No official statistics on visitor numbers for the September 2nd holiday are available yet, but a representative from the Cat Hai Special Zone's Department of Culture and Society stated that Cat Ba is "quiet" this holiday season. The reasons include the area having recently experienced storms, making many visitors hesitant about potentially getting stranded on the island. Additionally, Cat Ba is entering its low season. Over the past three days, the number of visitors to Cat Ba has only been comparable to regular weekdays during the summer tourist season.

On the morning of 31/8, the Cai Vieng and Dong Bai ferry terminals were not experiencing kilometer-long traffic jams like in previous holidays. Visitors waited only about 10 minutes to board the ferry. Popular beaches Cat Co 1 and 2 had scattered beachgoers.

Cat Co beach on the morning of 31/8. *Photo: Minh Thuan*

Minh Thuan, a tourist from central Hai Phong, stated that her family decided to visit Cat Ba spontaneously after hearing it was quiet. She added that the weather is currently pleasant with mild sunshine. On a Cat Ba tourism forum, Tien Dung, a visitor from Hanoi, also reported no congestion at the ferry terminal and described the beaches as "as empty as Ba Danh pagoda" (a Vietnamese idiom for a deserted place).

Dong Bai ferry terminal on the morning of 31/8. *Photo: Minh Thuan*

In contrast, during the April 30th holiday, Cat Ba was one of the country's most crowded destinations, with over 40% growth compared to the same period last year. Accommodation facilities consistently reached 100% capacity on peak days.

Starting from 1/9, the Cai Vieng and Dong Bai ferries also began operating on a new schedule. The last trip from the island to the mainland is at 17h30, and from the mainland to the island is at 18h, half an hour earlier than the previous schedule.

Tam Anh - Le Tan