13 special zones of Vietnam: Cat Hai special zone world biosphere reserve

Cat Hai Special Zone is also a locality that develops many types of services - tourism, attracting many tourists in recent years and focusing on developing the special zone's economy in the new situation.

Cat Hai is an administrative special zone located in the east of Hai Phong city, including Cat Hai island and two archipelagos Cat Ba and Long Chau.

Cat Ba archipelago is a cluster of 366 islands, the largest of which is Cat Ba island (also the largest island of the special zone), recognized by UNESCO as a world biosphere reserve in 2004.

Long Chau archipelago consists of 22 small limestone islands located about 15 km southeast of Cat Ba town (old). The largest island is Long Chau, 1 km² wide, on the island there is a lighthouse built by the French in 1895.

After the administrative unit arrangement in 2025, the whole country will have 13 special economic zones, officially operating from July 1, 2025, including: Co To, Van Don (Quang Ninh); Cat Hai, Bach Long Vi (Hai Phong City); Con Co (Quang Tri); Ly Son (Quang Ngai); Hoang Sa (Da Nang City); Truong Sa (Khanh Hoa); Phu Quy (Lam Dong); Con Dao (Ho Chi Minh City); Phu Quoc, Kien Hai, Tho Chu (An Giang).

Cat Co 1 and 2 beaches on Cat Ba island

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

Cat Hai Special Economic Zone: From "fish sauce" to tourist center

Before 2000, the Cat Hai - Cat Ba area was only known through the brand name "Cat Hai fish sauce". At that time, if traveling or relaxing, people from the North would go to Bai Chay (Quang Ninh), Do Son (Hai Phong) or further away to Sam Son (Thanh Hoa), Cua Lo (Nghe An)...

Quang Hai fish sauce factory on Cat Ba Bay, 2004

PHOTO: LUU QUANG PHO

The first tourists to Cat Hai were not domestic but foreign. According to the statistics of Cat Ba Border Guard Station, in the period of 1994 - 1996, there were about 5,000 foreigners coming to visit, vacation, survey, explore the market... In 1997, there were 997 foreign groups (5,492 people) from 40 countries, coming to Cat Ba National Park, Lan Ha Bay...

Foreign tourists visiting Cat Ba Bay, 2006

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

In particular, on December 2, 2004, the Cat Ba Archipelago World Biosphere Reserve was recognized by UNESCO, attracting special attention from international tourists. At the end of December 2009, Hai Phong City held a ceremony to welcome the 1 millionth visitor (Australian nationality) to Cat Ba, Cat Hai.

Cat Ba town center (Cat Hai district) seen from Ngoc mountain, 1999

PHOTO: LUU QUANG PHO

In early September 2017, when the Tan Vu - Lach Huyen bridge and road project officially came into operation, ending the operation of Dinh Vu ferry, the number of domestic tourists increased dramatically.

Currently, this route still has Ben Got ferry terminal, but tourists have many routes to Cat Ba, Cat Hai such as taking the speedboat from Ben Binh, Tuan Chau ferry from Ha Long to Cat Ba...

Long Chau archipelago belongs to Cat Hai special zone

PHOTO: NGUYEN DOC LAP

According to Hai Phong City's data, in the first 6 months of 2025, the total production value of Cat Hai's economic sectors is estimated at 6,574 billion VND; the total number of tourists is more than 2 million (more than 705,000 international visitors); total revenue from accommodation and catering services is more than 2,244 billion VND...

Cages for seafood farming of Cat Ba people

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

The reason why the number of visitors (especially international visitors) coming to Cat Hai is so large is due to the positive effects of the title of World Natural Heritage of Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba archipelago and the significant improvement of local tourism infrastructure.

As of early 2025, Cat Hai has 313 tourist accommodation establishments (6,566 rooms/11,906 beds), of which 2 establishments meet 5-star standards.

The modern cruise system operating on the bays of Cat Ba archipelago is gradually meeting the needs of high-income tourists (especially international tourists), with 139 vehicles carrying tourists for sightseeing and overnight stay on the bay (73 sightseeing ships and 66 tourist accommodation ships, equivalent to 1,216 rooms).

Lan Ha Bay belongs to Cat Hai special zone

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

In addition, the system of food service establishments and restaurants has also been invested in and upgraded in scale and quality, with 77 food service establishments, meeting the needs of tourists when coming to Cat Ba...

