Cát Bà Town, one of famous tourist spots in the north. VNA/VNS Photo

HẢI PHÒNG - Cát Bà Island in Cát Hải District, next to the coastal city of Hải Phòng City, has recovered after Typhoon Yagi.

In addition to restoring what has been destroyed, the revival offers a chance to develop the stunning island in a sustainable manner.

Cát Bà Island is located in the northeast of Việt Nam, 165km from Hà Nội and is known as the 'Pearl of the Gulf of Tonkin'.

The island is home to some amazing places including the Cát Bà Archipelago National Monument, Cát Bà National Park, Lan Hạ Bay - one of the most beautiful bays in the world - and the Cát Bà Archipelago World Biosphere Reserve.

With its spectacular natural beauty and outstanding global value, Cát Bà offers a dazzling seven adjacent ecosystems and is home to many rare animals.

The Hạ Long Bay - Cát Bà Archipelago was officially recognised by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage in September 2023.

Cát Bà Archipelago suffered terrible devastation from Typhoon Yagi in 2024. The fierce storm left bare forests, devastated beaches and destroyed aquaculture cages.

After nearly five months, Cát Bà has been revived and restored to its natural beauty and appeal.

Chairman of Cát Hải District People's Committee, Bùi Tuấn Mạnh, said after being devastated by the typhoon and subsequent flooding, Cát Bà had been reborn and had come back even more appealing to visitors.

One of the important breakthroughs helping Cát Bà revive its popularity is some upgrades to the transport infrastructure. The road system and wharf have received major investment and have been rebuilt in a more modern way, creating favourable conditions for travel and connection with neighbouring areas.

The bus system, high-speedboat service and a new and modern Đồng Bài ferry terminal have helped tourists easily access the island.

"Businesses also play an important role in the revival. They not only invested in rebuilding affected areas but also promoted tourism development, bringing new services and experiences to visitors. These efforts have helped revive the local economy and create many job opportunities", he said.

Foreign tourists came back to Cát Bà after Typhoon Yagi. VNA/VNS Photo

During the visit made by President of the Republic of Bulgaria Rumen Radev to Lan Hạ Bay in late November 2024, he expressed his love and admiration for the bay and Cát Bà Archipelago, as well all the heritage surrounding Hải Phòng City.

Returning to Cát Bà on the first day of the New Year 2025, Park Jin Sung, Professor of the Korean Studies Institute, said the miraculous revival of the island had truly left a deep impression.

After the devastation caused by Typhoon Yagi, seeing Cát Bà green and vibrant again was a memorable experience for him.

"There is a sense of calm and freshness brought about by the restored green forests. Visitors find it tough to tear themselves away from the stunning, immaculate beaches and crystal-clear seawater. Visitors may savour fresh seafood directly from the source thanks to the recently renovated aquaculture cages," he said.

"All these factors have created an island that not only has recovered strongly but also develops remarkably, worthy of being an international tourist destination. These wonderful experiences will certainly leave unforgettable memories for any visitor." 

Regional and world-connecting tourism centre

Three development breakthroughs—seaports and logistics services, digital transformation and tourism growth—have been recognised in Hải Phòng City's plans for the 2021–30 period, with a view to 2050.

The city looks to build a highly attractive Cát Bà – Đồ Sơn marine tourism complex. Together with Hạ Long Bay, it is set to become an international marine tourism attraction, connected with Red Delta provinces to become both regionally and globally appealing. 

Experts say that Hải Phòng has recognised the importance of sea tourism and decided to build a highly attractive Cát Bà – Đồ Sơn tourist complex.

This complex will not only offer beautiful beaches, but also entertainment areas, high-class resorts, eco-tourism projects, green tourism and water sports activities, attracting both domestic and foreign tourists.

The combination will also create an international-class sea tourism centre. Visitors can explore both locations on the same trip, enjoying the majestic beauty of Hạ Long Bay and the pristine beaches of Cát Bà.

The initiative is expected to help increase the number of tourists and create many job opportunities and boost economic development for the locality.

Chairman Bùi Tuấn Mạnh said in 2024, all of the district's industries' combined production value increased at a respectably rapid pace in 2024, 18 per cent.

The district welcomed 3,675,000 arrivals in 2024, reaching 102 per cent of the plan, up 20.3 per cent year-on-year. Among those, there were over one million international visitors, up 90.5 per cent year-on-year.

The total revenue from accommodation and catering services reached over VNĐ3.3 trillion, up 21.1 per cent over the same period of 2023.

Cát Hải District had determined to build a socio-economic development plan for 2025 on the basis of inheriting and promoting the achievements of the previous year.

It looked to promote economic development, ensure sustainable development requirements, create a favourable and equal investment and business environment.

The district was looking to welcome four million visitors in 2025. VNS