Climbing in cat Ba, Vietnam tips

Hi guys! I am currently in Vietnam and traveling to Cat Ba island in Ha Long bay for 3-4 days next week. I want to do sport climbing and deep water soloing while I'm there. While it does seem like a good climbing destination, I cannot seem to find the "designated" climbing hostel. Does anyone have any tips on where all of the climbers congregate in Cat Ba to eat, drink, or sleep? Or should I just go to the crag with my harness and shoes and hope for the best?

Easy: Asia Outdoors: asiaoutdoors.com.vn/

They are directly across from the arch along the waterfront in Cat Ba town. Its where all the climbers hang out and they have very friendly and knowledgeable staff willing to help. I think they do have lodging but everything is so close you can stay pretty much anywhere and be at AO in 3 minutes. Great food and drink specials!

We stayed in the hotel right across the street but this is not recommended. You get what you pay for. Check for bed bugs..

Butterfly Valley is amazing! Check it our here in MP

Edit: Bring enough cash with you for your whole stay on the island, as the ATM's are not reliable and are often empty or out of order.. Most places take credit cards, however.

When I was there years ago, Asia outdoors was Slo Pony and I was fortunate to climb with the guides on their days off for free. They took me to some sick overhanging hard walls behind some construction sites and they were stellar climbers and people. I found a partner for Butterfly Valley by walking up and down the street in Cat Ba and asking if anyone else wanted to climb. I got lucky and found great partners for two days that way.I recall Butterfly Valley was damp and full of mossies so I'd make sure you have repellent. I hope things have changed there, since I definitely felt that slo pony was out to exploit both the locals as well as the tourists. Maybe Asia Outdoors is more socially consciously run:)

Andy Novak wrote:Easy: Asia Outdoors: asiaoutdoors.com.vn/ They are directly across from the arch along the waterfront in Cat Ba town. Its where all the climbers hang out and they have very friendly and knowledgeable staff willing to help. I think they do have lodging but everything is so close you can stay pretty much anywhere and be at AO in 3 minutes. Great food and drink specials! We stayed in the hotel right across the street but this is not recommended. You get what you pay for. Check for bed bugs.. Butterfly Valley is amazing! Check it our here in MP Edit: Bring enough cash with you for your whole stay on the island, as the ATM's are not reliable and are often empty or out of order.. Most places take credit cards, however.

+1 The dudes who started that company are friends and phenomenal people

Leslie McG wrote:I hope things have changed there, since I definitely felt that slo pony was out to exploit both the locals as well as the tourists. Maybe Asia Outdoors is more socially consciously run:)

I worked for Slo Pony at that time, and through their transition into Asia Outdoors, and please let me assure you we were not "out to exploit" tourists or locals. To the contrary, we supported building projects and invested heavily in Lihn Mihn (Butterfly Valley), were indispensable to island biologists in accessing cliff-dwellings of the critically endangered Cat Ba Langur, paid many "fees" to many interested parties, employed and still employ many Vietnamese staff, have Vietnamese partners and stakeholders, and are now owned by Buffalo Tours, a Vietnamese tourism powerhouse. As for exploiting tourists we took people on adventures they'd never forget for entire days of climbing, fun, kayaking and lunch for less than two movie tickets and popcorn.

Asia Outdoors is running strong, supporting Cat Ba Island, expanding its reach and adventure offerings and helping experienced climbers find Linh Minh and the countless DWS islands in the bay.

Leslie McG wrote:They took me to some sick overhanging hard walls behind some construction sites and they were stellar climbers and people.... since I definitely felt that slo pony was out to exploit both the locals as well as the tourists.

That's a bit two faced, no? "Stellar climbers and people" yet you think E and Slo were there to exploit people? How were they unethically or unjustly taking advantage of others for one's own ends?

And they climbed with you for free on their day off on the routes they paid to equip? I think you couldn't be much further from the truth about these two...