Review Author: BettBi, Germany

Review Date: 16 dec 2019

Review Body: We went on a 2 day / 1 night tour. First of all I have to mention that our guide Tuan/Tony was absolutely fabulous - he spent a lot of time with us and even joined us for a chat in the evening not only explaining the science of high tide / low tide but sharing his personal story and some background on Vietnam which was extremely interesting and educational. Tony - you're the best, thank you for this fabulous trip - Cat Ba Ventures can be very happy to have you :) In general Cat Ba is beautiful and Cat Ba Ventures has the big advantage compared to other companies that they start off in the less touristy area of Cat Ba instead of Halong Bay. They let you Kayak in lagoons other companies can't even access so its very quiet which is a massive USP. As I'm vegetarian the food was ok'ish - we got the same food for lunch and dinner which was a little dissapointing...the meaty version was definitely more diverse and extensive. Don't expect too much in regards to the boat - it's absolutely safe and ok but the bedrooms incl bathrooms are not the cleanest. All in all a fabulous experience which is definitely worth a trip. On a side note - the guys working for the company are fantastic - they were very responsive and as we didn't want to stay on Cat Ba the night before even arranged for a complimentary speed boat to bring us to the boat an hour later once we arrived on Cat Ba.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: 611victorw

Review Date: 10 feb 2020

Review Body: We can only recommend booking a trip with Cat Ba ventures. In short: - Short term booking via mail - two great guides Hien and Ben - very dedicated staff - great boat with lots of privacy and small group (approx. 15 people) - "off the beaten paths"-feeling - bit pricey but worth it because of privacy We booked just one day in advance via email - very easy communication. We selected the 2D/1N trip, first day with cycling and hiking, second day with kayaking and swimming. The first day, it was only our lovely guide Hien and us. We cruised the bay on a speedboat and went cycling to our hike. Hien was so dedicated explaining everything to us and to show us around "his island" (as he is a former fisherman). We had a great hike with good view. We then re-united with the group on the bigger boat for the night and next day. Here, a second guide Ben also supported the tours. We can only recommend booking this tour as it had everything but not only sitting on the boat. By hiking, you could really experience the bay from different angles. What it is not: - party tour

Review rating: 5

Review Author: SteveK447, Pennsylvania

Review Date: 15 nov 2019

Review Body: We did the early trip down from Hanoi - left on the boat around 10 am and left Cat Ba around 4 pm the next day to return to Hanoi. This trip was one of the best in our 20 days in Asia. We hired out the full boat for family with 5 adults(3 20+ kids) included a tour guide, Captain, and cook. We booked the NGOC 10 which had 4 cabins. The food was excellent (we had 2 vegans which they customized their food). Picture of the deck which was perfect for relaxing. If you can fit this into the middle of your trip it is a great way to catch your breath and relax. Of course plenty of activities as well with the kayaks. Our tour guide was excellent. I would have no issue spending several days on the boat. Sure depends on the boat (seems there is a pool of them which various tour agencies subcontract) so pay attention to that when booking. Of course in the area you also need to recognize not everything is going to be perfect on the boat (shower needed some work - but used one in different cabin) but overall we felt it was very nice.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: fnerini, United Kingdom

Review Date: 20 jan 2020

Review Body: We did the 2 Day 1 Night cruise around Lan Ha and Ha Long Bays. Fantastic. Our guides Tuan and Hieu were incredible fun. Both had a brilliant sense of humour and were full of useful information. They were safety conscious and very supportive. We started the day on a smaller boat and were able to visit a floating fishing village, swim and kayak in Lan Ha Bay. We transferred to a larger boat (very decent for the price) and stayed overnight in Ha Long Bay. In the morning we explored the larger bay by kayak again. The food provided was great; lots of fresh seafood. And the bedrooms were surprisingly good. Would highly recommend the cruise and especially the stay at sea as the hotels on Cat Ba island are not good. Bring some warm clothes if it's looking overcast. The weather was miserable for us and it gets cold out in the bay. The Cat Ba Ventures team in the booking office were incredibly helpful and also helped us book other travel including the excellent Cat Ba Express back to Hanoi and onward train tickets.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: lauradL2808TB

