I'm trying to decide whether to go to Halong Bay, probably on a day trip from Hanoi, or to go to Cat Be Island instead - or take two days and see both. I understand the two bays are somewhat different. I'm not interested in spending much time in the Cat Ba National Park. Mostly want to experience the water scenery. I'd welcome any thoughts and suggestions - including possible tours or guides. Cat Ba Island hotel and Halong Bay cruise advice also welcome.

if you want to take 2 days 1 night and visit cat ba, you have to sleep at hotel in cat ba. If you want to sleep on the boat, they don't visit Cat Ba island.
can you tell me budget so that i can recommend you some

Thank you for your reply. Budget is mid-range (moderate to expensive) - comfortable (private bath) but not luxurious. Not interested in sleeping on boat. Interested in water scenery. Is there a significant difference between karsts and scenery in Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay off Cat Ba? Also not interested in adventure sports so is Cat Ba worth the time going there?

Here's an option: http://www.vietnamawesometravel.com/...roduct_id=1073
I hope this is the right site, there are many fake imitators. I heard a while back about an "eco-friendly" Halong Bay tour that used a different departure point from the other junks and incorporated Cat Ba Island. There was a lengthy thread on TA a while back about the company and its practices.

Cat Ba is great!! Spend a full day, grab a map, hire a scooter ($3) and explore the island. Plenty of water scenery and impressive karst formations too be seen.
The problem with many of the 2 night tours is you arrive at Cat Ba at 1700 and depart to Ha Long City at 0730 the following morning spending another 6 hours on a boat and don't get an opp. to explore the island.

Enjoy your trip!!

Thank you for your responses. We are using Tonkin Travel and our itinerary seemingly has us touring Ha Long Bay for 7 hours probably going from Ha Long City to Cat Ba which, from Al_Core's reply is a 6 hour boat trip from Ha Long City docks. (This after a drive starting at 0430 from Hanoi). After being dropped at Cat Ba there will be a car to take us down to the Sunrise Resort. We will have the next day to rent scooters or take a boat trip around Lan Ha Bay which supposedly is enough different from Ha Lang Bay to make it worth while. Thanks again.