Most people choose a cruise either in Halong Bay or Lan Ha Bay. However, some might be interested in visiting both Halong and Cat Ba Island – whether for a cruise or not!
This short article is here to help you reach Cat Ba from the city of Halong.
And if you are considering a cruise in Lan Ha Bay, around Cat Ba, you can discover our 2, 4 and 7-cabin junks, ideal for an authentic and private experience.
Slow option : take a ferry from Tuan Chau
If you have the time, we recommend taking a ferry from the Tuan Chau port.
If you are staying at a hotel in Halong City, you can take a taxi to get to the Tuan Chau port. This is also where most cruise boats dock to welcome guests.
If you are at the SunWorld amusement park, the journey to the Tuan Chau port is 12 km. For around 150,000 VND, the taxi will take you to your destination.
You will choose the ferry that will take you to the Gia Luan port on Cat Ba Island. This port is located in the north of Cat Ba Island. The ticket price is now approximately 80,000 VND (~4 dollars, 2026 rate).
Tuan Chau, Halong, Vietnam.
Here are the round-trip ferry schedules :
| High Season (30/04 – 30/09) | Schedule |
| Tuan Chau – Gia Luan | 7h30, 9h00, 11h30, 13h30, 15h00 |
| Gia Luan – Tuan Chau | 9h00, 11h30, 13h00, 15h00, 16h00 |
| Slow Season (01/10 – 29/04) | Schedule |
| Tuan Chau – Gia Luan | 7h30, 11h30, 15h00 |
| Gia Luan – Tuan Chau | 9h00, 13h00, 16h00 |
To reach the town of Cat Ba located in the south of the island, you will need to take a local bus from Gia Luan. The journey takes about 30 to 45 minutes, and it will cost you approximately 25,000 to 30,000 VND (~1.2 dollars, 2026 rate).
The total cost for this journey will be approximately 5 to 6 dollars per person (2026 rate).
Fast option : speed boat from Tuan Chau
For those of you in a hurry, you can opt for a speedboat that will take you to Gia Luan port in just a few minutes.
However, the price is significantly higher: the ticket will cost you approximately 165,000 VND (~7 dollars, 2026 rate) per person.
Here the schedule :
| Speed boat trip | Schedule |
| Tuan Chau – Gia Luan | 7h15, 8h30, 10h30, 13h, 14h30 et 16h |
After the ferry, you will continue by bus or taxi to reach the town of Cat Ba in the south of the island, as in the program including the ferry.
These are the two means we recommend for reaching Cat Ba Island from Halong City.
Our other articles about Cat Ba island:
- Why visit Cat Ba? Our top 5 reasons
- The best cruises from Cat Ba island
- What to do on Cat Ba island? Our top 10 activities
- Where to stay on Cat Ba island? Our best hotel picks
- Caves of Cat Ba island
- How to get to Cat Ba island from Hanoi
- How to get to Cat Ba island from Ninh Binh
- How to get to Cat Ba island from Sapa
Feel free to contact us to visit Cat Ba and Lan Ha bay.
