Potential for eco-tourism

Cat Ba Archipelago - Lan Ha Bay in the northern port city of Hai Phong continue to be honored as Scenic landscapes - Special national monuments, World Biosphere Reserves, National Parks, Marine Protected Areas, Top most beautiful bays in the world by the Association of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World (MBBW) Club and World Natural Heritage by UNESCO.

Tourists experience Lan Ha Bay, Hai Phong. (Source: vneconomy.vn)

The Sydney Morning Herald has recently praised the beauty of Lan Ha Bay in Cat Ba Archipelago. “Lan Ha Bay appears as a wonderland on the endless water surface, including hundreds of large and small islands, bays and diverse mountain and forest ecosystems, creating a fascinating and extremely majestic natural landscape,” the newspaper described.

As the third largest island in Vietnam, Cat Ba and nearly 400 large and small islands surrounding it form the Cat Ba Archipelago, likened to a green pearl chain in the Gulf of Tonkin. This place possesses great potential for developing high-class eco-tourism. Cat Ba National Park is one of the national parks with the highest biodiversity in Vietnam. It has about 1,600 species of higher plants, 63 species of mammals, 209 species of birds, 58 species of reptiles and 401 species of insects. Among them are many rare and endemic species such as agarwood, Cat Ba langur, spotted deer, great hornbill and brown-headed eagle.

Cat Ba tourism is currently mainly associated with beach activities; sightseeing, and exploring the bay, National Park, caves or small islands. According to experts, Cat Ba is planned to become a national and international eco-tourism center, so together with Long Chau, Bach Long Vi are identified as service tourism areas combining protection and preservation of the ecological environment.

Development orientation

Solving the ecological problem, Cat Ba can become "Vietnam's little Maldives". Those are the comments of Prof. Dr. Do Cong Thung, Former Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Institute of Marine Resources and Environment, on the sustainable and long-term direction for Cat Ba Island to truly transform to be worthy of the “Pearl” of the North.

According to experts, Cat Ba needs a master plan, a standard plan for long-term and sustainable tourism development, closely linked with other sectors to unify common goals and actions for pollution reduction.

Cat Ba Archipelago seen from above. (Source: vneconomy.vn)

Mr. Do Cong Thung said that the city also needs measures to handle waste by tourism. Firstly, it could issue regulations for cruise ships and travel companies to properly handle waste generated by tourists. Meanwhile, local tourism businesses should allocate part of their revenue to join hands in regenerating the environment.

On the Government’s side, in order to fully exploit the unique strengths of Cat Ba, on December 2, 2023, the Prime Minister approved the planning of Hai Phong City for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050. It aims to build a highly attractive Cat Ba - Do Son marine tourism complex; combined with Ha Long Bay to become an international marine tourism center.

According to the Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism Development of Cat Ba Archipelago to 2025 and a vision to 2050, Cat Ba prioritizes the development of high-quality tourism products to differentiate and increase the competitiveness of the destination, with the focus on types such as: Ecotourism; sightseeing and discovery tourism; sports - entertainment tourism; cruise tourism; event tourism; MICE tourism; geological tourism; and research tourism.

In September 2024, the Management Board of Cat Ba Archipelago Biosphere Reserve submitted a Report to MAB International for consideration, evaluation and re-recognition of the Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve Title./.

BTA