Dao Khi — usually called Monkey Island or Cat Dua — is a small island off the eastern shore of Cat Ba, accessible by a short boat ride or even a walk at low tide. It's one of those places that sounds like a tourist trap on paper but delivers something genuinely low-key: a rocky beach, a couple hundred macaques who couldn't care less about you, and one of the better sunset viewpoints in the Cat Ba archipelago.
What it is
Dao Khi sits roughly 1 km east of Cat Ba Town, connected to Cat Ba Island by a narrow sand bar that surfaces at low tide. The island is small — you can walk the whole thing in under an hour. Its main residents are a colony of around 200 rhesus macaques that were introduced here decades ago as part of a primate research project. The research stopped; the monkeys stayed.
The island has since been turned into a low-frills beach resort area. There's a beach on the western side facing Cat Ba, a hillside hiking trail to a viewpoint, and enough hammocks and cheap seafood to fill a lazy afternoon. It's not wilderness. It's not a zoo either. It sits somewhere in between — a place where monkeys wander through an outdoor restaurant while you eat fried squid.
Why travelers go
Most people visit Dao Khi as a half-day side trip from Cat Ba Town. The appeal is straightforward: a swimmable beach that's less crowded than Cat Co beaches, the novelty of the monkey colony, and a panoramic hilltop view over Ha Long Bay's karst landscape to the north. If you're spending two or more days on Cat Ba, it's a solid way to fill an afternoon without booking another boat tour.
Best time to visit
The sweet spot is April through September, when the weather is warm enough for swimming and the sand bar connecting the islands is reliably exposed at low tide. June through August is peak season — expect more domestic visitors on weekends. October and November bring cooler weather and occasional storms; the beach loses its charm fast in drizzle.
If you want to walk across the sand bar instead of taking a boat, check tidal charts. Low tide typically exposes the crossing for a few hours in the morning or late afternoon, depending on the lunar cycle. Ask your hotel in Cat Ba Town — they'll know the timing.
How to get there
From Hai Phong: Take the speed boat from Binh ferry terminal to Cat Ba Island (roughly 50 minutes, around 250,000-300,000 VND one way). Some boats go directly to Cat Ba Town pier; others stop at Gia Luan port on the island's north end, where you'll transfer to a bus for the 30-minute ride south to town. From Cat Ba Town, Dao Khi is about 2 km east.
From Cat Ba Town to Dao Khi: You have three options:
- Walk at low tide across the sand bar (free, 20-25 minutes from the connecting point, which is itself a 15-minute walk or 5-minute motorbike ride from town center).
- Hire a small boat from the Cat Ba Town waterfront (50,000-80,000 VND per person, 10 minutes).
- Rent a motorbike (100,000-120,000 VND/day in Cat Ba Town) and ride to the sand bar crossing point, then walk over.
From Hanoi: The whole journey takes about 3.5-4 hours. Bus from My Dinh or Gia Lam station to Hai Phong (around 120,000 VND), then speed boat to Cat Ba.
Photo by Hugo Heimendinger on Pexels
What to do
Watch the macaques (without feeding them)
The monkeys roam freely across the island. They're used to humans, which makes them both photogenic and bold. Do not feed them — they'll snatch bags, sunglasses, and phones if they associate you with food. The best monkey-watching is early morning or late afternoon when they come down to the beach and rocks near the water.
Hike to the viewpoint
A trail behind the beach area climbs to the island's highest point — maybe 100 meters above sea level. The walk takes about 20 minutes and the path is steep in places but manageable in sneakers. From the top, you get a wide view over the karst formations stretching toward Ha Long Bay (하롱베이 / 下龙湾 / ハロン湾). Bring water; there's no shade on the upper section.
Swim and do nothing
The western beach is small — maybe 200 meters of sand — but the water is calm and clear enough from May through August. There are kayaks for rent (around 100,000 VND/hour) and basic sun loungers. It's a good beach for reading a book, not for water sports.
Kayak around the shoreline
Paddling around Dao Khi's rocky perimeter takes about 45 minutes and gives you a different angle on the karst scenery. You'll pass some small caves and rock overhangs on the island's eastern side that you can't reach on foot.
Catch sunset from the beach
The western-facing beach gets a direct view of the sun dropping behind Cat Ba's hills. If you time your visit to end at golden hour, it's one of the more peaceful spots in the archipelago.
Where to eat nearby
Dao Khi has a basic restaurant on the beach that serves grilled seafood — squid, prawns, clams — at prices slightly above Cat Ba Town (figure 150,000-250,000 VND for a seafood plate). It's fine, not remarkable.
For better eating, head back to Cat Ba Town. The waterfront strip along the harbor has dozens of seafood restaurants. Try "[bun cha](/posts/bun-cha-hanoi (하노이 / 河内 / ハノイ)-grilled-pork-noodles)" at one of the smaller alleys behind the main road, or look for "cha gio" — fried spring rolls made with crab meat, which is a local variation worth ordering. Crab is the thing to eat on Cat Ba; whole steamed crab runs about 200,000-400,000 VND depending on size and season.
Where to stay
There's basic accommodation on Dao Khi itself — simple bungalows and tent rentals in the 200,000-400,000 VND/night range. The facilities are bare-bones: expect thin mattresses and shared bathrooms. It works for one night if you want the novelty of sleeping on the island.
Most travelers stay in Cat Ba Town, where options range from backpacker hostels (150,000-250,000 VND/night for a dorm bed) to mid-range hotels with harbor views (600,000-1,200,000 VND/night). For something quieter, look at homestays along the road between town and the national park entrance.
Photo by Vo Huy on Pexels
Practical tips locals would tell you
- Secure everything. The monkeys are skilled thieves. Zip your bags closed, don't carry food openly, and keep your phone in a buttoned pocket.
- Bring cash. There's no ATM on Dao Khi and card payments don't exist here. Bring enough VND for entry, food, and kayak rental.
- Entry fee: Around 50,000-70,000 VND per person.
- Wear shoes with grip if you plan to hike the viewpoint trail or cross the sand bar. The rocks are slippery.
- Sunscreen and water. No convenience stores on the island.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Going at high tide without a boat plan. If the sand bar is submerged, you're paying for a boat back. Check the tide before crossing on foot.
- Visiting on a weekend in July-August. Domestic tour groups fill the beach and the monkeys get agitated. Weekdays are noticeably calmer.
- Expecting a full-day destination. Dao Khi is a half-day trip. Pair it with a morning in Cat Ba National Park or an afternoon boat tour through Lan Ha Bay to fill your day.
- Feeding the monkeys. It's posted everywhere and people still do it. The macaques become aggressive once they learn tourists carry snacks. Don't be that person.
Practical notes
Dao Khi works best as part of a two- or three-day Cat Ba itinerary, alongside Lan Ha Bay and the national park. It's not a destination you'd travel to Hai Phong specifically for, but if you're already on Cat Ba, an afternoon here — monkeys, a swim, sunset from the beach — is a solid use of time.
Last updated · May 25, 2026 · independently researched, never sponsored.