Review Date: 20 jan 2020

Review Body: I went on a 2D/1N boat trip in the beginning of january. The scenery is beautiful and the places to kayak were great. The atmosphere on the boat was very nice and everyone had a good time together. Our group were small, which probably made the experience even better. The rooms were nice and the vegetarian food was good. The night was spent in a bay close to other boats, but with no noise from them. The guide, Cong, was very friendly, spoke very good English and told a lot of interesting things about Vietnamese culture and history. If you can, ask to get him as your guide. I would recommend going on this trip! However, I drove with the CatBa ventures bus from Cat Ba to Ninh Binh. The bus was good and the staff friendly, but driver drove very bad and were in the other side of the road most of the time to overtake. He made the cars in the opposite direction stop completely, because they would otherwise crash. So I cannot recommend the busses.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Penny088, Australia

Review Date: 27 jan 2020

Review Body: Our family of 3 did the 2D/1N tour of Halong bay, leaving from Cat Ba. Everything was superbly well organised for us, from our hotel pick up in Hanoi, to our bus trip back to Hanoi and drop off right near the hotel. There were about 10 other people on our trip, they were all so lovely. We had a huge room on the boat, very comfy beds. The cruising around the bay was really extensive, we covered a lot of ground, the scenery absolutely stunning. We loved the kayaking, going through caves and finding beautiful lagoons. We spotted squirrels and golden monkeys surrounding one lagoon., very exciting. Although it was quite cool, many of us went swimming, I'm so pleased we did. The places they took us were not crowded at all, in some places our was the only boat there. The food was plentiful and delicious. Finally, our guides Ben and Tomas were lovely, full of information and enthusiastic. I would highly recommend this trip. Thank you Ben and Tomas!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: DrewD_12, London

Review Date: 20 jan 2020

Review Body: Firstly, great communication. All my emails were answered quickly and thoroughly. Cat Ba Ventures was recommended to me by a good friend, and they didn't disappoint. They helped with transportation and were fine with me being vegetarian. It really was an ease to organise. The tour was excellent. We had a three day tour on a private boat, with a great guide (Ian). Ian was good humoured and knowledgable. The captain was also the cook, and made us lots of delicious food Ð there was plenty for me to eat (as the vegetarian). As a gay male couple, we were made to feel very welcome on board. We covered a large distance on the boat, but avoided a lot of the busier touristy areas which I really appreciated. Kayaking was amazing, but it was just as fun sitting on the deck with a hot coffee watching the (breath-taking) world go bye. Overall it was a much more chilled out, relaxing experience than I anticipated, and one I would definitely do again.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: broadstairs70, United Kingdom

Review Date: 12 feb 2020

Review Body: We did an overnight trip starting from Cat ba Island and chose this company due to recommendations in Lonely Planet. We were keen to avoid the crowds and the negative reports of over tourism reported with trips starting from Halong Bay. This was definitely the right choice . The transfer was easy due to the company arranging all for us. The rooms on the boat were lovely and spacious, we had a top cabin and these are the largest with 2 double beds. The food throughout the trip was all lovely and freshly prepared. We were taken off the beaten track and very much avoided the crowds. Cave kayaking and swimming from the boat were energetic and fun , despite the slightly chilly conditions in Feb. However what made the trip for us was the warm welcome we received from the Cat Ba Team Ben and Kong. They were very knowledgable about the area and able to provide invaluable insights throughout our trip. Thank you to both

