Cat Ba is an island of approximately 140 sq. km in Halong Bay, Northern Vietnam. Ha Long Bay (Vịnh Hạ Long is a UNESCO World Heritage site located in Quảng Ninh province, Vietnam. Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially It is commonly used as an overnight hotel stop on inexpensive package tours to Halong Bay run by travel agents from Hanoi. Ha Long Bay (Vịnh Hạ Long is a UNESCO World Heritage site located in Quảng Ninh province, Vietnam. Hanoi ( Vietnamese: Hà Nội Hán Tự: 河[[wikt 内|内]], estimated population 3398889 (2007, is the Capital of Vietnam

Cat Ba is the largest island in the Bay and approximately half of its area is covered by a National Park, which is home to the highly endangered Cat Ba langur. This is a list of National parks in Vietnam: This golden-headed langur is rarely seen, as fewer than 100 specimens are thought to survive in the wild, although it is the subject of a well-organised conservation programme. Colobinae is a subfamily of the Old World monkey family that includes 58 Species in 10 genera, including the Skunk -like Black-and-white The Park covers both land and marine areas and has a high biodiversity, although it is at risk from too rapid an increase in tourism. Biodiversity is the variation of Life forms within a given Ecosystem, Biome or for the entire Earth. Other mammals in the Park include civet cats and oriental giant squirrels. Civets are small lithe-bodied mostly arboreal Mammals native to the tropics of Africa and Asia Oriental giant squirrels ( Genus Ratufa) form a taxon of Squirrels under the Subfamily Ratufinae.

Cat Ba town, showing the limestone hills behind the waterfront strip

Many tour operators include an option of trekking in the National Park or canoeing on three-day tours; shorter tours generally only stay overnight in the small town of Cat Ba (population about 8,000) or on boats moored in Cai Beo bay, about 2km away from Cat Ba town. Cat Ba itself is attractively situated around a bay teeming with small boats, many of which belong to pearl or shrimp farmers, and can become very busy at weekends and during public holidays. The promenade has illuminations and a large fountain which only plays after dark; it is backed by a strip of cheap hotels and bars, but dominated by the wooded limestone hills behind. Limestone is a Sedimentary rock composed largely of the Mineral Calcite ( Calcium carbonate: CaCO3 The island is a national park of Vietnam and was recognized by UNESCO in December 2004 as a Biosphere reserve of the world.

External links

• Seacology Cat Ba Langur Project Seacology
• Accommodation in Cat Ba Island

See also

• Cat Ba National Park