Cai Chien Island, a Hidden Green Gem in Quang Ninh

Cai Chien is a small island in the former Hai Ha District, Quang Ninh Province, approximately 330km from central Hanoi and 150km from Ha Long. The island's terrain is quite diverse, with sea and hills interspersed across an area of more than 2,500ha. 

The greatest attraction of tourism on Cai Chien Island is perhaps its clear blue seawater, stretches of fine white sand, and peaceful setting filled with the gentle sound of waves and the rustling of casuarina trees. Although hidden amid Quang Ninh, the island still strongly attracts visitors with its rare, simple beauty.

To reach Cai Chien Island, you must first go to Ghenh Vo Port to take a ferry to the island. The port operates 3 ferry trips a day at the following times: 6h00, 10h00, and 16h30. A ticket to Cai Chien Island costs approximately 20,000đ/person per trip, or 50,000đ/person if you bring a motorbike. 

Previously, if departing from Hanoi, you could take a coach to Mong Cai for about 200,000đ–230,000đ/one way, then take a vehicle from Mong Cai to Cat Vo Ghenh. If traveling from Ho Chi Minh City, buy a flight ticket to Quang Ninh for between 650,000đ and 1,100,000đ, then hire a vehicle to Ghenh Vo to catch the boat. 

A wonderful beach with long stretches of white sand and rows of casuarina trees. This prominent beach on Cai Chien Island always attracts large numbers of visitors. Above the beach is a coastal road more than 1km long, together with a cool green casuarina forest, creating a refreshing space on hot summer days. 

The beach is about 3km from Cai Chien 2 Beach. It is considered relatively pristine and little-known, so it does not offer many convenient services. Visitors wishing to come here need to rent their own vehicle. 

Cai Chien Beach is the main beach on the island and is chosen by many visitors. Its biggest advantage is probably its full range of convenient services, including guesthouses, homestays, eateries, and bathing services. 

This is the largest freshwater reservoir on Cai Chien Island, covering approximately 18ha. When visiting, you can admire the blue sky reflected on the crystal-clear water. The pristine mountains and forests create a peaceful, deeply relaxing landscape. 

The island is about 3km by sea from Cai Chien Island and is another island belonging to Cai Chien Commune. Its greatest advantage is perhaps its fine white sand stretching endlessly into the distance. To this day, the island remains distinctly pristine, with almost no recreational tourism services. To visit, you need to hire a boat from local people on Cai Chien Island to take you there. 

From Thoi Xanh Island, you can admire many other lovely islands, such as Co To, Nui Sau in Van Don, and Vinh Thuc Island in Mong Cai... Besides its scenic value, the island also plays an important role in safeguarding our country's security. 

In the past, these container houses served as a resort complex, but they are no longer operating. They are currently abandoned and have not been removed, making them suitable as backdrops for taking plenty of social-media photos. 

When visiting Cai Chien Island in Quang Ninh, you also have the chance to squid fish with local residents, or even charter a boat to fish for squid offshore and enjoy a BBQ. In the evening, everyone often lights a campfire, grills meat, and sings and dances by the firelight. 

Cai Chien Island does not have a wide variety of food readily available, so you need to order meals in advance from your guesthouse or homestay so they can prepare them. The island also has many famous specialties, such as Cai Chien bearded chicken, oyster porridge, and stir-fried razor clams with bamboo shoots... 

At present, accommodation services on Cai Chien Island remain relatively undeveloped and pristine. Based on the experience of many visitors, you should consider camping by the sea, or renting a homestay or local home for an overnight stay. Homestays are probably the most popular option, with prices ranging from 80,000đ–100,000đ/day/person. 

Le Xuan Nguyen Homestay – Contact: 0977 399 499

Chu Van Sanh Homestay – Contact: 0379 380 605

Tran Van To Homestay – Contact: 0984 019 624

Phi Vung Homestay – Contact: 0988 387 268

To visit Cai Chien Island, you must travel by boat, so the weather is an extremely important deciding factor. According to travel experience recorded by MIA.vn, the period from April to July each year is the most convenient time to explore the island, with sunny, warm weather, little rain or storms, and favorable conditions for activities and sightseeing. If you plan to visit from July to November, you should carefully monitor the weather forecast to avoid rainstorms. 

Bring swimwear, a swimming float, sunscreen... for your beach trip on Cai Chien Island. 

Necessary personal documents and cash. 

Insect-repellent cream or spray and cold medicine. 

Light snacks to eat after having fun at the beach. 

Day 1: 

Morning: Take a boat to Cai Chien Island and rent an electric vehicle to your guesthouse. 

Noon: Enjoy delicious dishes at a local restaurant. 

Afternoon: Swim at Dau Rong Beach, rest, and relax on the sand. 

Evening: Have dinner at restaurants and food stalls along the beach. 

Day 2: 

Morning: Visit Van Ca Beach, whose clear, cool waters are refreshing on summer days. In particular, visit the unique container-house complex in many different colors. 

Noon: Have lunch at the homestay and rest. 

Afternoon: Swim at Cai Chien and Cai Chien 2 Beaches, or take a tour to explore Thoi Xanh Island (2–3 hours). 

Evening: Go night squid fishing and enjoy a BBQ with local residents. 

Day 3: 

Morning: Stroll along the beach, swim, or rent a vehicle to explore the rose myrtle bushes and coastal casuarina trees... 

Noon: Check out and travel to the port to buy tickets back to the mainland. 

Exploring Cai Chien Island lets you admire a pristine landscape beside gently sloping sand and casuarina forests stretching along both shores. At Dau Rong, floating platforms bobbing on the sea create a unique beauty found nowhere else.