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Feenixwest

Review Date: 03 feb 2020

Review Body: We interviewed three tour companies and picked this one for excluding Monkey Island, which is out of control and potentially dangerous, to spend more time cruising around more remote areas of Lan Ha Bay and because of their good business practices. It was better than we ever anticipated. Office personnel sent us off and welcomed us back with questions at the end. All the segments were well coordinated. The ship was clean with clean restrooms through nine hours. We had two guides, Tom and Huein (sp?), who were ever enthusiastic and very much in control of the trip in terms of predicting and timing. Our lunch was fabulousÑbest one in the three weeks we've been in Vietnam according to my husband. Regarding safety, there were plenty of life jackets stored under the tables and we were required to have life jackets on for the kayak portion (optional) of the trip. Highly endorse this trip!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: LauraOona, Austria

Review Date: 13 feb 2020

Review Body: We did the overnight boat trip visiting Lan Ha Bay and Halong Bay. The boat was very clean and comfortable (had the best sleep of my journey there!) Also there is friendly staff to serve you very delicious vietnamese food - also vegetarian options. The kayaking was also fun and it was fascinating to discover the caves and the hidden lagoons behind. The best thing about Cat Ba Ventures is, that they do not take you to the center of halong bay, which already suffers from overtourism, but you discover more remote places, where we often were the only boat in sight. This made enjoying the stunning nature of the bay even better! Ben, who was our tour guide, accompanied us in his funny and friendly way and whats more he is extrememy knowledgable about the bay and vietnam in general. He even dealt well with our political questions thank you Ben for making those days so special!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Anniktravels

Review Date: 13 feb 2020

Review Body: We did the 2 days with 1 Night tour through halong bay and it was really good. We had fresh Vietnamese food for breakfast, lunch and dinner and it was delicious. The room was clean and had big windows with panoramic views to the sea. Bathroom was clean and had a rain shower. Hot water was not a problem. Our tour guides Ben and Cong ( also named King Cong ) were really nice and funny. They explained us a lot if things of the area aournd cat ba and Vietnam and had always a joke ready. With the Kayaking around the Bay and the visit of a local fishing farm and free time with swimming or relaxing on the sund deck on the boat the programme for the two days was perfectly planned. We really enjoyed our 2 days trip with cat ba ventures and will definitely do it again if we visit cat ba again. Thank you Cat ba venture and especially Ben and King Cong for 2 wonderful days.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: emmajfitzgerald, United Kingdom

Review Date: 02 nov 2019

Review Body: I highly recommend this great tour company for your adventures in Cat Ba. We took a half day jungle trek on our first day. This included a visit to the hospital cave, a climb to see great views in the national park, and a visit to the stunning Trang Trung cave. Our guide was friendly and knowledgeable. We then took the 1 day tour to Lan Ha / Halong Bay. This was an amazing day trip with stunning views, a superb lunch, a visit to a floating fishing village, swimming by a tiny beach, a great time kayaking and even a sighting of the rare langur monkeys. Our guides, especially Tom, were extremely friendly and fun. In my opinion, the 1 day tour is plenty long enough. Would recommend this trip from Cat Ba rather than going from Halong Bay as it much less busy. The price for the tours were both really reasonable. We had a super time. Thanks for having us!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: TallAndBald, London

Review Date: 27 jan 2020

Review Body: We had a 2D1N adventure from Cat Ba around Halong Bay and the adjoining islands. The team at Cat Ba Ventures made sure everything went smoothly for our family of four (2 boys 8 & 6) and we also used them to source transportation from our hotel in Hanoi to Cat Ba, and the return journey to Hanoi Train Station. They were fantastic at keeping us informed of our choices and up to date with our plans. The adventure itself was magical, great family room on the boat, delicious food for the meals, kayaking, swimming, laughing and generally an amazing time was had. We were lucky to share the trip with a bunch of like-minded individuals who welcomed our family in, and our tour guide Hien was AWESOME!! If you want to travel around the bay, and your requirements are similar to ours, we are happy to recommend them, and the trip itself.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Sarah-bldi

