Preserving and Sustaining the Values of Cat Ba National Park

The park has made great efforts in conserving rare species, especially the Cat Ba langur

A model for international cooperation

Over the past 40 years, Cat Ba National Park has effectively carried out its mission of protecting and sustainably managing 17,362.96 ha under its care. Its efforts in conservation, value promotion and biodiversity enhancement have yielded impressive results. Today, it is home to over 4,000 species of flora and fauna, including many endemic, rare and endangered species listed in both the Vietnam Red Book and the World Red Book.

In 2004, the Cat Ba Archipelago, with Cat Ba National Park at its heart, was recognized by UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserve which represents a prime example of tropical and subtropical marine-island ecosystems in Asia.

This achievement results from its nearly 20 successfully implemented ministerial, city and grassroots-level projects and topics on conservation and development of animal and plant genetic resources in recent years.

Notably, 14 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have partnered with the park to invest in capacity-building for sustainable natural resource management in the island district. Some key collaborative projects include the Cat Ba Langur Conservation Project, funded by Münster Zoo and Leipzig Zoo (Germany); the Biodiversity Conservation Project at Cat Ba National Park, supported by Fauna & Flora International (FFI); the Integrated Development Program for Cat Ba Langur Biodiversity Conservation, funded by the Australian Foundation for the Peoples of Asia and the Pacific (AFAP); the Project “Enhancing resilience of coastal and marine biosphere reserves in Vietnam through strengthening natural resources management and sustaining community livelihoods” by Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) and the Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences of the Stockholm University (Sweden).

From April 2024 to April 2025 alone, Cat Ba National Park welcomed and worked with eight domestic and international delegations for visit, survey, discussion, research and cooperation. Typically, the delegation, led by Dr. Ralpl Schõnfelder, Representative of Leipzig Zoo (Germany) in Vietnam and Director of the Endangered Primate Rescue Center at Cuc Phuong National Park, visited to discuss the appraisal and approval process of the Cat Ba Langur Conservation Project Document for the 2024-2028 period and to examine ongoing project activities in the Cat Ba Langur Sanctuary. Another delegation, led by Ms. Nikola Sichlerova, First Secretary and Commercial Counselor of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Hanoi, came to visit, survey and discuss cooperation to build and seek potential funding sources for biodiversity conservation research and ecotourism development projects at Cat Ba National Park.

The park also studied and introduced specific investment policies and mechanisms to support biodiversity conservation. It regularly conducts training sessions and workshops to enhance management capacity, increases investment budget, and supports essential equipment and machinery for biodiversity management.

Cat Ba National Park is located in the Cat Ba Archipelago, part of the "Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago" World Natural Heritage Site

Protecting and promoting heritage values

In September 2023, the Cat Ba Archipelago (Hai Phong City), together with Ha Long Bay (Quang Ninh), was officially recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage site. Often described as a geological museum, this site holds globally significant natural and cultural heritages. Lan Ha Bay in the Cat Ba Archipelago, known for its pristine beauty with over 100 golden beaches and multi-color coral reefs, has been a member of the World’s Most Beautiful Bays Club since 2020.

Hai Phong City set up the Steering Committee for the Management of the Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago World Natural Heritage Site. One of its key priorities is preserving the ecosystems within Cat Ba National Park to uphold the values recognized by UNESCO. In addition, the city adopted many important solutions to raise public awareness about the site and promote regional tourism towards regional cooperation.

Hai Phong City is quickly developing a green transition plan. As an essential link in the tourism chain, Cat Ba Island is expected to become a green tourism island, offering quality travel services. Specially, the recognition of the Cat Ba Archipelago and Ha Long Bay as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site adds further responsibility in building the Cat Ba tourism brand, aiming to turn Cat Ba into a “green destination with fresh experiences.”

Hai Phong is also introducing many solutions to transform Cat Ba into a national leader in green tourism, with a careful balance between conservation and development. Development planning for the island is being designed and managed with a strong commitment to sustainability, with green principles at its core. Infrastructure projects are being scaled up and modernized to integrate renewable energy technologies.

At the same time, the city is developing a comprehensive ecosystem of green tourism products. The focus is on building a high-end tourism chain, including luxury resorts, medical tourism, golf tourism and marine ecotourism combined with environmental education and conservation activities. The city is also promoting its image as a "green destination" via modern communication channels and big events. Smart technologies are being applied to manage and protect the heritage site and support digital tourism development.

Currently, Cat Hai district is carrying out the Central Cat Ba Bay Tourism and Commercial Service Area project, aiming to transform Cat Ba into Vietnam’s first zero-carbon island destination. In addition, Sun Group is constructing a new Phu Long-Cat Ba cable car line, forming a direct cable car system connecting Cat Hai Island to downtown Cat Ba. When it goes into operation, the system will enable faster, more eco-friendly travel from central Hai Phong to Cat Ba Island, significantly reducing emissions.