cannon-fort-cat-ba-island-vietnam — **Cannon Fort in Cat Ba Island** is a historic site that offers fantastic views of the island’s surroundings.

ℹ️ Information about fort
🚍 How to get to Cannon Fort
☀️ When to go to Cannon Fort
🏡 Where to stay in Cat Ba
❓ Questions + Travel Tips
📸 Photos of Cannon Fort

Quick answer: Cannon Fort on Cat Ba Island is a historic military fortress perched 177 meters above sea level, offering dramatic views over the island, Lan Ha Bay, and Ha Long Bay. Built in wartime, it features underground tunnels, artillery positions, and bunkers — today, it’s a place to remember history while soaking in stunning panoramas.

At a glance:

📍 Location: Hilltop on Cat Ba Island, northern Vietnam.
🕰️ History: Established in the 1940s by the Japanese, with earlier foundations by the French; used in multiple conflicts.
🔦 Military relics: Includes two large cannons, underground tunnels, trenches, and observation posts.
🌄 Viewpoint: Panoramic outlook over Cat Ba, Lan Ha Bay, and nearby coastline.
🚧 Status: Closed as of 2023 for conservation, but parts of the area can still be seen at your own risk.

Last updated in November 2025

➡️ UPDATE 2023: Unfortunately, Cannon Fort is officially closed now, and the café that used to be here is also not in operation. However, you can still access and explore the area, but please be cautious. There have been negative online reviews mentioning that there’s a guy patrolling around the fort and collecting a fee of approximately 50 000 VND. I recommend checking the Google reviews here. It also describes how to bypass the gate without being extorted for a fee. However, please be aware that you are entering at your own risk.

Cannon Fort — “Artillery Fortress” you will see in the south of Cat Ba Island.

- Cat Ba Island in Quang Ninh Province is an increasingly popular tourist island that is part of Ha Long Bay. Ha Long Bay is one of the most visited places in Vietnam, offering various attractions, boat trips, tourist activities and beautiful natural scenery. The area has also changed a lot, new hotels were build, new attractions have emerged and the number of visitors can be said to be still growing.Cat Ba Island is located about 160 km by land from Hanoi + boat transfer from Hai Phong or Tuan Chau. It is a good place to escape from the hot city for relaxation to the sea, or for using a boat trip or exploring the island and, for example, visiting the Cat Ba National Park.
- The island of Cat Ba (Đảo Cát Bà) offers several interesting places on the island and even a historic place near the town of Cat Ba – the so-called “Artillery Fortress” – Cannon Fort (Pháo Đài Thần Công – Cát Bà) and its vantage points above the city. The capital of the island is located in the south and bears the same name as the island, Cat Ba (Cát Bà). Immediately above the town of Cat Ba, about 2 km from the center and at an altitude of 177 m above sea level is located Cannon Fort and this site is easily accessible from the town center of Cat Ba. It is definitely a place that cannot be missed when visiting and exploring this island.

The history of Cannon Fort in Cat Ba Island dates back to the 1940s.

- Cannon Fort in Cat Ba Island was built by the Japanese during World War II in the 1940s after the island was occupied. Specifically they built tunnels and ditches. However, the foundations were laid here by the French colonialists in about 1938. During the following time until about 1975, the fortress was used in World War II and in the 1st Indochina War and in the 2nd Indochina War (Vietnam War), mainly as a defensive fortress.
- It was an ideal strategic location with good control of Ha Long Bay and the coast of northern Vietnam. Cannon Fort was used mainly to control the sea area and also as air protection and used by the Japanese, French and Viet Cong. The Viet Cong (National Liberation Front of South Vietnam) gradually modified the fortress according to its image. The fort is also called “Point 177” (High Point 177), the number indicates the altitude of the fort.

