The most detailed Phong Nha Ke Bang tourism 2023

Phong Nha Ke Bang is the first choice of tourists when you travel to Quang Binh. Phong Nha is often compared to “fairyland” or “the royal palace in the ground”. With its untouched natural scenery as a watercolor painting that nature has bestowed on the people of Quang Binh, Phong Nha Ke Bang becomes an irresistible destination for all tourists. To best prepare for Phong Nha travel, you should refer to some Phong Nha Ke Bang travel experiences by local guides to make your trip fuller and more interesting.

Estimated reading time: 20 minutes

Top Waterfalls in Quang Binh

Where is Phong Nha Ke Bang?

Located in Bo Trach district, Quang Binh province, Phong Nha Ke Bang is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Vietnam. Especially, UNESCO twice recognized it as the world natural heritage based on different criteria.

Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park

Phong Nha Ke Bang – an attractive destination of Quang Binh Tourism

Phong Nha Ke Bang used to be associated with heroic historical feats. It is home to world-famous caves such as Son Doong, Thien Duong, Phong Nha, and other tourist place such as Dark Cave, Mooc Spring, and Cha Loi cave, creating a variety of tourist products. Phong Nha Ke Bang Tourismis considered as the heart of Quang Binh Tourism.

To answer questions from visitors who wish to travel to Quang Binh, this article below will help you have the best Phong Nha 2022 travel experience :

Exploring Phong Nha Cave

The latest list of price tickets to visit Phong Nha Ke Bang

Visitor Entry Tickets
Phong Nha cave: 150,000 VND/adult.

Tien Son cave, Mooc Spring, Chay River- Dark cave: From 80,000 VND/adult.

Tourist Boat : 550,000 VND/boat (max 12 guests/1 boat – compulsory means of transport if you visit Phong Nha and Tien Son caves)

Package service:
Mooc Spring tourist spot: Originally priced at 180,000 VND/adult (including 80,000 VND fee  plus 100,000 VND entertainment services, spring bath), now discounted to 165,000 VND / adult (including 80,000 VND fee plus 85,000 VND entertainment services, spring bath).
Song Chay – Dark Cave tourist spot: Zipline tour package: Originally priced at 450,000 VND/person (including: fee 80,000 VND plus additional services 370,000 VND), now discounted to only 395,000 VND/ adult (including: 80,000 VND fee plus 315,000 VND additional services)
Zipline river bathing tour: Originally priced at 270,000 VND/person, now only 230,000 VND/person.

Please update promotional information at Quang Binh Travel

When to travel to Phong Nha Ke Bang?

Quang Binh in general and Phong Nha Ke Bang in particular feature a tropical monsoon climate with two distinct seasons:

+ Dry season (from April to August): The temperature outside is 36-37°C on average, sometimes reaching a peak of 40⁰ C while the temperature inside the cave always maintains at 18-22°C, which is very cool and comfortable. This is a quite favorable time to participate in cave explorations in the heart of the world natural heritage Phong Nha Ke Bang.

The water of the Son River in Phong Nha Ke Bang changes on rainy days

+ Rainy season (September to March next year). In the high water season, the rising water of the Son River will block the cave entrance. Tourist boats cannot get in, so tourists cannot visit Phong Nha Cave . However, tourism in dry caves such as Tien Son cave , Thien Duong cave is not affected. You are advised to make suitable schedule as well as prepare appropriate tools and clothes.

So the best time to travel to Phong Nha Ke Bang is  from April to August as the weather in those months is quite stable and there is less rain. Therefore, it is convenient for moving and visiting caves.

Before visiting Quang Binh, you should contact tourist information points or travel companies in Quang Binh for advice.

Means of transportation to Phong Nha?/How to go to Phong Nha – Ke Bang

Distance from Dong Hoi city to Phong Nha tourist destination is about 50km. Most vehicles head to Dong Hoi city. To reach Phong Nha, you can travel by bus, taxi or motorbike taxi. You can take plane and train to Dong Hoi. We are much excited to share with you the following travel routes:

Getting to Phong Nha from Hanoi or Ninh Binh

Domestic visitors to Phong Nha usually come from the northern provinces, especially from Hanoi. International tourists often visit Ninh Binh first and then Phong Nha. To go from Ninh Binh to Phong Nha, international guests usually take a train or sleeper bus to Dong Hoi . From here, they can easily take any vehicle to the tourist center, or they can directly book in advance a number of sleeper buses from to Ninh Binh Phong Nha.

