Cat Ba, located in Lang Ha bay, is the largest island of the bay, with and area of 140km2 and 8000 inhabitants. It’s composed of several villages and is famous for its production of salt and nuoc mam (fish sauce). Crossing the National Park is a nice walk, especially if you ask to a boatman to meet you on the other side in Van Hai harbour, both  picturesque and…

deserted.

A few years ago, Cat Ba was still a sleepy fishing village. It’s now developing exponentially: resorts grow everywhere and not necessarily in a way that contributes to its charm.

In 2007, two American climbers, Erik and Onslo, established their headquarter in the Noble House (a hostel facing the main harbour) and opened a travel agency specialized in climbing. They started by equipping a sector inside a serene spot outside of Cat Ba Town which they have dubbed “Butterfly Valley”  (Lien Minh Village). Routes continue appearing there, depending on the season. Please go to their website to get the latest news, and if you want to contribute or support bolting efforts in Cat Ba, get in touch with Erik and Onslo!

In terms of sport routes, Cat Ba is now the best place to go in Vietnam.
To help develop climbing in Cat Ba, a small fee is requested of climbers to access the cliff (25 000 VND) to support the investment, efforts and tenacity of Erik and Onslo.

"I remember all the moves of every problem I've ever done. This is what keeps me up at night."
Dave Graham