Phong Nha is an absolutely beautiful destination in central Vietnam. This Vietnam destination is known for its large cave system including the famous Paradise Cave and Dark Cave. Phong Nha also has lush greenery and it great for outdoor lovers like myself.
There are not tons of activities to do and things to see in Phong Nha so a couple days here is perfect amount of time for most people (and if you are like myself on a bit of a time crunch you can see a lot in only one day).
I will go over everything you need to know if its your first-time visiting Phong Nha including Phong Nha transport, Phong Nha accommodations, and the best things to do here in Phong Nha.
This post is all about the ultimate travel guide to Phong Nha Vietnam.
How to Travel to Phong Nha
The main two modes of transport to Phong Nha is by bus or train. When I travelled to Phong Nha I was travelling from Hoi An Vietnam and I took a bus which was around 8 hours long.
My favourite website to check the various modes of transport is Rome2Rio. If you put in your destination you are currently in and the destination you wish to travel to it will provide a list of all the different modes of transport to get there.
For almost ALL of my transport around Southeast Asia I booked my tickets through 12GoAsia. You can always book through the company itself which can sometime make the tickets a but cheaper but the 12GoAsia app makes it super easy to research and book your ticket and then you have your ticket information all on your phone.
Where to Stay in Phong Nha
When I visited Phong Nha I stayed at Phong Nha Coco Riverside which is a beautiful hotel right along the river with amazing views like the photo above. The people that worked at the hotel were super friendly and let us keep our bags at the hotel and use their showers and facilities before we took our night bus to Ninh Binh. It was a beautiful property and for a hotel pretty affordable starting at $25 a night.
If you are looking for more budget friendly options I recommend checking out HostelWorld. They have tons of hostels in Phong Nha with great reviews and even better prices.
Best Things to Do in Phong Nha
Paradise Cave
Paradise Cave is one of the most popular places to visit in Phong Nha. Many day tours visit this this cave in Ke Bang National Park in Phong Nha. I highly recommend a visit when you are in Phong Nha.
Dark Cave
The Dark Cave in Phong Nha Vietnam is another popular spot to visit during a day tour. This cave is a bit different than Paradise Cave as there are not man-made walkways throughout the cave. You can zipline and then swim to the Dark Cave entrance which is lots of fun and then you will walk, climb, and swim through this cave. Half-way through you will stop at a mud bath that many people bath themselves in as the mud is suppose to be good for your skin. Then once you are finished walking through the Dark Cave you can spend some time at the waterpark near the cave entrance. I think the Dark Cave was the highlight of my trip to Phong Nha so I really recommend it.
The Duck Stop
I remember seeing tons of videos on Tiktok of people surrounded by tons of ducks and I had no idea where this was. Well this activity is in Phong Nha and it is called The Duck Stop. At the Duck Stop you can interact with the duck which included feeding them and leading them around. I never got to do this activity while in Phong Nha but it looked like lots of fun. Some tours include the Duck Stop as well as the caves but if you go on your own you will likely be charged around 100,000 VND (around $5) which included time with the ducks, a drink, and snack. If you have some extra time in Phong Nha I recommend you check out the duck stop.
Best Tours in Phong Nha
Paradise Cave and Dark Cave Day Tour
@never_ending_travel Phong Nha travel vlog | Paradise Cave and Dark Cave tour⛰️ #phongnha #phongnhavietnam #paradisecave #darkcave #phongnhatours
♬ original sound – Never Ending Travel Bucketlist
That brings us to the end of the ultimate travel guide to Phong Nha Vietnam. Central Vietnam is absolutely beautiful so please do not miss out on destinations like Phong Nha. I hope this travel guide helped answer any questions you may have about Phong Nha and helped you plan an amazing visit. Safe travels!
