Phong Nha
By Evi Goossens, a travel storyteller, certified tour guide, and photographer from The Netherlands. Updated November 2024
Reading time: 8 min
Why you shouldn’t skip Phong Nha
Heyyy, you’ve arrived in Phong Nha! This is a town that many backpackers skip on their trip in Vietnam, but I'm here to tell you that you definitely shouldn't! Not only is it a great town to stop in for a few days, but it's also a perfect way to break up the bus journey from Ninh Binh to Hoi An.
Phong Nha is truly for the adventurers among us. You can go zip-lining, kayaking, hiking, and, of course, cave exploring. This town is famous for its extensive cave system. There are relatively small caves you can explore in a few hours, but there are also caves that require multi-day expeditions to fully see everything.
Did you know that the largest cave in the world is located here? It’s called Son Doong, and it’s 200 meters high (at some points even 500 meters), 175 meters wide, and 9 kilometers long. The cave was discovered relatively recently, in 1991, and was fully mapped in 2009. It’s estimated to be 3 million years old and even has its own ecosystem inside.
While Phong Nha is different from most backpacker destinations in Vietnam, it is definitely worth a stop to enjoy nature and engage in some adventurous activities. For me, Phong Nha added even more diversity to my trip through the already beautiful Vietnam.
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| TABLE OF CONTENTS
Paradise Cave
The Duck Stop
Where to stay/ eat / go out
Paradise cave
From the hostel, you can take various tours to different caves. While this is a fun way to see a lot of places and meet more people from your hostel, it’s often a more expensive option. You can also rent a taxi or scooter and go to the sites on your own. This is what we did for our trip to Paradise Cave.
After a short half-hour drive from the center of Phong Nha, we arrived at Paradise Cave. First, you need to buy a ticket, and then you can proceed. It’s about a half-hour walk from the entrance to the cave. There are golf carts available to take you to the start of the climb, but you have to pay extra for this.
You follow a path through the jungle until you reach a steeper path and stairs going up. So, you’ll need to hike uphill for a bit. Along the way, there are various stalls where you can rest or get something to eat. Once you reach the top, you’ll find the cave entrance and can go inside.
Inside the cave, there’s an extensive wooden walkway with stairs to help you see everything as clearly as possible. You can walk all the way to the back but then have to return to the entrance, which is also the exit.
Here’s some quick info about Paradise Cave. Also known as Thien Duong Cave, it is one of the most popular caves because it is also one of the most impressive. This cave was only discovered in 2005 and has been accessible to the public since 2010. Visitors can explore 1 kilometer of the cave, but in reality, the cave stretches a whopping 31 kilometers! What makes the cave so special and beautiful are the limestone formations that have developed over millions of years. You’ll see stalactites, stalagmites, and draperies. Stalactites are limestone formations hanging from the ceiling, stalagmites grow from the floor, and draperies are curtain-like structures on the walls. The entire cave is illuminated with lights, making it an even more magical experience as you can clearly see the different color contrasts in the limestone. When it’s quiet, you can even hear the water dripping and witness the ongoing process of limestone formation. It’s truly a beautiful and unique experience!
The Duck Stop
One of the funniest activities I did in all of Vietnam was the Duck Farm. At first, I thought, "What’s so special and fun about this?" But I hopped in a taxi and headed to the Duck Farm. When we arrived, the owners offered us a drink, and we had to put on rubber sandals they provided. We also got a traditional Vietnamese hat, and then we were off to see the ducks. You can feed them, they follow you around, and they even nibble at your feet and legs. I’ve never laughed so hard!
It’s not really an adventurous activity, but you absolutely cannot miss this if you’re in Phong Nha. It's just very fun and amusing. Afterward, the farm owners serve you a delicious traditional Vietnamese lunch, which is amazing. You get a Vietnamese pancake, also known as
Bánh xèo. This is also a typical dish from Phong Nha.
Where to stay
The hostel where almost all backpackers stay when they're in Phong Nha is Central Backpackers Hostel! This is a very clean and comfortable hostel. They provide free breakfast for all guests, organize fun nights out where you go to local bars with the hostel, and arrange various activities that you can sign up for.
Book your hostel: https://www.hostelworld.com
On the street where the hostel is located, there are various eateries. All of them are very delicious and reasonably priced!
Where to eat
Through the hostel, you can visit the local pub. The hostel provides transportation to and from the pub. Although the pub itself isn't anything special, with the right group of people, you can still have a really fun evening!
