Magical Sunset and Evening with glowing plankton by Cat Ba Local
Overview
Available languages
4 hours
Mobile ticket
The sunset and bioluminescent plankton experience is one of the true must-do highlights, unique to Cat Ba. With over four years of experience and as one of the first operators to introduce this special activity, we are confident in delivering an unforgettable and truly magical experience for every guest.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Specialized infant seats are available
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
16:30: Pick you up at hotel to Radio tower for a panoramic sunset viewpoint. 18:00 - 18:30: Arrive at the floating house. Relax here Dinner will be served with a lot of traditional Vietnamese dishes. You will have dinner with the fisherman and experience the taste of culture. After dinner, you rest for a while, then follow the guide to kayak at night, experiencing one of the most magical beauty of nature. The guide will take you to spots where have a thick density of plankton On the kayak, every time you paddle, you will see it sparkle along, lighting up the magical blue light. It will probably be the most magical moment you’ve seen in your life. 20:30 - 20:45: Back to the floating house, get on the boat to get back to Beo Harbour 21:00 - 21:15: Arrive by the harbour, get in a car to get back to the hotel. Finish the tour
What‘s Included
Experienced English speaking guide
All Fees and Taxes
Traditional Vietnamese dinner on boat
Pick up from your hotel in the town center
Kayak, Dry-bag, Head lamp
Personal expense, Tip
Options
Magical Sunset and Evening with glowing plankton by Cat Ba Local
Reviews
133 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Magical and fun
missa562,Apr 15, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My husband and I had a fantastic tour with Ryan as our guide. What a great guy and he speaks perfect English. We had a pleasant group. The plankton was very beautiful, magical feeling, very special. After the kayak we had an extensive dinner at a very nice place. For us everything was vegan, if you indicate in advance what you want to eat they take care of everything to perfection.
The tour was great! Lam...
Linda K,Apr 13, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00The tour was great! Lam showed us viewpoints and a hidden beach and was always motivating and full of knowledge. After dinner we went to plankton, which was just magical! A great experience with the whole group.
The guide was not professional which soured the tour experience
Deepika S,Apr 4, 2026
- Review from Viator
3.00The guide was not responsible and didn't care for the safety of the group. He took us to a hiidden beach while coming down from the radio tower..That hike was not for everyone and he didn't give clear indication what we are getting into. In the Plankton tour as well, he didn't give clear instructions. I had done kayaking before bot not in the dark. He didn't keep the group together. I almost went with another group as I couldn't understand where i was going in the dark. The vegan food option was just ok. The good things were the good views at the top of radio tower and we did see some planktons which was amazing
A once-in-a-lifetime experience I will never forget
Cat B,Mar 24, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Honestly, this was one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had while traveling. We started by hiking up to Radio Peak in the town center and stayed there until around 5:45 PM to watch the sunset. We were so lucky that day—the sunset was absolutely beautiful. From the top, you can see the sun slowly going down over the bay, with the fishing village behind it. It felt super peaceful and just incredibly scenic. Later, we had dinner at a floating house in the fishing village. What I really appreciated was that they contacted me in advance to ask about my diet. As a vegetarian, that made things so easy and stress-free. The food was great and everything was well prepared. After dinner, we went out to the middle of Lan Ha Bay for bioluminescent kayaking—and this was definitely the highlight for me. Even on the boat, we could already see the water glowing a little bit. But once we got into the kayak, it was just… wow. Every time we moved the paddle or touched the water, it lit up like magic—seriously like something out of Life of Pi. I couldn’t stop smiling the whole time. Our guide spoke really good English and explained that we were actually quite lucky, because the water doesn’t always glow that brightly. That made the experience feel even more special. And kayaking in the dark, under a sky full of stars, was just unreal. If you’re coming to Cat Ba, especially around March or April, I 100% recommend trying this with Cat Ba Local. It’s something you really shouldn’t miss.
Bioluminescent kayaking
Svetlana S,Mar 14, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Our tour guide Ryan gave this excursion the hype it deserved. He showed as much enthusiasm as someone doing it the first time. He knew exactly where to go to see the Cat Ba Langar, how to position our kayak to see the bioluminescence the best, and to have fun. If you are looking for something to do, this is an experience you’ll never forget.
Unfortunate situation handled beautifully
barryr526,Nov 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our tour was disrupted by the weather conditions that tragically hit the Philippines just the day before. The tour operators immediately offered us a full refund, an exchange or a rescheduling to the following evening. We chose to go the following night but unfortunately again, the government didn’t allow tour boats after 18:30 or late night kayaking, but didn’t inform the tour operators until after our departure. This meant that we couldn’t continue with the kayaking as planned or see the plankton, but the operator still took us on a tour of the majestic Lan Ha bay and the floating village, AND refunded us for the whole thing. Completely out of their hands, but they handled it beautifully. Such is the gamble when touring the natural world. Communication with Cat Ba Local was quick and easy, transport from our hotel was seamless and they really tried their best to make sure we got the most out of our tour. Can’t fault Cat Ba Local one bit for unfortunately weather - just one more reason for us to come back to the wonderful Cat Ba!!
We enjoyed the tour very much. We recommend it highly. The tour guide was nice, kind and clear. The food was tasty!
Irit C,Oct 15, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00It was well organised and a wonderful experience. Although it rained ithe end, it was great. Thank you
Magical glowing plankton tour
Rebeccabee94,Oct 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I loved the tour, we went on a bigger boat and swam and saw the sunset over the islands, and then kayaked with the glowing plankton. It was pretty magical, the moon wasn’t up so we were lucky to have a really good view of them- you love your hand or paddle and they really sparkle, pretty special! Our tour guide was so kind and friendly, we had a great time with him. Highly recommend!
Beautiful sunset, amazing experience.
David G,Sep 21, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Fantastic trip, beautiful views and sunset. Lovely dinner followed by the night kayaking which was amazing. Our guide Ryan was brilliant at every stage, he made booking and payment easy, was knowledgeable and interesting and a lot of fun. An absolute highlight of our trip to Vietnam.
Great tour, great tour guide!
stuartve,Sep 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Had an amazing time on this tour with our three kids (aged 10, 7 and 3). Ryan was the best tour guide we’ve had in Vietnam, he has really good English and was fun and had heaps of interesting stories and local insights. Scenery was beautiful, food was great and plankton were super cool. Highly recommend.
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