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My wife and I are from the USA (Brooklyn, NY) and are very experienced travelers. We came to Cat Ba and Lan Homestay via Ninh Binh, which was about a 5-6 hour total journey by private car, ferry, cab and speedboat. It was well worth it! While we would strongly recommend Ninh Binh (which has been described as "Halong on land"), Cat Ba's bay-view landscapes were utterly breathtaking and other-worldly. We wanted to avoid the over-touristed Halong Bay, and found Cat Ba and Viet Hai (in particular) to be relatively spartan and uncontaminated by too many foreign influences. Cat Ba town is under heavy construction and will likely soon become Halong-like crushed, but get out to Viet Hai and enjoy the untouched roads and jungles surrounding Lan Homestay. Chilly will take good care of you, as he took care of us. We read about his warmth, hospitality and attention to detail in assuring we got to wherever we need to go with little fuss. Lan Homestay's grounds are perfectly landscaped and lush with flowers and plant life. The surrounding area is designed for unforgettable, easy-going bike rides along relatively untrafficked roads. The day long boat ride and kayaking trip is a must; there is no better way to spend your day in this unforgettable bay of spectacular views and serene waters. We went on the nighttime plankton tour, as well. It was not the right time of year to see the plankton (we were there in September), but the karst limestone mountains are a sight to see on the water at night (as well as some of the tiny local fishing boats colorfully lit up on the water). Lan Homestay was altogether the right place to be. The food was okay (we love more spicy food offerings, which were available further down the road beyond Jade Garden in Viet Hai). Our room was good, though we did miss free coffee and water. But all of that pales in relation to the incredible care provided by Chilly, who arranged for all of our very complicated transportation requests from us. There are 3 or 4 "packages" that are pushed on visitors the moment you arrive, but Chilly can help you navigate your plans the way you want them. He's a special guy and this is a special place. We also met a number of fellow travelers on our excursions that made the experience even more memorable. We highly recommend Lan Homestay!

Lan is very out of the way but the journey to and from the homestay is stunning. Lovely, calm environment tucked away deep in Cat Ba. Excellent to visit if you want a peaceful stay in nature.

We had a wonderful stay at Lan Homestay in Viet Hai Village. Everything felt warm, authentic and beautifully organized. We went on a cruise in Lan Ha Bay, explored the area by bicycle, and enjoyed amazing home-cooked meals every day. The food was delicious and prepared with a lot of care. A special thank you to Hai and Chilly, who took care of everything for us — transfers, activities, organization, and anything we needed. They made our stay easy and relaxing from start to finish. Highly recommended for anyone visiting Viet Hai. We would happily come back!

Some good things : - They were helpful to arrange the transfer as it is quite remote. - Nice garden. Not so nice : - Not clear who is who in the staff. - The breakfast is quite light and no options. Overall the dinner atmosphere is nice as you share a big table but the taste doesn't follow. Unfortunately right now the whole village is under renovation so it is not so welcoming. Otherwise it might be nice. The bike ride to the peer is quite spectacular.

Friendly host, extremely fresh and comfortable air, feels like a comfortable rest when coming here!