in natural rocky caves. It was equipped during the war of Vietnam and the USA in 1963. Great assistance in the construction of the hospital was provided by China.
Its premises, consisting of 17 rooms for various purposes, are located on three levels. This ward for the wounded, operating room, kitchen, warehouses and even a cinema with a pool. This hospital was operational until 1975. Powerful granite rocks made him invulnerable during the bombing, so he also served as a refuge for local residents.
Today, tourists are available for inspection only two levels. In the premises of this museum, in caves, visitors can get acquainted with the exhibits of that time, some of which are of Soviet origin.
Today the head of this cave hospital is Mr. Hoi, an eighty-year-old veteran of the US-Vietnam War. He always meets visitors to the museum from the top of the hill, dressed in military uniform. A tour of the complex always begins with the fact that Mr. Hoi conducts a symbolic construction of his guests and utters a greeting to the army of North Vietnam. During the inspection of the museum you can hear a lot of interesting things about those distant events. Such meetings with a former participant in the war remain in memory for many years.
Conclusion
You can talk about the island of Kathba indefinitely. This article managed to tell only about a few of the most famous natural and historical sights. And how many more beautiful and interesting places are left behind the "frame" ... I would like to write about this in a nutshell.
Kathba Island is surrounded on all sides by many picturesque small islands covered with lush tropical vegetation. To get there, tourists can rent a classic Vietnamese boat.
On Katba there is a small village where representatives of national minorities live - Vietnam. This is also a very interesting tour. There you can get acquainted with their traditions and life, which almost did not touch modern civilization.
It turns out that there are still several villages on the island, whose inhabitants live in small houses built of bamboo. Having been there, you will be transported, as it were, several centuries ago, into medieval Vietnam.