Lan Ha Bay Fishing Villages: A Guide To The "Soul Of The Archipelago"

The fishing villages of Lan Ha Bay have transformed into the “Soul of the Archipelago.” While Ha Long’s famous Cua Van village shifted toward a museum model, Lan Ha’s communities – led by Cai Beo and Tra Bau – remain vibrant, living hubs of aquaculture and ancient seafaring tradition. At Vietnamstory, we recommend these villages for Indian travelers seeking an authentic “no-road” lifestyle, where the rhythm of the day is set by the tides and the morning catch.

The fishing villages on Lan Ha Bay are charming floating communities, notably Cai Beo (the oldest fishing village) and Tra Bau, offering an authentic glimpse into the lives of fishermen amidst a majestic limestone landscape.

The ancient “grand capital”: A visit to the 7000-year-old Cai Beo Village

Cai Beo is so much more than just a simple village, it is a designated National Historical Relic and is officially recognized as the oldest known coastal settlement in all of Vietnam. A visit here is a journey back in time. This is the historic and cultural heart of the bay. Let’s explore its incredible heritage.

The site was first discovered in 1938, and incredible archaeological excavations here have unearthed over 1,400 ancient artifacts, including stone tools, beautiful pottery, and animal bones. This is the proof that ancient humans lived here in the Late Paleolithic era, over 7,000 years ago, predating even the famous Ha Long Culture.

Today, over 500 households still live in this incredible, sophisticated network of beautiful wooden rafts and charming houses-on-stilts. In 2026, the village truly functions like a real city on the water, with its own floating schools, “water taxis” (small motorboats), and distinct neighborhood blocks, all nestled peacefully between the majestic, towering limestone peaks.

Cai Beo has become a true pioneer in environmental protection. In a wonderful and important new initiative, 87.8% of the traditional, polluting plastic foam buoys that were used to float the houses have now been replaced with new, sustainable, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) materials. These new buoys are UV-resistant and, most importantly, they prevent microplastic pollution in our beautiful bay.

The best way to see the village is to rent a traditional bamboo boat, which is skillfully rowed by one of the local women. This is a silent and peaceful, 40-minute tour. In 2026, many of the wonderful rowers will now treat you to a beautiful and impromptu performance of Ho Khoan (traditional folk songs) as you glide through the “floating streets.”

The hub of adventure: The exciting Tra Bau Village

Located in a more secluded and beautiful corner of Lan Ha Bay, Tra Bau is the preferred and much-loved stop for the best luxury cruises and for active travelers who want to “role-play” as a local for a day. This is where you can get hands-on and experience the life of a fisherman.

The dramatic and breathtaking karst formations that surround Tra Bau served as a primary filming location for the famous Hollywood movie, Kong: Skull Island. In 2026, a fun new “Pirate Club” experience has been created, which allows visitors to dress up in fun costumes for some themed photography against these incredible and prehistoric-looking landscapes.

Located near Cat Ba Island, Tra Bau village is famous for its pristine, tranquil beauty and clear blue waters, ideal for kayaking through the limestone cliffs.

Hands-on aquaculture experiences:

Clam and snail harvesting: You can learn to “dig” for delicious clams in the shallow lagoons. In 2026, these local farms are now strictly regulated to ensure they are producing high-quality, organic yields.
Squid jigging at night: For our guests on an overnight cruise, you can join a local fisherman after 7:00 PM to try your hand at squid jigging. The high-standard cruises will now provide you with professional, Japanese-style artificial baits (called Squid Jigs) to give you a more successful and fun catch.

The waters here are exceptionally calm and protected, making it a paradise for kayaking. Vietnamstory highly recommends you follow the beautiful, 3.2km “Mangrove Route,” where you can see over 45 different species of birds that nest in the cliffs above the village.

