Cat Ba Island, UNESCO World Heritage Site in northern Vietnam.
Cat Ba Island is an island in northern Vietnam covering roughly 260 square kilometers and forming part of a larger archipelago in Ha Long Bay. Steep limestone cliffs rise from the water while dense forests cover the hilly interior and several beaches line the coast.
Archaeological finds near Ben Beo harbor show human settlement stretching back roughly 6000 years. The island served as a military base during the Indochina War and later gained protection through the establishment of the national park.
The name comes from old Vietnamese words meaning Women's Island, linked to three women of the Tran Dynasty honored here. Floating fishing villages now fill the bays, where families live and work directly on the water in wooden houses built on stilts.
Ferries run regularly from the mainland near Haiphong and take about one hour to cross. Accommodation options range from simple guesthouses in the main town to larger hotels along the beaches, with advance booking recommended during summer months.
The national park protects the world's only habitat of the Cat Ba langur, a primate species with fewer than a hundred individuals remaining. These golden primates live exclusively in the limestone caves and forests of this island.
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