Creating new tourism highlights for Cat Ba in autumn and winter 2026

A boost from Viet Hai Community Tourism Site

After the peak summer season, Cat Ba has entered autumn and winter with a different approach to tourism development. Instead of relying on beach services, Cat Hai Special Zone is focusing on developing ecotourism, community-based tourism and heritage exploration and connecting products into complete forest-to-sea experiential journeys.

The recognition of Viet Hai as a community tourism site by the Hai Phong People’s Committee established a new position for the island village, not only adding a new product to Cat Ba tourism but also creating conditions for local residents to directly provide services, benefit from tourism and join efforts to protect natural resources and the environment.

This autumn and winter, products in Viet Hai are being connected with Cat Ba National Park and Lan Ha Bay more closely. Some travel companies are offering “from the forest to the sea” itineraries, taking visitors trekking from the center of the national park through Ao Ech to Viet Hai, then cycling around the village before boarding a boat to explore Lan Ha Bay. This connection creates a distinctive product that simultaneously taps into the values of the forest, sea and local community. Depending on their time and physical condition, visitors can choose half-day or full-day programs combining hiking, cycling, kayaking and overnight stays on the bay.

After a more than five-hour trek from the center of Cat Ba National Park to Viet Hai, Peter White, a British visitor, said the pristine landscape and the diversity of the route were its most attractive features. The experience of walking through the forest and then cycling to learn about the lives of Viet Hai residents left a distinct impression compared with a conventional beach vacation.

Adding products for autumn and winter

Alongside Viet Hai Community Tourism Site, Cat Ba continues to develop routes to Kim Giao Forest - Ngu Lam Peak, Trung Trang Cave, Quan Y Cave, Hoa Cuong Cave, Cai Beo archaeological site and Xuan Dam ancient fort. These products are suitable for autumn and winter weather and meet the needs of visitors for hiking, nature study, historical exploration and photography.

The range of services in Cat Ba’s tourism center is also expanding. The central square, pedestrian streets, Joy-Fest night market and a chain of services under the Cat Ba Central Bay Tourism, Services and Commercial Area Project add evening entertainment and shopping activities, helping extend visitors’ stays.

On the bay, sightseeing tours, kayaking and overnight stays remain attractive products for international visitors. The accommodation system, tourist boats and 85 food service establishments are capable of serving groups staying and sightseeing for several days.

During the peak period for international visitors in autumn and winter 2025, Cat Ba welcomed an average of more than 80,000 international arrivals each month. This result shows that foreign tourists are an important market for Cat Ba tourism in winter and early spring. This group also favors trekking, community-based tourism, kayaking and nature exploration journeys.

To reach this market, last August, Cat Hai Special Zone coordinated with Vietnam Television to produce the “Hello Vietnam” program introducing Viet Hai Community Tourism Site. It also supported Australia’s Contiki television production crew in filming at Lan Ha Bay, Cai Beo Fishing Village and Cat Ba Square.

Images of the Cat Ba Archipelago were also promoted at the 2026 Ho Chi Minh City International Travel Expo, attracting public interest and expected to pave the way for Cat Ba to welcome a promising stream of visitors from southern Vietnam this autumn and winter.

NGUYEN DUONG