Car rental Service in Quang Binh to explore Phong Nha Ke Bang

Traveling Phong Nha from Dong Hoi you can rent a car:

• If you want to organize or lead your own tour, you can rent a 4-45 seats car (Contact 0911366567)
• Taxi Quang Binh charge you at a rate of  about 15,000/km, you can refer to the following taxi companies: Mai Linh: (02323) 3838383; or Tien Sa: (0232) 3797979.
• Or rent a motorbike in Dong Hoi City or Phong Nha center at the hotel’s reception area for your convenient traveling and sightseeing. Contact via 0912356056. Motorbike rental priced at 150,000vnd – 200,000vnd/ day/vehicle
• You can book a shared tour in Dong Hoi City to learn about Quang Binh’s landmarks as well as move easily (Contact via 0914666871)

Where to go when traveling to Phong Nha Ke Bang?

Traveling to Phong Nha Ke Bang, you will keenly look for beautiful hotels around there to chill down after hours of sightseeing and exploring.

You can choose recommended hotels below:

Hotels in Central Dong Hoi City

2 star Quang Binh Hotels : Hanoi Quang Binh Hotel, Ngan Ha Hotel, Thanh Phuc Hotel, Thuy Duong Hotel, Ban Mai Hotel, Sunrise Hotel. Price ranges from 350,000 VND – 550,000 VND/ room/night (Not including breakfast)

3 star Quang Binh Hotels: Thanh Phuc 2 Hotel , Reverside Hotel, Cao Minh Hotel, Quang Phu Hotel, Bao Ninh Resort, Anh Linh Hotel, Luxe Hotel. Price ranges from 500,000 VND – 800,000 VND / room/night (including breakfast)

Classy Quang Binh hotels in Dong Hoi

4-star Quang Binh Hotel: Muong Thanh Quang Binh Hotel, Saigon Quang Binh Hotel. Price ranges from 900,000 VND – 1,100,000 VND/room/night (includes buffet breakfast)

Quang Binh 5 star hotel: Sunspa Resort, Gold Coast Resort. Muong Thanh Luxury, Goldcoast hotel. Price ranges from 1,100,000 VND – 2,500,000 VND/room/night (including buffet breakfast)

Hotels in Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park

From hotels Phong Nha, you can easily travel and visit Phong Nha and other places easily

Luxury Phong Nha Homestay: Phong Nha Lake House, Chaylap Farmstay, Ho Khanh Homestay, etc. Price ranges from 800,000 VND to 1,100,000 VND/room/night (including breakfast). At presents, in Phong Nha tourist center, there are newly opened hotels such as Son Doong Bungalow, Victory road villas, etc. These classy hotels in Phong Nha are to serve high-spending travelers.

Saigon-Phong Nha Hotel

3-star hotels in Phong Nha arerecommendedforyousuch asHeritage By Night priced at 600,000vnd/room/night (including breakfast), 2-star Hotel in Phong Nha: Saigon Phong Nha Hotel priced at 400,000vnd – 500,000vnd/ room/night (breakfast included)

Many 1 star hotels in Phong Nha such asThien Thanh Hotel, Shanghai Hotel, Thien Duong Hotel are priced at 300,000 VND/room/night

Motels: Easy Tiger, Huong Giang, etc. priced at 200,000 VND – 250,000 VND/room/night

Guests can contact Ms. Trang via phone number 0911366567 to book a room in Quang Binh, or Phong Nha with cheaper prices than other agencies.

Tour Quang Binh 4 day 3 night

Tourist attractions in Phong Nha Ke Bang

Where to visit in Phong Nha? To be able to explore most of the interesting places, you should spend at least 3 days 2 nights. Below are the most prominent caves and destinations for visitors to learn and explore this national park. There are many other tours and products that you can choose to have the best experience. You can choose adventure cave tour or traditional one.

Famous tourist attractions in Phong Nha that you should consider:

Phong Nha Cave

Tour 1: Explore Phong Nha Cave 1.2km on a local boat

With the length of 7,729m, it has the longest underground river system in the world. Unlike other caves, visitors have to take a motorboat and go down the Son River to enter. Once setting your foot in Phong Nha cave, you will feel the cool and pleasant atmosphere, especially in the summer as the temperature is only 18-22 degrees Celsius. The boat will  lead you down the stream to enjoy the beauty of nature known as the “First cave”. Exploring Bi Ky, Co Tien and Cung Dinh caves to see manificient stalactites of different colors and shapes.

