Phong Nha is a town of increasing popularity in central Vietnam, known for its lush green environment and its vast, 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.
While the caves are the star of the show, there’s plenty else to do in the area. You can swim in bright blue waters, motorbike through rice fields, even feed some ducks…
Let’s get into it.
Rent a motorbike
Rent a motorbike. It’s an activity on its own and also opens up the potential for so many more activities.
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 though.
If you want to check out the spots I’m about to list, a motorbike will make it far easier and far cheaper. And if you’re not comfortable riding, try and make a friend who is.
Check out the famous caves
A Word about the Tours
I generally stray away from tours myself. The price you pay seems to always be far more than necessary, and you lose a certain sense of adventure when everything is decided for you.
That being said, there are obviously some benefits. And beyond that, I recognize that a lot of people don’t even have a choice.
If you don’t ride a motorcycle, for instance, the price you’ll end up paying for taxis and entry to caves will be more than what a tour offers.
Tours can be booked through your hotel or hostel, and generally cost a bit over 1 million dong ($40 USD). They range in activities, but the most popular include visits to Phong Nha and Paradise Caves.
If you want to visit Dark Cave, you’ll likely have to pay a bit more for the tour.
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.
The Big Caves
It seems clear that the most exceptional sights in Phong Nha are the Son Doong and Han En Caves.
I didn’t check these out myself, as they were far out of my budget (for exclusively budget activities in Phong Nha, click here).
These are both very expensive and have limited access, so it is best to book well in advance.
Han En Cave is the 3rd largest cave in the world, and you can book a 2-day/1-night tour for about 8 million dong ($330 USD).
Son Doong is the largest cave in the world, and tours can be booked for 75 million dong ($3,000 USD). A high price, but keep in mind that it’s a 6-day tour. Again, this must be booked far in advance, as the access is very limited.
Explore the Bong Lai Valley
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.
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.
Pub with Cold Beer
Yes, this is the name of the place.
And as the name suggests, it’s a beautiful spot in which to enjoy a cold beer in between activities in the Bong Lai Valley. Or.an assortment of other beverages, if you prefer.
The “pub” has fantastic views of the valley below as well as a swimming pool if you want to cool off on a hot day.
Play some Football (Soccer)
As you drive into the valley, there’s a good chance you come across a group or two of kids playing a game of football.
If you do, why not stop on the side of the road and join them?
Interacting with the locals always makes for some of the best travel memories. Especially with the kids.
Football’s not my sport, and it was definitely a humbling experience to lose to two 12 year olds.
Sunset at 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.
Go for a swim
O O Lake
I already discussed this one in the last section, so if you skipped it go back to get a full description of the lake.
In summary, it’s a great, quiet little spot that’s perfect if you’re looking for a relaxing swim.
Dark Cave
I talked about the cave aspect of Dark Cave earlier, but didn’t go into the swimming too much.
The mouth of Dark Cave is right by the Son River, and as part of the visit to the cave (or separately), you can go for a swim.
The water here is absolutely stunning- the color is almost reminiscent of the bright turquoise alpine lakes in Switzerland.
That being said, it can get quite crowded here- it’s not the place for a leisurely, relaxing swim. There are a bunch of water sports, including kayaking, jumps, and slides. Which can be fun, but just a different vibe.
It’s also quite pricey if you’re not already paying for the cave, at 150k just to swim. I honestly would recommend skipping it unless you’re doing the cave as well. You’ll see why in a second.
The Son River
Instead of paying a premium for the section of river by Dark Cave, I’d recommend simply driving along the river and finding your own spot.
You’ll have to search, as it can be difficult to reach the banks sometimes. But there are plenty of spots that will work.
Then you get the perks of swimming in the beautiful Son River- for no money at all.
Just don’t do it by yourself. Not smart.
