Cát Bà, Hải Phòng · Nature
Butterfly Valley
Picture a valley floor that people liken to a heart when seen from above, pressed between two sheer limestone walls deep in the middle of Cát Bà island.
Photo: Jody McIntyre (Flickr: scjody) · CC BY-SA 2.0
What people come for
Sport climbing. This is the area with the densest concentration of climbing routes on Cát Bà island, on limestone walls covered with tufa and many steep and overhanging routes (Mountain Project, update date not given). Besides climbing, people come to walk through fields and forest at the foot of the cliffs, to see sim flowers bloom in mid-spring and reed flowers in winter. Many species of butterflies can be seen here; the villagers of Liên Minh keep free-range chickens, which go into the forest to forage and sleep in the trees.
Jody McIntyre (Flickr: scjody) · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Getting there and around
About 10 km by road from Cát Bà town. The access road is narrow, steep, with many bends and difficult for cars, so a motorbike or bicycle suits better; at the end of the road you walk a short stretch through fields and forest to the foot of the cliffs. A small access fee is charged; the amount, where it is collected and whether visitors who only walk around must pay could not be verified.
Before you go
The dry northeast monsoon season, from late autumn to spring, is the best time for climbing and walking (Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre, vmrcc.gov.vn). Summer is hot and rainy, the limestone is slippery, the trails are muddy and there are many mosquitoes. In the summer–autumn storm and rain season check the forecast before going and wait for the rock to dry after heavy rain; the valley floor can flood after heavy rain. The karst rock is sharp-edged and easily scrapes skin. If you want to camp overnight you must ask the local authorities for permission first.
What this place is
A limestone valley gorge deep in the middle of Cát Bà island, hidden behind a high mountain range, with forested cliffs rising on both sides. The valley lies at the end of the road into Liên Minh village, so it is also called Thung lũng Liên Minh, and seen from above it is likened to a heart shape. The cliffs are shaded from the sun for most of the morning.
Busy and quiet times
Suits climbers from beginner to intermediate. Climbing operators often accept older children on a guided half-day trip. Anyone who has never climbed outdoors should go with a guiding operator.
Photographs
3 of 4 on fileThe story
Butterfly Valley: the stone came first, the village and the climbers came after
Picture a valley floor that people liken to a heart when seen from above. Sheer limestone walls rise on both sides, a range of high hills hides it from behind, and at its foot lie rice fields and a strip of forest. This is Thung lũng Bướm, Butterfly Valley, in Liên Minh village, Cát Hải special zone, Hải Phòng: a limestone gorge tucked deep in the middle of Cát Bà island, about 10 km from Cát Bà town. It is also called after the village: Liên Minh Valley. Many kinds of colourful butterflies may be seen in the valley.
Vibe
Tags
Source
Identity was cross-checked between the Google Maps pin 'Thung lũng Bướm - Butterfly Valley' (looked up by hand by the product owner, 2 Oct 2026) and OpenStreetMap, where the valley is a climbing area (node 11639687522) in Cát Hải special zone, Hải Phòng. The two points are about 270 m apart and both lie inside the valley. The Vietnamese name, the other name Thung lũng Liên Minh, the terrain, the road in that is difficult for cars, the sim flowers in spring, the reed grass in winter, the butterflies, the heart shape seen from above and the free-ranging chickens of Liên Minh village come from Báo An ninh Hải Phòng (3 Aug 2023); the Dân Việt article of 15 Aug 2023 reposts the same content, so it does not count as a second source. The density of climbing routes and the type of rock come from Mountain Project (the Butterfly Valley climbing area page, no update date shown). Suitable audiences, the final stretch on foot, the summer season, morning shade and a small access fee come from the Hạ Long – Cát Bà climbing article on vietnamtourism.com (2026). The distance to town, the steep road, the possibility of flooding and the need to ask permission to camp come from the Quang Thắng Cát Bà tour blog (2025). The dry northeast-monsoon season and the rainy storm season follow the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (vmrcc.gov.vn). The title of World Biosphere Reserve in 2004 for the Cát Bà archipelago follows the Hải Phòng electronic information portal. Rejected: the entrance fee figures and where tickets are sold (old sources, different years say different things), the number of routes and climbing grades (sources disagree), the month boundaries of the storm season (inconsistent with state sources), the idea 'it is private land so camping is not allowed' (a newer source says camping is allowed with permission), and the title of World Heritage 2023 (the excerpt does not support it). Not verified: whether the valley lies within the boundary of Cát Bà National Park, the butterfly season, and the current fee. The articles and blogs all write 'Trân Châu commune, Cát Hải district', an administrative unit that existed before 1 Jul 2025; this page writes Cát Hải special zone. Photos: Jody McIntyre and sweet_redbird on Flickr, licence CC BY-SA 2.0, taken in Apr 2010.
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