Tung Thu Beach

Cat Ba Island in Lan Ha Bay, Tung Thu beach(show map) provides a very necessary service. This wonderfully quiet stretch of sand offers an excellent and peaceful alternative to the far more visited Cat Co beaches about 2.5km away. Despite the fact that it lies a mere 10 minutes from Cat Ba’s main town.

Tung Thu beach features a mere fraction of the tourist levels of the Cat Co beaches and is not owned by any hotel or resort, meaning it has retained its huge charm and quiet demeanour.There are very few signs pointing towards Tung Thu beach from the town, which certainly contributes to its castaway appeal. The beach is fairly wide and looks out south into the beautiful Lan Ha Bay, flanked by two limestone walls adorned with trees and creating the feeling of a secluded cove with untouched waters. Stretching palm trees and a littering of sun loungers make Tung Thu beach the best of its kind on Cat Ba Island.

What is there to do on Tung Thu beach? Stretching out and relaxing on the white sand as the tunnel of ocean in front laps at the shoreline. It is easy to do exactly nothing on Tung Thu beach, as there is a very peaceful air promoted both by the lack of other tourists and the idyllic scene on display.

Swimming in the calm waters ahead. Tung Thu’s waters are usually warm all year round and present another way to enjoy your time here.• Tanning in a hammock strung between two palm trees further back from the beach; this is another activity that could take as long as you want it to.

When is the best time to go to Tung Thu beach?There are few times of year that you will feel overcrowded at Tung Thu beach, but around Vietnamese new year is certainly one of these. Many of Lan Ha Bay’s destinations like the Cat Co beaches and other attractions around Cat Ba Island receive a big spike in tourist arrivals around the new year, so it’s best to avoid this time as the peaceful atmosphere which Tung Thu boasts well is all but eradicated.Aim instead for the autumn or the spring, when perfect temperatures and little chance of rainfall are the norm.

Most tourists during this time are solely focussed on the Cat Co beaches on the other side of town, so Tung Thu enjoys a lot of peace to match its cloudless skies.In summer, Cat Ba Island becomes less of an island paradise and more of an open-air sauna, with sky-high temperatures that do nothing to aid visitors’ relaxation. The prevalence of the rain certainly compiles the misery during summer, whereas winter is more characterised by fog and a drastic dip in temperatures, so this is another advised time to avoid Tung Thu beach.