Ticket to visit Phong Nha Cave is priced at 150.00vnd/person/ticket; sightseeing boat priced at 550,000vnd/boat can carry up to 12 guests. If you visit in a large group, you should rent a private boat, and if not, you should think about a shared boat.

Tour 2: 4500m Xuyen Son Ho Tour

Besides the first 1.2km discovery tour of Phong Nha Cave, visitors who want to go deep inside the cave need to register for a 4,500m Xuyen Son Ho tour.

This tour requires you to register at a tour company; you can’t explore on your own.

We will provide you with the following equipment:

Kayka boat for 2 people rowing on Ngam Song Son river, + 1 flashlight and specialized hat for exploring, life jackets, lunch, 1 tour guide, and 3-5 porters

You have to pay 1,700,000 VND/ticket/person for this tour

Time: 1 day (08h00 am – 17h00)

In this journey, there is absolutely no phone signal. It’s very dark inside, so there’s a reason we’ve provided you with a flashlight. You have to use that light to see the road and see the stalactites and stalagmites. You have a chance to kayak in the peaceful setting of the cool water. The temperature of 22 ⁰ C is also an ideal and impressive experience for visitors.

4500m Xuyen Son Lake in Phong Nha Cave

Tien Son Cave

Tien Son cave is a beautiful cave in Phong Nha. After visiting Phong Nha water cave, tourists often visit Tien Son, the dry cave. Phong Nha – Tien Son is a twin of nature. Phong Nha -Tien Son is a perfect match. Located at an altitude of about 200m on the ceiling of Phong Nha cave. Tien Son cave is 980m at length and seperate with Phong Nha cave.

Setting foot in Tien Son cave, you will feel like entering the heavenly place. Here everywhere is a magic work of nature. The natural features you happen to encounter will never fail to amaze you. That’s why it is said that Phong Nha is like a beautiful Aquarium housing the Mercury and the Mermaid, while Tien Son isruled by the Jade Emperor and the Immortal Emperors.

Paradise Cave

Tour 1: Explore Paradise Cave on the 1,2 km wooden floor

Known as “the palace in the ground”, Thien Duong cave (in Bo Trach district, Quang Binh province) is one of the most magnificent and magical world wonders. Paradise Cave is situated at km 16 (nearly 4 km away from the western edge of Ho Chi Minh Road and about 20km from Phong Nha Cave) in the heart of a limestone mountain complex at an altitude of 191m. Surrounded by the primeval forest of Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park,  Thien Duong Cave is presumably the longest dry cave in Asia with a length of 31.4 km, and a width ranging from 30 to 100m. The widest place is 150m and the height from the bottom to the ceiling is about 60m.

Stepping into the cave and seeing countless stalactites of different shapes, your imagination will fly high. The “very first explorers” used beautiful languages to describe it such as Cung Thach Hoa Vien with stalactites formed like a statue of a virgin mother holding baby Jesus or the Giao Tri Palace where the Jade Emperor discussed national issues with his courtiers, surrounded by statues of unicorns, phoenixes, etc. Compared to Phong Nha Cave , the stalactites in Thien Duong cave varies in shapes.

Tour 2: Explore the mysterious depths of  7000m Paradise Cave

Discovery time: 1 day

Taking part in this adventure tour, you will admire the skylight with its mouth at the top of the mountain which helps regulate oxygen in the cave.

Sinkhole inside 7km Paradise Cave

You have the opportunity to see eyeless fish and transparent albino shrimps. During the 7km Thien Duong cave tour, visitors will be equipped with protective and safety equipment.

Tour priced at 2,000,000 VND/ticket/person.

Phong Nha Dark Cave

As a branch of Phong Nha cave system, Dark Cave was surveyed by British Royal Explorers in 1990 and 1992. The cave door is 20 meters wide and 40 meters high. Like many caves in Phong Nha – Ke Bang area, Dark Cave is both a water cave and a dry cave with a length of 5,258m and a height of 80m. Dark Cave is named by the British Royal Cave Expedition. Because the “dark light” in the cave is so dense that people believe they can touch it.

Natural mud bath in Dark Cave- an absorbing experience at Phong Nha Ke Bang cave

Exploring Dark Cave

Dark Cave is still pristine with thousands of stalactite columns of diverse and unique shapes. This place is home to many animals such as bats and swallows. In particular, the cave also shelters Ha Tinh province’s langur, one of the primates listed in the Red Book of Vietnam.

