New Tour Routes Open in Cat Ba Island
The People’s Council of Hai Phong city has passed a resolution on the fees for visiting scenic sites in the area, including new tour routes on Cat Ba Archipelago, recently recognized by UNESCO as a mixed natural and cultural World Heritage site, the first of its kind in Vietnam.
Starting from August, Hai Phong will increase the fees for visiting the bays of Cat Ba Archipelago from VND 80,000 to VND 120,000 per adult and from VND 40,000 to VND 60,000 per child.
For visitors who stay overnight in the bays of Cat Ba Archipelago, the fees will be VND 400,000, VND 600,000, and VND 650,000 for one, two, and three nights, respectively, for adults, and VND 300,000, VND 500,000, and VND 550,000 for children, representing an increase of 20-42.85% compared to the previous fees in Hai Phong, and 73-92% compared to the fees for visiting and staying overnight in Ha Long Bay.
The entrance fee to Cat Ba National Park has also been increased from VND 80,000 to VND 160,000 for adults and from VND 40,000 to VND 80,000 for children (a 100% increase).
A glimpse of Lan Ha Bay, part of Cat Ba Archipelago, Hai Phong city.
Hai Phong city has decided to discontinue some tour routes, such as Cat Ba Bay – Cat Ong Island – Thien Ung Pagoda and Cat Dua Island (Monkey Island), as their exploitation is no longer in line with planning orientations, and the infrastructure cannot ensure safety.
Instead, three new short tour routes have been introduced: Cat Ba National Park Center – Kim Giao Peak – Ngự Lâm Peak – Trung Trang Cave; Dong Ninh Tiep – Tien Duc Cave; and Phu Long – Mangrove Forest – Thien Long Cave.
These three new eco-tourism and community-based tourism routes, which have been attracting a large number of visitors, will have fees ranging from VND 40,000 to VND 120,000 per adult or child.
Enhancing Tourism Transportation Capacity
Mr. Le Khac Nam, Vice Chairman of the Hai Phong People’s Committee, stated that in recent years, the city has focused on investing in transportation infrastructure. The city has just inaugurated the new Dong Bai ferry, replacing the Got ferry, and is building five new ferries with a capacity of 200 tons each, doubling the capacity of the currently operating ferries, to improve passenger transportation to Cat Ba Island.
According to Mr. Le Khac Nam, the recognition of Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Archipelago as a mixed natural and cultural World Heritage site has raised the bar for environmental management, conservation, and value promotion. Therefore, the city proposed increasing the fees for visiting scenic sites to ensure alignment with the fees for visiting Ha Long Bay and to secure resources for infrastructure investment, thereby effectively exploiting, conserving, and promoting the value of the heritage site.
Dong Bai ferry and the new high-capacity ferries will enhance passenger transportation to Cat Ba Island.
According to the evaluation of the city’s departments, the increase in fees for visiting the bays of Cat Ba Archipelago and staying overnight ranges from 20-42.85% compared to the current fees, and the fees for staying one, two, or three nights are 73-92% of the fees for staying overnight in Ha Long Bay.
Hai Phong has conducted surveys and consulted with tourism service businesses to implement a phased fee increase plan that aligns with the development of infrastructure.
Cat Ba Island beaches are packed with people, it’s impossible to breathe, let alone swim
On the third day of the 30/4-1/5 holiday, the beaches in Cat Ba, Hai Phong City welcomed tens of thousands of visitors to swim and enjoy the beach, causing many places to become extremely crowded.
