How to Get to Halong Bay from Cat Ba Island

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How to get to Halong Bay from Cat Ba Island via the most convenient way? There stand out several options, and the following recommendations will facilitate your travel. There have been rumors about the gaps between Cat Ba and Halong that cause travelers to feel a bit worried about the transfer. Oftentimes, Cat Ba cruises of the tour operators might not be able to take guests from Lan Ha Bay (Cat Ba Island) to Halong due to the administrative issues. Some cruises even have to circle back to Quang Ninh in order to sail to Halong Bay, which causes the itinerary unsmooth. Therefore, the easiest and surest option to move from Cat Ba to Halong is to use the local ferry services or the speedboat.

From Cat Ba to Halong Bay Ferry

The first and foremost option is to take a ferry from Gia Luan port (Cat Ba Island) to Tuan Chau Island, and then Halong Bay.

Cat Ba to Halong Bay Ferry – Tan Chau Island is the important and fastest seaway in the area. There are 5-7 ferries per day, which takes around 45 minutes per trip. The ferry is well-equipped with the travel standards. The ferry has a load of 120 tons for a capacity of 200 passengers and 25 cars (below 50 seats). As the ferry transfer helps cut the travel time from 45-60 minutes in comparison to the other public ferries, it gives people more time and fewer seasickness effects. This option also provides you with sightseeing opportunities to view a panorama of Bai Chay Bridge, Trong Mai islet, Gia Luan fishing farm, etc.

The ferry schedule is as follows:

From April 30 to September 30
Cat Ba – Tuan Chau: 9h00, 11h30, 13h00, 15h00, 16h00
Tuan Chau – Cat Ba: 7h30, 9h00, 11h30, 13h30, 15h00
From October 01 to April 29
Cat Ba – Tuan Chau: 9h00, 13h00, 16h00
Tuan Chau – Cat Ba: 7h30, 11h30, 15h00

Get to Halong Bay from Cat Ba by Good Morning Cat Ba speedboat

This speedboat runs on the fixed route of Bai Chay – Tuan Chau – Gia Luan – Cat Ba town, which is one of the most popular ways selected by groups of tourists. A speedboat has a maximum capacity of 13 passengers/trip, so people can take advantage of the shared speedboat with ease.

Cat Ba – Binh pier (Hai Phong) – Halong Bai Chay Bus Station

To get to Halong Bay from Cat Ba, you can first take a ferry from Cat Ba to Binh pier (Hai Phong). Next, take a bus from Lac Long Bus Station (Hai Phong) to Bai Chay bus station from which you can easily buy a boat ticket to travel Halong Bay. This route might take around 2 hours 35 minutes.

Lan Ha Bay Cruise Luxury runs Cat Ba Island and Halong Bay Tour

Halong Bay Cruise from Cat Ba Island

Before, travelers who wanted to book Halong Bay Cruise from Cat Ba Island will needed to get to Quang Ninh first because the province has required cruise operators to “ask for permission paper” (which is released in Tuan Chau Halong) in order to run in the water areas of Quang Ninh. This means the cruises in Cat Ba had to move to Tuan Chau to pick up guests. Besides, the Quang Ninh province required that cruises in the region must meet the high standards; otherwise, the junks will be checked and their papers will be retained. But nowadays, some new Lan Ha Bay Luxury Cruises run the 3 days and 2 days tour package combining Cat Ba Island and Halong Bay.

The natural attractions of Cat Ba Island and Halong Bay are so beautiful that urges nature lovers to keep visiting them, regardless of the distance or any other obstacles. As joy and experience are the keys, just enjoy your travel to the fullest!