READ MORE: Tra Bau, Lan Ha Bay: A Guide to the “Precious Tea” Lagoon

Vietnamstory’s tailored tips for Indian travelers

At Vietnamstory, we are experts at making sure your visit to these authentic villages is perfectly comfortable and enjoyable. Here is how we tailor the experience for you.

Delicious and fresh seafood feast

Many of the village “raft houses” have now opened small, family-run restaurants that serve the freshest, cooked-to-order lunches. For a very reasonable price of around 200,000 VND (approximately ₹680), you can enjoy a magnificent meal of specialty grouper, snapper, or mussels that were literally caught that very morning.

The vegetarian reality

While fresh seafood is the star of the show in the floating villages, we know that many of our guests are vegetarian. For you, we will often combine the trip with a stop at the nearby Viet Hai Village (which is reachable from the bay). This village offers excellent and delicious farm-to-table vegetarian options, using fresh, jungle-grown vegetables, delicious local tofu, and fragrant mountain herbs.

Logistics

From Cat Ba town: You will take a short, 5-minute electric taxi ride to the Bến Bèo Pier.
A private boat: You can hire a traditional wooden boat for a wonderful 2-hour circuit of the villages for around 200,000 – 400,000 VND.

An insight for families with kids

These villages are very safe and fascinating for children. Seeing the little “water taxis” taking the local children to their floating school provides a powerful and wonderful educational contrast to city life back in India.

A quick comparison: Cai Beo Village and Tra Bau Village

To help you choose the village that best suits your travel style, here is a simple comparison.

Cai Beo floating village is one of the oldest fishing villages in Vietnam, with a history dating back to prehistoric times (approximately 7,000 years ago), where visitors can explore archaeological culture and traditional aquaculture life.

Feature	Cai Beo Fishing Village	Tra Bau Floating Village
The primary appeal	It is all about History, Culture, and the incredible Scale of the village.	It is all about Adventure, Movies, and Kayaking.
The vibe	It is a bustling, ancient village that looks like a beautiful “Watercolor” painting.	It is quiet and cinematic, like a “Secret” lagoon.
The top activity	Taking a guided bamboo boat tour and learning about the archaeology.	Clam digging and taking fun “Pirate Club” photos.
The history	An incredible 7,000+ years of archaeological history.	It is a modern, traditional village that is now famous as a Kong film site.
The crowds	Low to Moderate. It is the gateway to the bay.	Very Low. The experience is much more intimate.

For our cherished Indian travelers who are seeking that perfect blend of luxurious comfort and authentic, off-the-beaten-path adventure, we cannot recommend our “Lan Ha Bay Route 2D1N Cruise Trip” highly enough. This is the journey we have specially designed to take you away from the crowds of the main Ha Long Bay and into the serene, pristine, and emerald-green waters of Lan Ha Bay. On this tour, you will stay in a beautiful 5-star luxury cabin with a private balcony, enjoy delicious meals (with full support for your vegetarian, Jain, or Halal needs), and participate in incredible activities like kayaking through the magnificent Dark & Bright Cave and exploring the beautiful, hidden Ba Trai Dao beach. We handle everything, from your comfortable limousine van transfer from Hanoi to all your activities, so you can simply relax and immerse yourself in the quiet, untouched beauty of this magnificent UNESCO World Heritage site.

Conclusion

What makes a visit to the fishing villages of Lan Ha Bay so impactful is the living contrast it provides. It is the contrast between our bustling, modern lives on land and the simple, tide-driven rhythm of life on the water. It is seeing children commute to school by “water taxi,” watching families tend to their floating fish farms, and understanding a world without roads or traffic. For families, and especially for children, this is not just a beautiful sight; it is a powerful and unforgettable educational experience about different ways of life, resilience, and sustainability.

Your travel story deserves to be a rich and meaningful one. Allow Vietnamstory to be your guide. We specialize in crafting seamless Tour Packages from India that offer a respectful and insightful look into these unique and cherished cultures. Reach out to us, and let’s start writing your unforgettable and poignant Lan Ha Bay story together.