Adventures On Cat Ba
Cat Ba is the biggest island in Halong Bay, it makes a nice alternative to the pricey Halong Bay tours offered in the port towns of mainland Vietnam.
A Halong Bay boat trip is the thing to do in Vietnam apparently. And while undoubtedly beautiful I was a little over the limestone rock formations by now.
However, these rocks had their uses. Especially for the intrepid adventurer. And I like to think I am one of those.
We went on a deep water soloing trip with Asia Outdoors. This is basically rock climbing up these limestone formations using the sea as your safety cushion. No ropes. Then when you reach the top you jump off. What’s not to like.
We had about 6 climbs each up a variety of different routes reaching a maximum of around 10m. The holy grail was a 20m ledge but none of us reached it. By the time we got round to attempting it my arms were reaching the end of their endurance.
Then after a top-notch lunch and a rest on the boat, we went kayaking around the bay.
The kayaking was alright but it had nothing on the climbing.
Kayaking also brought the plague that humanity is to this planet into the spotlight. We kayaked into this beautiful lagoon. At least it would have been beautiful but it was strewn with rubbish. There was a lot. It was shocking. Apparently, the storm washed all the litter out from where it had been lodged.
Overall though it was a great day that combined a boat trip around Halong Bay with some adventure. It left us happily exhausted.
Deep water soloing is something I would love to do again. I like the freedom and sense of danger that climbing without ropes gives you.
We also got to see the houses on the sea. Which was an interesting insight into a way of life I had no idea about.
The National Park
Half of Cat Ba island is a World Heritage site designated as a biosphere reserve. It is home to the majority of the worlds remaining golden-headed langurs. Apparently, there is only 65 left.
They are notoriously elusive and we didn’t manage to spot any. But we did go on a trek through the park. Ascending to the top of a mountain providing some awesome views of the island.
After the trek, we relaxed at a rooftop pool for the rest of the day. The sun was shining and that was not always the case while we were on Cat Ba.
Where we caught a decent sunset.
The Weather
The first two days were marred by terrible weather. We were caught in part of the storm that caused flooding across Northern Vietnam.
So these two days were fairly miserable. There isn’t much to do on Cat Ba when it’s raining. I did manage to get deep into a book for the first time in a while. It’s called Daemon and presents a frightening look into how our dependence on technology could backfire. Check it out. I found it a captivating read.
Although this mug left his kindle in Hanoi with the last few chapters left to read. Fortunately, I can pick it up when I go back but I have to wait to finish my book and have nothing much to read while in the north. Bit of a disaster really.
The Blackpool of Vietnam
Cat Ba island is beautiful. Cat Ba town not so much.
As Cat Ba serves as the top getaway for the people of Hanoi and the surrounding area it has suffered from massive overdevelopment. Doug said the place reminded him of Blackpool. And that is basically what it is to the Vietnamese.
Ugly hotels line the seafront, with more under construction. During the weekend and summer months, the town is supposed to get packed out. It even has a tacky pier.
It is a shame really, but it is understandable. The island is beautiful and offers a convenient base for exploring Halong Bay. It just suffers from being too close to Hanoi. You can’t blame the Vietnamese for wanting to come, it is certainly much better than our Blackpool.
That’s all I have for Cat Ba. It’s a lovely island while the sun is shining.
Next, we headed for Hanoi. We were about to start our northern loop. So far it has been unreal.
