A Rustic Vietnam

Two Nights at Rustic House & a Day on the Bay

Two nights at our own guesthouse, a day out on Lan Ha Bay, and a host who plans both. The simplest way to see Cat Ba our way.

Our house 3 days, 2 nights Max 4 guests Stay + tour Cat Ba and Lan Ha Bay

At a glance

Most guests book a room in one place and a boat in another and hope the two connect. Here they connect because they are the same family. You sleep at Rustic House, 70 Tung Dinh, four minutes' walk from Tung Thu beach, with a ground floor cafe and a rooftop restaurant on floors 7 and 8. On the middle day you take our small group Lan Ha day. The two nights and the bay day are planned together, by people who live downstairs.

Duration3 days, 2 nights
GroupMax 4 guests
StyleStay + tour
PickupBay day pickup at Rustic House. Transfers to the island are arranged on request
Activity levelEasy. Optional kayaking on the bay day, stairs at the house
MealsLunch on the bay day. Other meals in the cafe and on the rooftop, paid separately

Highlights

  • Two nights at Rustic House, 70 Tung Dinh, Cat Ba Town
  • Four minutes on foot to Tung Thu beach
  • A full small group day on Lan Ha Bay, with kayaking and lunch on board
  • Ground floor cafe, and a rooftop restaurant on floors 7 and 8
  • Free bicycles and a host who plans your days with you

The route

Rustic HouseTung Thu beachBeo pierLan Ha BayRooftop dinnerRustic House

Why we chose this trip

This is our own house, so we are not reading a description someone else wrote. We know which room has the sea view, which morning is best for the cafe, and which day of your stay gives the boat its best odds. The scores below belong to the guesthouse, not to the tour, and we would rather you read them beside the honest note about stairs than not see them at all.

The day, as it really runs

Day 1 · Afternoon

Check in and settle

Check in from 13:00. Tea in the cafe, a map of your three days drawn by hand, and an afternoon walk to Tung Thu beach.

Day 1 · Evening

Dinner on the rooftop

Hotpot or a seafood grill set on floors 7 and 8, looking over the lake and the karst hills. Optional and paid separately.

Day 2 · Morning

Tea, then the bay

Tea at the house before pickup, then Beo pier and out into Lan Ha Bay with a small group and a licensed guide.

Day 2 · Midday

Kayak, swim and lunch

About 90 minutes of flat water paddling, a swim stop, and lunch cooked on board while you cruise.

Day 2 · Late afternoon

Home to the house

Back at Beo pier and dropped at Rustic House. That evening your host asks how the day really went.

Day 3 · Morning

A slow last morning

Breakfast in the cafe, a free bicycle ride around the island if you like, and check out between 11:00 and 12:00.

Day two follows our Lan Ha small group day, so the timings match that trip. Days one and three are deliberately open. Tell us what you would like to fill them with and we will help.

What's included

Included

  • Two nights at Rustic House, room type confirmed when you book
  • A day on Lan Ha Bay with a licensed English speaking guide
  • Kayaks, life jackets and lunch on board on the bay day
  • Hotel pickup for the bay day and tea before you go
  • Free bicycles and free Wi-Fi
  • A message from your host the evening before the bay day

Not included

  • Breakfast, cafe and rooftop meals, unless your quote says otherwise
  • Drinks
  • Travel insurance
  • Tips for guide and crew, never expected

You get the full list in writing before you pay anything.

Practical details

Pickup
Bay day pickup at Rustic House. Transfers to the island are arranged on request
Activity level
Easy. Optional kayaking on the bay day, stairs at the house
Meals
Lunch on the bay day. Other meals in the cafe and on the rooftop, paid separately
Where you sleep
Rustic House, 70 Tung Dinh, four minutes' walk from Tung Thu beach
Room
Twin, triple or quadruple room. Priced per room, up to 4 guests
Check in and out
Check in from 13:00. Check out 11:00 to 12:00. Reception open 24 hours
Best months
October to April for clear air, May to September for warm water
Who runs it
A licensed local partner we have travelled with. Their name is on your written confirmation

Is this day right for you?

The honest version.

A good fit if

  • You want one place to sleep, eat breakfast and plan the days, without moving your bags.
  • You like a quiet house with wooden rooms more than a large hotel, and you are happy to walk.
  • You want the bay day planned around the house, with tea before pickup and a host who knows your name.

Tell us early if

  • You want a resort. Rustic House is a narrow wooden guesthouse with a cafe, not a hotel with a pool.
  • You need a lift for luggage. The rooms are on upper floors and we help with bags, but tell us early if stairs are a problem.
  • You are travelling in July or August. Storms can close the bay, so we plan your bay day for the middle of your stay and keep a spare day.
  • Tell us your dates first. We confirm this one day by day.
About the scores
Rustic House scores 9.1 on Booking.com, 9.3 on Agoda, 4.9 on Google Maps and 10 on Traveloka. Those are scores for the guesthouse, not for this tour, and the bay day is a separate product. We show them because a stay is a decision people make on real reviews.
The house
Rustic House is a narrow wooden guesthouse with rooms on upper floors, a ground floor cafe and a restaurant and open air balcony on floors 7 and 8. There is no pool. There are free bicycles, free Wi-Fi and a reception that never closes.
Weather
Boats do not sail in unsafe seas, and the captain makes that call. We plan the bay day for the middle of your stay so there is a spare day either side. If the bay is closed we move the trip, or swap it for a land day.

Questions guests ask

Which room will we have?
The house has twin rooms with lake and mountain views, a triple with a sea view, and a quadruple with a large private bathroom. Tell us who is coming and we suggest the room and confirm it in writing.
Is breakfast included?
The cafe serves a daily buffet breakfast, and whether it is inside your price depends on the room and dates. We say so clearly in your quote, so you never find a surprise on the bill.
Can we add a third night?
Yes, and for most guests we would suggest it. Two nights with a bay day is a good first look. A third night gives you a land day for the national park or Viet Hai village.
How do we get to Cat Ba?
We can arrange the transfer from Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Ha Long or the airport, timed to your check in. See our transfer pages, or message us your route and date.
Is the house noisy?
It sits about 300 metres from Tung Thu beach, away from the harbour strip. Guests often mention how quiet it is. In July and August the whole island is busier, and we tell you if a room faces a noisier side.

Check availability

No payment to ask. We reply on WhatsApp, 7am to 11pm daily, usually within minutes.

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