Cat Ba Prices 2026: Entrance Fees, Ferries and What a Day Really Costs
Nobody publishes Cat Ba prices in one place, so people arrive guessing. Here is every fee we can verify for 2026, from the ferry across to the conservation levy on a kayak, plus what a day actually costs at three different budgets. Prices are what they are at the time of writing and Vietnamese site fees do move, so treat them as planning figures and confirm on the day.
Quick answer
Budget roughly 400,000 to 500,000 VND per adult in site fees for three days on Cat Ba. The main ones are Lan Ha Bay sightseeing at 120,000 VND, the national park at 80,000 to 160,000 VND depending on route, and Cannon Fort and Hospital Cave at 40,000 VND each. Transfers from Hanoi run 12.50 to 19 USD.
Cat Ba costs at a glance
| Lan Ha Bay, day trip | 120,000 VND adult, 60,000 VND child |
|---|---|
| National park | 80,000 to 160,000 VND by route |
| Cannon Fort | 40,000 VND, plus 10,000 VND parking |
| Hospital Cave | 40,000 VND |
| Trung Trang Cave | 80,000 VND |
| Kayak conservation fee | 40,000 VND |
| Hanoi transfer | 12.50 to 19 USD depending on tier |
| Scooter hire | About 200,000 VND a day |
| Free entry | Under 6 and severe disability, bay fee |
Getting to the island
| Route | Time | Price per person |
|---|---|---|
| Hanoi, bus plus ferry | About 3 hrs road | 10 to 14 USD |
| Hanoi, bus plus cable car | 2.5 hrs road plus 9 min | 15 to 19 USD |
| Hanoi, private car | About 2.5 hrs | 120 to 170 USD per vehicle |
| Hanoi, train to Hai Phong plus ferry | About 4 hrs total | Train about 6 USD, ferry 3 to 12 USD |
| Dong Bai to Cai Vieng ferry, foot | 30 min | About 0.50 USD |
| Dong Bai to Cai Vieng, motorcycle | 30 min | About 2 USD |
| Dong Bai to Cai Vieng, hydrofoil | 20 min | About 10 USD |
| Tuan Chau to Gia Luan ferry | 50 min | About 3.50 USD |
| Tuan Chau to Gia Luan hydrofoil | 30 min | About 7.50 USD |
Note that Got Pier and Dinh Vu Pier have closed. Anything routing you through them is out of date. Detail in our island transport guide.
Attraction and site fees
| Site | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cat Ba National Park | 80,000 VND basic entry | 120,000 VND with Ngu Lam and Trung Trang Cave, 160,000 VND full circuit |
| Trung Trang Cave | 80,000 VND | Sometimes bundled with park entry |
| Cannon Fort | 40,000 VND | Plus 10,000 VND scooter parking |
| Hospital Cave | 40,000 VND | Limited English signage |
| Lan Ha Bay sightseeing ticket | 120,000 VND adult, 60,000 VND child | On top of the boat itself |
| Kayak conservation fee | 40,000 VND | Applies to self rental |
Activities
| Activity | Price |
|---|---|
| Kayak self rental | 100,000 to 150,000 VND per hour |
| Guided kayak tour | 400,000 to 600,000 VND, about 16 to 24 USD |
| Monkey Island boat transfer | 100,000 to 150,000 VND return |
| Boat tour including Viet Hai | 300,000 to 500,000 VND, about 12 to 20 USD |
| Rock climbing, half day guided | 500,000 to 800,000 VND, about 20 to 32 USD |
| Multi day cruise from Hanoi | 89 to 311 USD |
Sleeping and eating
| Item | Typical |
|---|---|
| Viet Hai village homestay | 200,000 to 400,000 VND per night |
| Street food breakfast | Low, banh da cua and banh mi |
| Seafood dinner | By weight, you control this entirely |
Seafood is priced per kilogram from the tank and weighed in front of you. Ask the price per kilo before the tank is opened. More on ordering in our Cat Ba food guide.
Three sample days
| Lean | Standard | Comfortable | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transport to island | Bus plus ferry, 10 USD | Bus plus cable car, 17 USD | Private car, shared |
| Main activity | Self kayak plus park | Guided bay day | Private boat day |
| Site fees | 120,000 VND | 200,000 VND | 200,000 VND |
| Food | Street food | One seafood dinner | Seafood daily |
Money, cards and cash
- Carry cash. Ticket windows at the national park and the smaller piers do not reliably take cards.
- Small notes matter. Village stalls, parking attendants and boat crews rarely have change for large denominations.
