By Hazel Parry Jan 30, 2007, 12:01 GMT
Cat Ba, Vietnam - Why Cat Ba Island? Until recently this was northern Vietnam's best-kept secret and even now, the island is relatively undeveloped.
It's one of the most spectacular destinations in the region and if you go at the right time of year, you can have it nearly all to yourself.
Everyone knows about the UNESCO World Heritage site of Halong Bay and its notoriety is reflected in the coachloads of tourists and the fleets of pleasure boats. In Cat Ba, you can escape most of that. Set on the edge of the extraordinary matrix of tiny, deserted islands that rise jaggedly out of the South China Sea and make Halong Bay so famous, Cat Ba has all of Halong's coastal beauty but more charm and less congestion.
Ten years ago there was only one hotel and one restaurant in Cat Ba town. Since then it has boomed after becoming a popular weekend retreat for people from Hanoi but still relatively few tourists head there.
There is a reason of course. It isn't the easiest place to reach, and it takes a bit of backpacker spirit to get there. The months of May and October are best to visit Cat Ba Island. In the winter, sea temperatures are a little too low and in the summer the island is thronged with visitors and prone to storms.
What's there to see and do? The highlight of any trip to Cat Ba is hiring a boat for the day, taking a trip around the outlying islands and picking your own private, deserted beach set in mesmerising, turquoise-blue sea water.
Once you're out there, meandering between islands in an extraordinary seascape or sipping a cold drink and wandering over sand that may have not felt another human footprint for months or even years, you'll forget all the aggravation of getting there.
Where should I stay? If you want value for money, stay at the Family Hotel directly opposite the ferry pier in Cat Ba Town. This is the original Cat Ba hotel, 10 years ago it was the only one in the main island town and prices have not changed much since then with a three-bed air conditioned room overlooking the bustling Cat Ba Town seafront costing 12 US dollars a night.
You can hire a boat for the day from the Family Hotel with a meal served on board for an all-inclusive 40 dollars for six people.
There are scores of mini-hotels within walking distance of the main pier in Cat Ba Town offering similar room prices and boat trips, so shop around if the Family Hotel is full.
If you crave creature comforts for a night or two, take a motorbike around the bay and stay at the new Sunrise Resort (www.vietnamtourism.com.vn/catbasunriseresort-hotel) the better of the two resort options with a fantastic setting in the middle of its own bay. Rooms with balconies overlooking the beach cost around 100 dollars a night.
What shouldn't I miss? The island has three good beaches of its own, all within walking distance of the town. The alternative is to hop onto a motorbike taxi (5,000 Vietnam dong or 30 US cents each way). If you fancy an excursion, there's a national park in the centre of the island with monkeys, wildlife and a lake. Hire a guide and driver through any hotel to take you there.
What would you advise a first-timer? Leave your laptop behind. It's almost impossible to get an internet connection even at the Sunrise Resort. There are a couple of internet cafes in the town,if you really need to catch up with your emails but why bother?
How do I get there? Fly to Hanoi, then hire a car or van to take you to Haiphong (2.5 hours, around 35 dollars) and then catch a fast ferry (one hour, 10 dollars a head) to Cat Ba Town.
Alternatively, you can book a tour when you arrive in Hanoi. Green Bamboo Travel (www.greenbambootravel.com) has 3-day packages with hotels at 135 US dollars per person travelling in a party of six, or 177 dollars, if you are travelling as a couple. You can even spend a night in traditional junk watching the stars from water. If you have a bigger budget and your own ideas, Exotissimo (www.exotissimo.com) will tailor-make an itinerary to you specifications.
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