Cat Ba national park

The landscape in Cat Ba is quite similar to Ha Long bay, it is dominated by karst limestone islands rising abruptly from the sea.

Biodiversity values:
Cat Ba national park contributes to the diversity of natural habitats, including forested hills, small freshwater lakes, freshwater swamp forest, mangroves, sandy beaches and coral reefs. The main natural vegetation type on Cat Ba island is limestone forest. To date, 839 vascular plant species have been recorded at the national park, including 25 species listed in the Red Data Book of Vietnam.

The limestone habitats at Cat Ba National Park plays an important role. According to a  survey in 1998, thank to the abundance of suitable moist niches within the limestone forest, the national park had a rich and diverse snail fauna.

Each year, Cat Ba island receives large numbers of domestic and overseas tourists. A significant proportion of these tourists visit the national park, either on foot, along one of the hiking trails, or by boat, through the marine component. The national park can, therefore, be considered to be making an important contribution to the island's economy.