48 hours of slow living on Cai Chien Island

Cai Chien Island is a natural destination suitable for "slow living" tours, relaxing and enjoying the fresh air.

Cai Chien Island is located in Hai Ha District, about 60 km northeast of Van Don District. The island currently has electricity and Internet but is still quite wild. There are no recreational activities, but Cai Chien is an ideal place to relax amidst the fresh air of the forest and the sea.

Two-day consultation on Cai Chien Island was shared by Ms. Thu Ha, Hanoi, after the trip on April 30.

Day 1

If you are in Hanoi, to save time, you should leave the afternoon before, stay overnight in Ha Long City or Van Don, and travel about 1-2 hours the next morning to Ghenh Vo port to buy tickets to the island.

Move to the island

If you are traveling in a large group, you should book a private canoe. A round-trip canoe costs VND3 million for about 20 people. If you are traveling in a small group or individually, you can wait for a shared canoe, the cost per person is from VND100,000 to VND200,000 per trip. The canoe ride to the island takes about 15 minutes.

Visitors can also take the ferry, the ticket price is from 30,000 VND per person, however the travel time is long, from 30 to 40 minutes. You can go by motorbike or 4-seater car to the island via the ferry.

On Cai Chien Island, the main means of transportation is electric cars, convenient for large groups or motorbikes and bicycles for small groups.

Rent homestays to stay on the island

48 hours of slow living on Cai Chien Island — **A homestay near the beach.** Photo: Hoan Cai Chien

There are currently no hotels on the island, but mainly homestays and motels built by locals for business purposes. Double room rates range from 700,000 to 1.5 million VND per night.

Some recommended accommodations: Phi Vung Homestay, Hong Ha, Bao Phong Guesthouse, coastal container house area. There is a newly built resort called Dau Rong, which has welcomed guests but has not completed all the items. In addition, visitors can sleep in tents.

Visit Khe Dau Lake

Khe Dau Lake serves as a freshwater storage for the islanders. The lake is large, with clear blue water, surrounded by shady trees. Khe Dau is also a beautiful photo spot if visitors don’t mind the heat. You should come here at dusk to admire the sunset.

Eat and drink

You can bring your own food and cook it yourself or hire the host to cook it for you (with a service charge). You can also order food at the homestay, agreeing on the price in advance, for lunch and dinner.

"The seafood here is fresh because the fishermen catch it every day. You should contact the owner or fishing boats to order," said Ms. Ha.

Seafood mainly includes shrimp, squid, mantis shrimp, and mussels, a typical seafood of Quang Ninh, processed into mussel soup, mussel porridge, mussel eggs, cool and good for health. Sea worm salad dipped in lime juice, rolled with sea mint leaves, dipped in mustard soy sauce is also a must-try dish. "Sandworms are crunchy, sweet, mixed with the aroma of sea mint leaves, the spicy taste of mustard", Ms. Ha said.

In addition, there are bearded chickens, free-range chickens that eat rice, so the meat is firm, sweet, and fragrant.

Squid fishing experience

To join squid fishing, visitors must contact fishermen or tour guides in advance, rent a boat to go out to sea together in the evening. The squid caught should be steamed and eaten on the spot to feel the fresh and sweet taste.

Day 2

Slow living watching the sunrise

Cai Chien Island is still wild so there is no entertainment area, mainly natural beauty. Visitors can wake up early to sit on the beach, take a walk to slow down, watch the sunrise and have breakfast right on the sand.

Cai Chien has many long, smooth sandy beaches, an area of about 500 hectares of primeval forest, and is home to many species of birds and wild animals.

Visit the beaches

The island has two popular beaches, Van Ca and Dau Rong, along with several other small beaches.

Dragon Head is the most beautiful beach on the island, with a long stretch of sand and clear sea, but deeper than other beaches in the area. Around the beach are rows of casuarinas providing shade. There is a changing area, shower area for tourists to swim in the sea, and food and beverage services.

Van Ca beach is pristine, with no services or amenities like Dau Rong. Visitors must prepare their own things if they want to swim here. This is also an ideal check-in location at dawn or dusk.

Note: The best time to visit Cai Chien is summer. Visitors should book rooms and services early to ensure accommodation because there are not many accommodations on the island yet. Some homestays are fully booked on weekends in summer 2025.

According to vnexpress.net

Source: https://baohanam.com.vn/du-lich/48-gio-song-cham-o-dao-cai-chien-160661.html

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