Review Date: 06 jan 2020

Review Body: Those 2 days were probably the very best of our lives so far. If you're thinking of doing it, don't hesitate a second and go for it. It really Worth it, it's one of the less touristy of the region and you can discover crazy landscape in a intimate and very friendly atmosphere (we were only 5 adults on the boat). Also, ask for King Kong if you can. We had the chance to have him as our guide and he was not only the most interesting but also the niecest person we met in Vietnam. It was really lovely to do this with him, we had a great laugh and he taught us a lot about Vietnamese history, culture and nature. We're still in contact now. So yeah, if you're looking for an incredible experience, some alone in the world feeling in fabulous hidden landscapes, book this tour. You won't regret it !

Review rating: 5

Review Author: xavern122, Vietnam

Review Date: 30 dec 2019

Review Body: We booked the 2d1n Tour with Cat Ba Ventures. Everything was just great, well organised and professionell. Its probably the best what you can get out of a Short stay in this area. Our tour guide (handsome) Ben was just amazing. Very professionell, he can Tell you a lot of Things about the area and is always open to chat about anything you want. He speaks perfectly English! Tours from cat ba are much better than from hang Long Bay, as you get to See the exact Same scenery as in ha Long. BUT less boats and other Tourists. The Food on the ship was Great. (All specialities, such as veggie/no Fish/no meat, but fish etc. are fully Respected. Everyone Gets to eat enough :) I would recomend a Trip with cat ba venture to EVERYONE trsveling in this area!!!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: ptitefeeline, France

Review Date: 12 dec 2019

Review Body: We wanted to spend 2 nights on the boat so we had no choice than to pick the private tour. And we don't regret it. The boat was fine ,the size perfect for us, food was delicious and fresh, and the crew and guide adorable and friendly. We got the chance to visit places in kayak at times when there were few tourists arriving always before or after so we had the lagoons almost always for us. The 3rd day is not thrilling but it allows you to chill the 2 previous days. Of course if you want music or party this is maybe not for you, but if you want a quiet chilling trip, to take a break from Hano• tremendous activity, and not being queuing behind big boats in Ha Long bay, it's totally worth it. Bai tu Long bay and Lan ha bay are totally worth seing!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: thehockeymum, Canada

Review Date: 11 feb 2020

Review Body: We had a great day tour of the karsts around Cat Ba. We stopped for a swim to a secluded beach among the karsts. Then a 1.5 hrs kayak paddle around, heading through a few tunnel passages to some neat areas surrounded by karsts. We also visited a floating fish farm to learn about the life of these floating fishing villages. A Vietnamese lunch was served on board and was delicious and plentiful. The crew was delightful. Our guide, Hang, was a very pleasant and cheerful man. Very informative and his English was excellent. This tour company in our opinion was excellent- the tour, the boat, the guide & crew. Also the folks at the tour office were wonderful. We would definitely recommend this outfit to others.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: bridesmaidblues

Review Date: 15 dec 2019

Review Body: We enjoyed the tour with Cat Ba Ventures! The scenery was beautiful (Lan Ha Bay even more than Halong Bay) and not too touristy. Tonny and Tommy are excellent guides. They speak English fluently and told us interesting stories about the region and about Vietnamese culture. They are both very nice and eager to answer all your questions! It was too cold to go swimming, but we really loved the kayaking (even though it was a bit crowded...) The lunch was good (note that they have a meat option for people with seafood allergy). The boat was full (+- 40 people) and not everyone had a seat by the seaside, but there was a standing area in the front of the boat were everyone could enjoy the nice views.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Elena

