Visitors to Cat Ba are often advised: come hungry. This island enchants not only with its blue sea, old-growth forest, and towering limestone karsts, but also with its rich cuisine – a meeting point of the essence of both mountains and sea.
Cat Ba Cuisine “to remember”
Morning: A gentle start with Bun Tom, Bun Ca Song
In the early morning in Cat Ba, Bun Tom or Bun Ca Song are popular choices. Of these, Bun Tom is a specialty of the islanders – soft, small vermicelli noodles, sweet shrimp meat, a broth with a mild tamarind sourness, served with fresh green vegetables. This dish can be found at local restaurants such as Ba Binh Bun Tom in Cat Dai or Cat Tien Bun Tom in Nui Ngoc.
Cat Ba Bun Tom
But if you want to start your morning differently – relaxed, with a direct ocean view, sipping coffee by the waves and enjoying a traditional Vietnamese breakfast in a stylish setting – from May 16th, Cat Ba will have two more options: The Forest Beach Club and The Sea Beach Club located by Cat Ba beach, Xanh Island central Vinh city.
The Forest Beach Club offers a cozy, intimate feel with Northern Vietnamese breakfast dishes such as beef pho, bun cha, and bun suon doc mung. With space for 350 guests, it’s designed in earthy red-brown tones, accented with highland ethnic patterns, creating a distinct local character. The wooden floors, high ceilings, and long tables make it both intimate and warm, like a “large kitchen” by the sea.
The Forest Beach Club. Perspective image
Meanwhile, The Sea Beach Club impresses from the first glance with its striking U-shaped bronze archway amidst the coastal coconut trees. The interior boasts a Mediterranean style with a touch of modern tropical: full of natural light, opening directly onto the ocean. Breakfast includes options such as bun ca song (fish noodle soup) and bun hai san (seafood noodle soup), ideal for starting the day.
Noon: grilled meat or fresh seafood?
When the sun is high, Cat Ba Island shifts to a different rhythm. The blue sea is now filled with people, the beaches are bustling, and the whole island seems full of life.
Lunch cuisine in Cat Ba is a delightful branching out. If you lean towards a local experience, you can find long-standing establishments like Vien Duong Restaurant (Tung Dinh Street) or Hung Manh 559 Floating Restaurant in Ben Cai Beo – where fresh tu hai (a type of fish) is grilled right after being taken from the tank, bia-steamed be be (a type of shrimp) is still hot, or ca song (a type of fish) salad wrapped in spicy sung leaves, a true island fisherman's style.
But if you are in the central bay area, or simply want a newer experience, you can choose The Forest Beach Club or The Sea Beach Club, both serving lunch in their own unique style.
Cat Ba Mountain Goat Meat
If you are a "meat lover", The Forest Beach Club is the ideal place. The restaurant particularly offers Cat Ba mountain goat meat – a precious specialty of the island. Cat Ba mountain goats are a native breed, raised on limestone mountains, eating various natural leaves, including precious herbs such as pennyroyal, licorice, and codonopsis. This creates firm, richly sweet meat with a distinctive aroma. At The Forest Beach Club, goat meat is prepared into many attractive dishes such as grilled, stir-fried, and simmered in me (a type of fish sauce) – served with clay pot rice or local forest vegetables, catering to the diverse tastes of diners.
Sun KraftBeer craft beer arrives in Northern Vietnam for the first time
Seafood lovers can visit The Sea Beach Club – a sophisticated blend of Asian and European cuisine: fish salad, grilled oysters, fried squid, seafood pasta… paired with ice-cold Sun KraftBeer – the perfect recipe for a delicious and stylish lunch.
Afternoon: Sip cocktails, admire the windy sea
After swimming or exploring the island, visitors can stop at Golden Bar – a bar located in a prime position in the central bay area. With 240 seats facing the sea, an open space shaded by coconut trees, Golden Bar serves light snacks and tropical drinks – from smoothies, juices, iced tea to pre-mixed cocktails or light alcoholic beverages. This is the perfect place to relax, admire the sea, and enjoy a peaceful moment from noon to late afternoon.
Evening: A culinary feast with dazzling fireworks
If Cat Ba is sunny and windy during the day, the evening on the island has a completely different rhythm – vibrant, bustling, diners enter a new culinary world: lively, diverse and full of surprises.
VUI-Fest night market – opening in May – is an unmissable destination. Not only is it a green market model with hundreds of stalls using entirely eco-friendly materials, it is also known as “Mini Hai Phong” as it offers all the famous dishes of the Hai Phong region. Everything is served in an open space, with bright lights and vibrant music – a true eat-and-play complex.
Sun Bavaria. Perspective image
If you want a luxurious stop – a place to enjoy a sumptuous dinner, listen to music, and watch fireworks from the Jetski show “Green Island Symphony” launching in May – then Sun Bavaria Cat Ba is the ideal choice. Sun Bavaria recreates the image of a sculpture workshop by the cliff face. The space has up to 800 seats, divided into several areas: indoor, outdoor, and sea-facing. The restaurant serves both set menus and A La Carte, a high-class culinary journey with a blend of local specialties and international flavors, highlighted by German sausages, grilled meats, savory snacks paired with Sun KraftBeer craft beer. For the first time, the authentic taste of German beer is recreated, made from premium ingredients and sophisticated brewing techniques.
Take a sip of ice-cold craft beer, bite into a flavorful sausage, and gaze at the fireworks painting streaks of color across the Cat Ba sky – that's when your taste, sight, and hearing intertwine, ending the day with an unforgettable experience found nowhere else.