Flamingo Cat Ba Beach Resort in Cat Hai special zone

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

Marine economic focus

Over the past 5 years, Cat Hai has truly become the key economic marine area of Hai Phong City. The event of Cat Ba archipelago and Ha Long Bay being recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage has attracted large investment projects in tourism, typically the Cat Ba central bay tourism - service project of Sun Group Corporation (total investment of more than 12,500 billion VND).

Morning sun on Cat Hai beach

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

In the Cat Hai special economic zone, works and projects serving the development of high-tech industry have been exploited and are continuing to invest in expanding their scale such as: Hai Phong international gateway port project, VinFast automobile manufacturing complex project, Xuan Cau industrial park and duty-free zone project...

In particular, with the advantage of having Lach Huyen deep-water seaport - the only international gateway port in the North, Cat Hai special zone will become a logistics seaport service center, a modern industrial park. Cat Ba Island will become a national tourist area, an international marine eco-tourism center...

Beautiful scenery on Cat Ba Bay, Cat Hai special zone

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

Some pictures of Cat Hai special economic zone, past and present

Road across Cat Ba Island, 1992

PHOTO: LUU QUANG PHO

Minsk drivers working as motorbike taxi drivers in Cat Hai island district, 1993

PHOTO: LUU QUANG PHO

Cat Ba Fishing Village Festival, April 2003

PHOTO: LUU QUANG PHO

Foreign tourists explore Cat Ba National Park, 2005

PHOTO: LUU QUANG PHO

Teachers and students of Viet Hai Primary School, a remote commune of Cat Hai district, 2008

PHOTO: LUU QUANG PHO

Waiting for the ferry from Dinh Vu to Cat Hai, 2006

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

Road 1.4 is the main traffic axis of Cat Ba town, 2006

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

Cat Ba Bay, 2006

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

Cat Co 1 Beach, 2006

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

Tourists from Ha Long to Cat Ba transfer by wooden boat, 2006

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

A corner of Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve, in Cat Hai special zone

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

Fishing village on Lan Ha Bay, Cat Hai

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

A corner of Cat Ba Bay, seen from above

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

Mountains and sea are the main highlights for tourism activities in Cat Hai special zone.

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

Life on Cat Ba Bay

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

Kayaking on Lan Ha Bay, Cat Hai

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

Panoramic view of Long Chau archipelago in Cat Hai special zone

PHOTO: NGUYEN DOC LAP

High-speed canoes of Cat Ba Border Guard Station (Hai Phong City Border Guard) patrol and control the waters of Cat Hai special economic zone.

PHOTO: NGUYEN DOC LAP

According to Dong Khanh Geography , Cat Hai under the Nguyen Dynasty was the two communes of Don Luong and Ha Lien, Nghieu Phong district, Quang Yen province.

In 1955, Cat Hai district and Cat Ba town belonged to Hong Quang area. In 1956, Cat Hai district and Cat Ba town merged into Hai Phong city.

On July 22, 1957, the Prime Minister issued Decree No. 318-TTg on the establishment of Cat Ba district on the basis of merging Cat Ba town and 5 communes (Tran Chau, Xuan Dam, Hien Hao, Gia Luan, Viet Hai) of Cat Hai district. Cat Ba town was changed to Cat Ba town of Cat Ba district.

On March 11, 1977, the Government issued Decision No. 57-CP, merging Cat Ba district into Cat Hai district. Cat Hai district includes Cat Ba town and 13 communes (Cao Minh, Dong Bai, Gia Loc, Gia Luan, Hien Hao, Hoa Quang, Hoang Chau, Nghia Lo, Phu Long, Tran Chau, Van Phong, Viet Hai, Xuan Dam).

In 1988, Cat Hai district had 2 towns and 10 communes.

On June 16, 2025, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man signed and issued Resolution No. 1669/NQ-UBTVQH15 of the National Assembly Standing Committee on the arrangement of commune-level administrative units of Hai Phong City in 2025, stating: "Arrange the entire natural area and population size of Cat Hai town, Cat Ba town and the communes of Dong Bai, Hoang Chau, Nghia Lo, Van Phong, Gia Luan, Hien Hao, Phu Long, Tran Chau, Viet Hai, Xuan Dam into Cat Hai special zone".

Cat Hai Special Zone was established on the basis of the original status of Cat Hai district (10 communes, 2 towns), with an area of nearly 287 km2 ^and a population of more than 71,000 people.

Recently, the Cat Hai district headquarters has been repaired and renovated to become the Cat Hai Special Zone Public Administration Service Center. On June 20, the locality organized a trial operation of the Cat Hai Special Zone Public Administration Service Center. The test results basically met the requirements, meeting the work processing needs of people and businesses.