Review Date: 18 aug 2026

Review Body: Our cruise in Vietnam was an absolute highlight of our trip! The itinerary was perfectly paced, giving us just the right amount of time to relax and explore. The landscapes were breathtaking and activities like kayaking through the stunning waters were super fun and memorable. We even got lucky enough to spot some local wildlife along the way! Onboard, everything was top. The food was delicious (with many vegetarian options), and the entire crew was attentive and caring. A special shout-out to Hang, whose magic tricks kept us so entertained—he was such a warm, welcoming host and made the experience truly special. Highly recommended to anyone visiting Vietnam!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: sophiakessner, Germany

Review Date: 08 dec 2019

Review Body: We had an amazing trip with Cat Ba Ventures. The team was incredible flexible and helpful, every question was answered straight away and they gave some further helpful information. The trip itself was great - the team was amazing, both, our tourguide (Ben) and also the staff on the boat. The meals were all stunning, plenty of possibilities on the boat (swimming/kayaking/Squidfishing during nighttime/watching plankton at night/...) and really good vibes within the group. And furthermore an amazing landscape and lots of wildlife to see and explore. We can just recommend Cat Ba ventures and even staying on the island for a couple of days! :)

Review rating: 5

Itinerary Day 1

Itinerary Summary: Lan Ha Bay exploration with cruising, swimming, kayaking, and sunset views

Itinerary Description: 10:00–10:45 Complimentary hotel pick-up (for hotels within 10km of our office) 11:00–11:30 Arrive at our office → short 5-minute minibus transfer to the pier Set sail into Lan Ha Bay, cruising past dramatic limestone karsts and a floating fishing village. Learn about local life on the water as you glide through the bay. Stop at a quiet, secluded beach for a swim. (Snorkelling is optional — equipment provided.) 12:30 Lunch served onboard Afternoon Kayaking (1.5–2 hours) through rock arches into hidden lagoons and tunnel-like passages — a beautiful, peaceful way to explore the bay up close. Continue cruising toward Ha Long Bay, focusing on scenic, less-crowded areas for sightseeing and photo stops. Sunset Golden-hour cruising — enjoy the changing colors over the limestone islands 19:00 Dinner onboard & overnight on the boat Evening (optional) Squid fishing under the night sky

Itinerary Day 2

Itinerary Summary: Cycle, trek in Cat Ba National Park, explore Viet Hai Village, dinner

Itinerary Description: After breakfast, transfer by small boat to Viet Hai Pier Cycle ~5km through a peaceful lagoon, a small cave, rice fields, and green valleys to Viet Hai Village. 10:00 Trek (2–3 hours) through the rainforest and valleys of Cat Ba National Park, climbing up to Navy Peak for breathtaking views over Lan Ha/Ha Long, the national park, and Viet Hai Village. Note (trek difficulty): This trek is challenging — expect steep, rocky sections that require some scrambling. Not suitable for children under 10, older guests, or anyone with limited hiking experience/fitness. If it’s rainy and the trail is slippery, the trek may be adjusted to an easier village walk instead. 13:30 Lunch at a local home — enjoy simple, home-cooked dishes After lunch, stroll around the village, meet the friendly locals, and learn what life is like inside the national park. 15:30 Cycle back to the pier, then take boat ride to a different part of Lan Ha Bay Return to your overnight boat for some downtime. 19:00 Dinner onboard. Relax and enjoy another peaceful night anchored in Lan Ha Bay.

Itinerary Day 3

Itinerary Summary: Cruise Ha Long Bay, kayak, visit Dau Be Island, check out

Itinerary Description: After breakfast, continue cruising to a quieter side of Ha Long Bay and Cong Tau Lagoon — take in the beauty of hundreds of limestone islands away from the busiest routes. Visit Dau Be Island, unwind on a peaceful, deserted beach. Kayaking at Ho Ba Ham. Paddle through a maze of rock passages into three hidden lagoons. 11:00 Check out of your cabin/accommodation 11:05–11:40 Early lunch onboard ~11:50 Arrive back at the harbor 12:00 End the trip at our office Please note: The itinerary may be adjusted to suit guest preferences and depending on weather and tide conditions.