Phong Nha is a town of increasing popularity in central Vietnam, known for its lush green environment and its vast and immensely impressive array of caves in the surrounding region.
The national park situated mere minutes from Phong Nha town sports the first and third largest caves in the world (that we know of), as well as the longest cave to be found in Southeast Asia.
The problem with Phong Nha is that a lot of its main attractions come with a rather hefty price tag.
If you want to visit the largest cave in the world (Son Doong), you’re going to have to set aside four days and $3000 USD. It’s probably incredible, but not something the average backpacker can finance.
Luckily, there’s plenty of budget activities you can do in Phong Nha without breaking the bank.
Let’s get into them.
Rent a motorbike and explore
Consider this the ultimate budget activity for practically any destination in Southeast Asia.
Motorbikes here are so cheap and allow you to see so much more than you would otherwise be able to, be it on a tour or using public transportation.
You decide when and where you want to go. If you see some beautiful rice field you want to drive through, do it. If you see a nice spot by the river to swim in, stop. It’s the ultimate game-changer.
A bike here will cost you 100k dong at a minimum. Don’t pay more than 150k.
If you want to check out the spots I’m about to list, having a motorbike will make it far easier and far cheaper. And if you’re not comfortable riding, try and make a friend who is.
Budget caves in Phong Nha
Though none are too budget friendly, you simply cannot visit Phong Nha without checking out at least one of its stunning caves.
It would be like going to Paris and not eating a single croissant.
The largest caves in Phong Nha are unfortunately unattainable for the average budget. You can practically forget about Son Doong and its $3000 USD price tag. Hang En Cave- the third largest in the world- has a more reasonable price of $330 USD, which you can read about here. But it’s still too expensive to discuss in this budget article.
However, there are plenty of other options- notably Paradise Cave, Phong Nha Cave, and Dark Cave.
Phong Nha Cave
Phong Nha Cave is the most popular in the region. It’s located the closest to town, so it makes sense if transportation is difficult for you (i.e., you don’t have a motorbike).
The problem is that it also makes this cave the most busy.
However, it does have the potential to be the cheapest option. The entry fee is 150k ($6 USD) per person, along with a 360k ($14 USD) charge for the boat you’ll need to hire into the cave.
But you can split this price if you manage to get a group together, and you can bring the total price to under 200k ($8 USD) if you can gather a group of 9-10.
If you haven’t yet explored a cave by boat, it is certainly a very cool experience.
Paradise Cave
While Phong Nha Cave may offer a more unique experience, I found the cave itself in Paradise Cave to be more impressive. In fact, I may go as far as saying that the formations in Paradise Cave were the most incredible I have seen in any cave anywhere.
It is truly otherworldly. The pictures below will give you an idea of the sorts of rock structures you’ll find in Paradise Cave and they are truly mind-blowing, making you wonder how something like that could possibly have formed here.
The entrance into Paradise Cave costs 250k ($10 USD) and includes a quick ride to and from the cave from the main entrance.
If you only visit one cave, I’d make it this one.
Dark Cave
Dark Cave offers the most unique experience, and is perfect for those who have already seen a lot of traditional caves and want something a little more adventurous.
Instead of walking calmly along a boardwalk admiring the illuminated rock formations a cave like Paradise Cave, Dark Cave has you crawling and swimming through water and mud. And as the name suggests, there is no light.
It also includes the longest zip-line in Vietnam, which takes you over the electric blue waters of the Son River to the entrance of the cave.
But you’ll have to pay a little more for this thrilling experience. The cost is 450k ($18 USD), but it does include the zip-line, kayaking and other water sports.
Swim for free in the Ô Ô Lake and Son River
It can get hot and humid in Phong Nha, and what better to do in these circumstances than go for a swim?
There are a few popular places for swimming in Phong Nha, notably the spot in the river by Dark Cave and Mooc Springs. However, these charge you a fee. So why pay to swim when you can swim for free?