- No ATM in Viet Hai. Draw what you need in Cat Ba Town before you leave for the village.
- Confirm what is included. Bay sightseeing tickets and conservation fees are sometimes separate from a tour price. Ask, in writing, before you pay a deposit.
The most common way people overspend on Cat Ba is not being overcharged. It is paying twice for the same thing because nobody said what the tour price covered.
What is worth paying for and what is not
Worth it: a guide for the 14 km Viet Hai trek, a small group boat rather than a large one, the national park entrance, and one proper seafood dinner. Skip or downgrade: the cable car as a standalone attraction if you are not crossing anyway, and any tour promising langur sightings, which is not a thing that can be sold honestly. Why, in our langur article.
Site fees with child rates and exemptions
This is the part almost nobody publishes. Vietnamese site fees carry statutory reductions, and the child rate is usually set by height rather than age.
| Ticket | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|
| Lan Ha Bay sightseeing, day trip | 120,000 VND | 60,000 VND |
| Lan Ha Bay sightseeing, overnight 1 to 3 nights | 300,000 to 500,000 VND | 250,000 to 400,000 VND |
| National park, basic entry | 80,000 VND | 50,000 VND (1m to 1.4m), free under 1m |
| National park, Ngu Lam plus Kim Giao forest plus Trung Trang Cave | 120,000 VND | 60,000 VND |
| National park, full circuit | 160,000 VND | 80,000 VND |
Exemptions and reductions. Children under six and visitors with severe disabilities enter the bay free. Seniors, students and people from recognised ethnic minority groups pay half on production of documentation. Nobody will offer this at the window, you have to ask.
Chartering a boat instead of buying seats
From about six people, chartering is cheaper than seats and you control the day. Boats out of Ben Beo are priced per vessel.
| Charter | Duration | Per boat |
|---|---|---|
| Short route, fishing village and near bay | 2 to 3 hours | 2 to 3.5 million VND |
| Long route, Cai Beo, outer islands and caves | About 6 hours | 4 to 8 million VND, seasonal |
Four numbered sightseeing routes run out of Ben Beo. The sightseeing fee is charged on top of the charter, per person, not per boat.
What day tours cost across the island in 2026
For context, so you can tell whether a quote is fair. These are the going market rates from operators working out of Cat Ba Town, not our prices.
| Product | Market range |
|---|---|
| Lan Ha Bay day tour, group boat | Around 37 to 55 USD, or 700,000 to 900,000 VND |
| Lan Ha Bay half day sunset | Around 25 USD, or 450,000 to 600,000 VND |
| National park trekking, half day | Around 29 to 35 USD |
| National park hiking, full day | Around 49 USD, or 1,400,000 VND |
| 2 days 1 night island package | Around 116 to 120 USD |
| 3 days 2 nights island package | Around 171 to 229 USD |
| Overnight cruise, 2 days 1 night | 4,300,000 to 4,500,000 VND |
| Cooking class | Around 1,400,000 VND |
A price at the very bottom of these ranges usually means a bigger boat and a bigger group. That is a legitimate choice, not a scam. Just know which one you are buying, and ask how many people are on the boat before you compare two numbers.
Transfers, both directions
| Ticket | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Hanoi to Cat Ba, tourist shuttle | 12.50 to 14 USD |
| Hanoi to Cat Ba, VIP limousine | Around 17 USD |
| Round trip, tourist | Around 24 to 26 USD |
| Round trip, VIP limousine | Around 32 USD |
| Noi Bai airport transfer, 4 seat car | From around 18 USD |
| Scooter hire on the island | About 200,000 VND a day, fuel extra |
Want a straight quote with nothing hidden?
Tell us your dates and group size and we will send a price with the inclusions written out, fees included. No deposit needed to get a number.
Frequently asked
Yes. Site fees are set by the park and the city and are revised periodically, and boat prices move with fuel and season. Use this page for planning and confirm on the day. If you spot something out of date, tell us and we will correct it.
Generally yes for day trips and accommodation, largely because Ha Long is dominated by overnight cruise pricing. The comparison in full is in Cat Ba vs Ha Long Bay.
Most site fees have reduced child rates and some have free entry under a height or age threshold. These are set at each site rather than centrally, so ask at the window.
Only to an operator you can identify, with the inclusions confirmed in writing first. Keep the message thread. Anyone unwilling to itemise what a price covers before taking money is telling you something useful.
Related: Cat Ba on a budget and a three day itinerary.
Want to actually do Cat Ba, not just pass through?