Cat Ba island motorbike tour

I had one last fully day on Cat Ba before I had to go to Hanoi to get my flight home. I was thinking of doing a jungle trek but with no one to join me, it was going to cost $25. I decided to have an easy last day and hired a motorbike for myself for just $3. After leaving Cat Ba town, the roads were in good shape and empty. I stopped at Hospital cave, 10km from town. This cave was used as a secret and bomb proof hospital during the war. The entrance was sealed with concrete with a small door in it. This opened into a long concrete corridor lined with 17 empty concrete rooms. It was a interesting place built between 1963 and 1965 and in use until 1975.

Further down the road was Cat Ba National park. I stopped here to do a small hike to the top of a small peak with a lookout tower on it. There were great views of the rugged and jungle clad island from the top. Even though it wasn't sunny or super hot, it was really humid and I was drenched in sweat climbing up to the tower.

From the park I took the main road of the island all the way to the other side. There was a pier here and I expected a small village but there was nothing, just one small shop. I followed the main road back to the national park and then took a right turn for a different way back to town. The road followed the coast most of the way and had some striking scenery. I had spent all day out cruising the island on my scooter and relaxed for a while when I got back. I met a group of Vietnamese students on a school trip and chatted with them for the evening. They were very keen to speak to me and practice their english. It was a fun day and night and a good ending to my trip before I had to go back to busy and hectic Hanoi.