Zipline swing at Chay River, Dark Cave

Due to its location right by the river and high humidity, the stalactites in Dark Cave are covered with dense moss which has a typical blue color. Dark cave is still untouched without lighting system unlike Phong Nha cave, Thien Duong cave. You can walk on the 1km wooden bridge and then self-explore with your headlight. Come here and register for the zipline service to reach the entrance of Dark cave, swimming zipline in Chay River and many fun sports games. You can buy the games in whole with or without mud bath. Traveling to Phong Nha, you should experience activities at Chay River, Dark Cave.

Hang En

Hang En is one of the big caves in Phong Nha with a total length of 1,645 meters throughout a mountain. It has 3 cave gates:  1 gate located halfway up the mountain and 2 gates at the foot of the mountain towards the southeast and northwest along the Rao Thuong stream, which is a rare feature compared to other famous caves in Vietnam.

In the green river water, the light shining from the skylights on the cave ceiling makes the scenery more shimmering and fanciful. On the ceiling, in the rock cavities, stalactites of all shapes and sizes are the nests of thousands of swallows and bats. That is why the cave is named En cave, and this is also a unique feature of En cave.

Do not go alone in the forest as it is rather dangerous. You need an professional guide to avoid getting lost, this is an intense trekking route with a total walking distance of nearly 25km. You have to walk more than 10km up  and down the hill at an altitude of more than 500m and wade streams and pass through forests more than 10km. If you have good health and trainning, you can join this trekking tour.

Mooc eco-tourism area

If you take Phong Nha tourist area as the starting point, go along Ho Chi Minh road (east route) in the north to Khe Gat junction, turn west on Ho Chi Minh road (west route) about 10 km, you will reach Nuoc Mooc spring eco-tourism site. Visitors can also take the boat upstream of Son river, then turn to the Chay stream for more than 6km to reach this tourist destination.

Unlike other tourist spots in Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park, Mooc stream eco-tourism area still retains its original wild and pristine look which is truly attractive and impresses many visitors. With its poetic beauty, charming scenery, fresh ai, Mooc Spring is a must-go destination for tourists near and far when they visit Quang Binh. Here you can join interesting activities such as kayaking, stream bathing, swinging, etc.

Aquarium Cave

Located right in the middle of Sinh Ton valley, its water is gentle with strange blue water. When first discovered, Aquarium cave was named Nuoc Xanh cave because the blue water is so weird and holds many thrilling elements. Up to now, the expedition team has not been able to specify the origin of this blue water and why the water is so blue.

People only know that the water from Aquarium cave flows abundantly in the Tien stream to Nuoc Lan cave and then pour into the Dark cave. Going deeper inside, visitors can see the cave as an underwater aquarium with colorful stalactites. It features a lot of mysterious curves and when people call each other,  echoes also lasts so long

You can book a trekking tour of Sinh Ton Valley – Aquarium Cave at Netin Travel. With a walking distance of 10km, Aquarium Cave is an adventure tourism destination of Phong Nha Ke Bang.

Tu Lan Cave System

Tu Lan cave system includes more than 10 caves in total. One of them was originally discovered in 1992. The rest have been discovered recently. Especially its Water Cave, Dry Cave and Mouse Cave was chosen as the film setting for Kong’s house. The American blockbuster was just premiered on the big screen in March 2017. The movie “The Immortal” also chose Tu Lan as one of the main filming scene.

And the Cave Kingdom is just next to the above cave systems. If you are curious about these caves and which tour route get you there, you can access the website at quangbinhtravel.vn.

Tam Co Cave (Hang Tam Co)

Tam Co Cave is a spiritual tourist destination in Phong Nha Ke Bang. Tourists and locals often come here to burn incense and pay tribute to the heroes and young volunteers during the war against American. Here tour guides will introduce you the prominent faces of youth in this era. Currently, the Tam Co Cave offers free admission for all visitors.

Windfall – Botanical Garden (Thac Gio)

Botanical Garden is located at km 9, on Quyet Thang Road 10 to Tra Ang Bridge and Tam Co Cave. This is the legendary road in the war against America. Phong Nha Ke Bang Botanical Garden is an place for sightseeing and learning about the forest environment. It is suitable for tourists who love nature, wildlife, and mountain climbing. At the Botanical Garden, you can visit the exhibition of rare and precious animal and plant samples representing Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park.