Ô Ô Lake
Ô Ô Lake is located about a 10 minutes drive from Phong Nha Town in the opposite direction of the national park.
If you’re looking for a quiet and relaxing spot to swim, this lake is unbeatable.
When you drive up, you’ll park in a small lot by a bar with several piers out on the lake. There’s usually almost nobody here, so you’ll practically have the lake all to yourself.
The water is a beautiful temperature. Jump right in and swim around or float on one of the little floatie rings they’ve placed out in the water.
It’s also undeniably scenic. The rising mountains across the lake are so green and lush, and the trees are so perfectly dense and organized to the point that it seems almost unnatural.
Son River
The Son River originates from the mouth of the Phong Nha Cave, and continues onwards until it finally dumps into the Pacific Ocean.
The river has an electric blue color, due in part to low sediment as well as the presence of certain minerals and algae. It’s stunning. And the closer to the mouth of the cave you get, the bluer the water will be.
The most popular spot to swim in the river is by Dark Cave. If you’re already paying for the cave, make sure to take advantage. They’ve got a bunch of fun looking water sports, including kayaking, jumps, and slides.
However, if you don’t pay for the cave you’ll have to pay 150k ($6 USD) just to be able to swim.
Definitely not worth it when you can literally motorbike to any spot along the river and take a dip. Same water, same color- minus the crowds.
Of course, this is dependent on whether or not you have a bike. Hope you’re getting the hint.
Check out The Duck Stop and Monkey Bridge Farm in Bong Lai Valley
You can spend a whole day in Bong Lai valley. It’s located just 10 minutes outside of town, and it’s stunning.
Ô Ô Lake- which we’ve just discussed- is located near the entrance to the valley, so it would be a good idea to match a swim there with the other activities I’m about to mention.
The Duck Stop
It’s a little bizarre to me that this stop has become as popular as it has.
Made famous (relatively speaking for Phong Nha, of course) by Tiktok, The Duck Stop is what it sounds like. A stop with a lot of ducks. You feed them, take pictures with them.
I didn’t do it myself because, quite frankly, it sounded really stupid. But it’s pretty cheap, at around 100k ($4 USD) for the ducks to nibble at your feet.
Apparently you can also ride Donald Trump the buffalo for an additional 50k ($2 USD).
Monkey Bridge Farm
Monkey Bridge Farm is about 10 minutes further into the Bong Lai Valley from The Duck Stop.
This one was much more appealing to me. It’s quite simple. The Monkey Bridge is essentially a very narrow platform over water, and you get three tries to bike across it.
Certainly a unique experience, and an entertaining one. It’s not that easy, and were it not for the protection we were supplied with I would have received several blows to rather unfortunate areas.
Same goes for the others I was with. Watching was honestly the most entertaining part.
Reminded me of the show Wipeout I used to watch as a kid.
The cost is 120k ($5 USD), although you’ll get a free beer if you manage to complete the bridge. And probably if you don’t, as well.
You can also pay 50k ($2 USD) if you just want to watch.
Watch the sunset from Phong Nha Farmstay
This is a great stop on the way back from a day in the Bong Lai Valley. Or any day, to be honest. It’s only 15 minutes out of town, and it’s got to be the best sunset spot in Phong Nha.
The Farmstay is located on the edge of the most vast rice fields I’ve ever seen, extending for what seems to be several kilometers. Not only are they vast, but they are incredibly pristine.
You can tell how much work is put in and you’ll probably see workers active in the fields. The Vietnamese clearly take pride in the beauty of these gems.
The Farmstay has an elevated terrace where you can watch the sun setting over the rice fields.
Grab a beer and enjoy. Two for the price of one during happy hour, which happens to be at sunset. I would pass on the food- it’s expensive and not the best.
It’s not the most budget option, but if you’re curious to look into the prices for a stay at the Phong Nha Farmstay, click here. If you’re going to splurge on a stay at some point, this is a pretty good choice.
