Cat Ba island - A pearl of northern Vietnam

Cat Ba Island is the largest of the 367 islands spanning 260 km2 that comprise the Cat Ba Archipelago, which makes up the southeastern edge of Lan Ha Bay in northern Vietnam (Photo: VNA)

Rugged, craggy and jungle-clad Cat Ba has experienced a tourism surge in recent years (Photo: VNA)

Most of the coastline consists of rocky cliffs, but there are some sandy beaches and tiny fishing villages hidden away in small coves (Photo: VNA)

Cat Ba Island has become the adventure-tourism capital of Vietnam (Photo: VNA)

In 2004, Cat Ba Archipelago was declared UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve Area in order to protect the multiple terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems as well the diverse plant and animal life that is found on the Island (Photo: VNA)

Cat Ba Island is one of the only populated islands in greater Ha Long Bay, with roughly 13,000 inhabitants living in six different communes and 4,000 more inhabitants living on floating fishing villages off the coast (Photo: VNA)

(Photo: VNA)