Visitors can follow the small path to explore. The guide will takes visitors deep into the old forest to reach the top of Windfall. The deeper you go into the forest, the fresher and cooler you feel. After about fifteen minutes of walking under the canopy of primeval forest, visitors enjoy watching Windfall blowingwhite foam, which is a majestic natural scene. Visitors can relax at Vang Anh Lake and swim in the cool blue water, see hornbills, dancing peacocks which are one of the ten most beautiful birds on earth, etc.

Cha Loi Cave is an attractive destination next to Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park

If you have been to all the tourist points in Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park, then Cha Loi Cave will be a next stop for your discovery journey in Quang Binh. Recently put into operation, Cha Loi Cave will give you fascinating experiences. 45km away from Dong Hoi city in the southwest, Cha Loi Cave is a large cave in the south of Quang Binh province.

Coming to Cha Loi cave, tourists have a chance to visit many historical sites along the way such as Long Dai ferry terminal, A72 information station and  explore the lives of Bru-Van Kieu ethnic people. You may also stop by the valley of love to camp overnight or take a bath here.

See more: Quang Binh tourist attractions

Restaurants in Phong Nha

Traveling to Phong Nha, you will be fascinated by local specialties. It is famous for dishes related to river and mountain products. Many restaurants serve delicious local dishes such as cool fish, Song Son carp, giant shrimp and the renowned Phong Nha grilled chicken at restaurants near Dark Cave or Mooc Spring or in the tourist center. If you are in Phong Nha in the morning, you should try the delicious Carp Soup and other quality dishes with price from only 30,000 VND.

If you plan your travel to Phong Nha, the following restaurant suggestions may help you:

If you want to eat Vietnamese food in Phong Nha

Phong Nha specialties are famous for their simple method of processing ingredients coming from the poetic Son River with fresh and clean food such as river carp raised by Phong Nha people in the form of farming. There are river shrimp, stream fish, or field crabs which are reminiscent of Vietnamese family’s traditional meal.

• Vung Hue Phong Nha Restaurant
• Huong Giang Phong Nha
• Thu Hue Restaurant

If you want to eat Western food

Some Phong Nha restaurants  specialize in western food and drinks. At night, you can come here to sip drinks and enjoy the music performed by foreign young people in a friendly atmosphere by the cozy fire.

• Easy Tiger Restaurant
• Bambo Restaurant
• Tuan Ngoc Restaurant.

Phong Nha Ke Bang 1 day tour

If you want to join Phong Nha Tour, save money or want to have fun. Phong Nha Ke Bang 1 day tour will satisfy you all. You can choose tours at will.

You can check Phong Nha Ke Bang 1 day tours below:

• Phong Nha Paradise 1 day tour
• Explore Paradise Cave Dark Cave
• Mooc Spring Paradise Tour

Also you can take a look at Phong Nha Ke Bang Tour 2 days 1 night or Phong Nha Ke Bang Tour 3 days 2 nights. Phong Nha tours usually pick you up at Dong Hoi or Phong Nha center. Pick up time is from 8am to 9am daily. If you need to book a tour, please contact us for advice.

Above are the Phong Nha Ke Bang travel experiences that the Quang Binh Travel team, and local guides collect and summarize. Hope to receive your support and comment. If you need information about Quang Binh tourism in general, you can see it here

+ Website: https://www.quangbinhtravel.vn/ ; https://phongnhacave.org/

+ Hotline: 0911.366.567 or 0912356056

See some more information

Contact Netin Travel to have the ideal journey  in Quang Binh land

Netin Travel

Summary:

Phong Nha Ke Bang is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Vietnam and UNESCO twice recognized it as the world natural heritage. It is home to world-famous caves such as Son Doong, Thien Duong, Phong Nha, and other tourist place such as Dark Cave, Mooc Spring, and Cha Loi cave. The best time to travel to Phong Nha Ke Bang is  from April to August as the weather in those months is quite stable and there is less rain.  To reach Phong Nha, you can travel by bus, taxi or motorbike taxi. You can take plane and train to Dong Hoi. Traveling to Phong Nha Ke Bang, you will keenly look for beautiful hotels around there to chill down after hours of sightseeing and exploring. To be able to explore most of the interesting places, you should spend at least 3 days 2 nights. Traveling to Phong Nha, you will be fascinated by local specialties. It is famous for dishes related to river and mountain products. You can choose Phong Nha Ke Bang 1 day tour, Phong Nha Ke Bang Tour 2 days 1 night or Phong Nha Ke Bang Tour 3 days 2 nights