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- Cannon Fort had 2 artillery cannons, stone ditches, underground tunnels and there was also a landing area for helicopters, an underground ammunition depot, observatories and other military rooms. Preserved cannons – Cannon No. 1 and Cannon No. 2, were made by the French in about 1910 and have a range of about 40 km. They were placed on the fort during French colonization after the occupation of Cat Ba Island.
- Cannon No. 1 controlled the port near the city of Hai Phong, Cannon No. 2. had another 3 control sections by the sea. In addition to various preserved sites, war artifacts, objects, or photographs, Cannon Fort also offers beautiful views of various parts of Cat Ba Island and a pleasant smaller restaurant on site. The fortress was also restored over time and some roads were completed or modified for tourists.

▶ Cannon No. 1 and 2 – probably the most interesting monuments at Cannon Fort.
▶ U-Tunnel – leads to the management zone of the entire fortress.
▶ Military Airport – airport used for a transport helicopter.
▶ Showroom of historical objects – old objects, weapons, map of the object…

showroom-cannon-fort-cat-ba-vietnam — Showroom, or mini museum at Cannon Fort in Cat Ba, there are some preserved objects, weapons, munition and other artifacts.

How to get and travel to Cannon Fort in Cat Ba?

- Cannon Fort is in the south of Cat Ba Island, so you have to go to the town of the same name as the island, which is 2 km from the fort. If you travel from Hanoi to Cannon Fort on Cat Ba, you can take advantage of various bus + boat transfers from various companies. The journey by bus + boat from Hanoi to Cat Ba takes about 3.5-5 hours (depending on the company and bus type). Cat Ba Island has no airport and no railway. The more experienced travelers can also come by motorbike via Tuan Chau, from Tuan Chau it is possible to take a motorbike on boat and bring it to Cat Ba Island. Buy tickets from Hanoi to Cat Ba Island online. From Cat Ba town to Cannon Fort, you can walk, travel on motorbike or take a private taxi.
- From Hanoi to Cannon Fort – bus / minivan + boats via Hai Phong or Tuan Chau (Ha Long).
- From Ha Long to Cannon Fort – by boat from Tuan Chau to the northern part of Cat Ba Island + bus to the city.
- From Hai Phong to Cannon Fort – by boat / ferry to the town of Cat Ba in the south of the island.
- From Cat Ba town to Cannon Fort – you can walk, travel on motorbike or take a private taxi/car.

Bus Tickets from Hanoi to Cat Ba ➜

What is the best time to visit Cannon Fort in Cat Ba?

- The best time to visit Cannon Fort on Cat Ba Island is spring, summer or early autumn. You definitely want to enjoy swimming in the sea, for example, so you have to come here in the warmer season. However, it must be taken into account that in the summer months there may be more precipitation and temperatures may be very high. A suitable time to visit could be, for example, in the months of September – October, when it can still be pleasantly warm and a little less precipitation. However, you can come to Cat Ba all year round, in winter some services may be more limited and the water in the sea may not be suitable for swimming. Read carefully this article: Weather in Cat Ba.

▶ A good time to visit Cannon Fort in Cat Ba – fall or spring.
▶ The opening hours of Cannon Fort are from 6.30 am to 6 pm.
▶ In winter it is not very convenient to travel on Cat Ba Island.

cannon-fort-cat-ba-viewpoint-vietnam — There are some great views of the nearby smaller islands or beaches at Cat Ba Island on Cannon Fort.

Where to stay near Cannon Fort in Cat Ba Island?

- If you would like to stay close to Cannon Fort, you must choose the town of Cat Ba in the south of the island. The nearest accommodation capacities are a few hundred meters from the top of the fortress. The town of Cat Ba in the south of the island offers a wide range of different hotels, guesthouses and hostels for low-cost but also very demanding tourists. Prices for a standard double room in Cat Ba start at about 10 – 20 USD, some higher quality resorts can cost even more. Some tourist resorts are also located on nearby small islands, such as Monkey Island. In this article is a selection of very well rated accommodation facilities > 15 Best hotels in Cat Ba Island.