Primate Watching

Seeing this Species

 

Cát Bà Island, Hải Phòng City, Việt Nam

Cat Ba Island (354 sq km) is located on the Lan Ha Bay, south of the more famous (hence more touristy) Ha Long Bay. Half of the island is protected as a national park. The best weather to see the langurs is probably from late September to early November. The Winters are much cooler (but still pleasant), rain is more of a risk in the Spring. In the Summer, tourist numbers reach their peak.

 

It takes about 5 hours to get to Cat Ba Island from Hanoi by public transport. At the Luong Yen Bus Station (Bến xe Lương Yên) in Hanoi, purchase the ticket to Cat Ba Island (240,000 dong, ~$12) from Hoang Long Bus Company. On the day of travel, a Hoang Long staff will shepherd passengers all the way to Cat Ba, that's because it takes 3 buses and a boat to get to Cat Ba! The first bus brings you to Hai Phong City, where you will alight and wait at their company office for maybe 5-10 minutes for their second bus which will bring you to the jetty. There, you will hop onto a boat which ferries you to Cat Ba Island. Another and final bus will then bring you to the center of Cat Ba town where you will find everything you need (hotels, restaurants, sightseeing tour companies etc.). More detailed directions can be found here.

 

Probability of success: Currently there is no organized trips opened to the public for seeing the critically endangered langurs. Find out more from the team at Cat Ba Langur Conservation Project.

 

Overlapping species: Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulatta)

 

Local contacts: Cat Ba Langur Conservation Project