Stalactite Caves in the Phong Nha Region in Central Vietnam
The most impressive stalactite caves in Vietnam and also the most famous ones, where famous Hollywood movies (or at least scenes from them) were filmed, are the Phong Nha Caves, located about 50 minutes (45 km) north of the city of Dong Hoi, in Quang Binh Province in the northern part of Central Vietnam.
Paradise Cave in Phong Nha:
This city is also home to the nearest airport to the caves. The airport code is VDH and there are many direct flights from it, mainly to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The city offers a variety of hotels, including beachfront hotels along the long, sandy coast (quite stormy and not ideal for swimming, but fun to walk along and watch the sunset).
Dong Hoi is reached by driving from Hue through Vietnam War historical sites. The drive from Hue takes about three hours (170 km).
It is recommended to stay in Dong Hoi and set out from there for a day trip to the stalactite caves.
Recommended Hotels in Dong Hoi:
The city features several 5-star hotels at affordable prices, alongside 1 or 2-star hotels, simple budget hostels, or homestays. This is the place to treat yourself to a high-quality hotel with amazing service and an indulgent breakfast:
A 5-star resort at an attractive price located right on the beachfront. The hotel features a swimming pool, gym, spa, kids' club, playground, bar, and restaurant.
A new, elegant 5-star resort at an attractive price located on the riverbank. The hotel features an indoor swimming pool, gym, spa, restaurant, and bar. Spacious rooms offer city or river views.
The two most impressive and visited caves are:
Stalactite Cave Named Paradise Cave
From Dong Hoi, it is about a 65 km drive (around an hour and twenty minutes direct drive) to a stalactite cave named Paradise Cave (Vietnamese name: Động Thiên Đường).
The cave is located in Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site designated to protect the forests and hundreds of caves in the area.
This is a massive and impressive cave with a total length of 31 km (!), though most tourists visit only the first kilometer. There are quite a few stairs on the way to it and inside. To reach it from the parking lot, you need to walk along a long trail, but you can purchase a shuttle ticket (recommended) to the point where you climb up a gentle incline to the cave entrance or climb around 500 stairs.
♦ Recommended tours to the caves (book via Viator):
From the cave entrance, you descend 200 stairs, and the rest of the walk inside is mostly flat along elevated paths with handrails. The stalactites are very impressive in size and shape, and naturally, like in any stalactite cave, imagination comes into play—several columns, stalactites, and stalagmites have been given various names based on their resemblance to animals, people, and objects. The cave interior is vast and striking.
Short Video About Paradise Cave:
Phong Nha Stalactite Cave
Phong Nha Cave, located about 30 km northeast of Paradise Cave (about a 50-minute drive), is also part of Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park. This cave is over 7 km long and contains an underground river. Tourists are allowed to enter only the first 1,500 meters. To reach this cave, you first ride a motorboat along the river for about 40 minutes to the entrance, where the river continues inside.
The scenery leading up to the cave entrance is pastoral and lush green. At the mouth of the cave, the boat engine is turned off, and you enter using the same boat by rowing, so there is no noise or engine fumes inside the cave. The boat has one rower in the front and one in the back.
Most boat operators and rowers are women. Inside the cave, you cruise for about half an hour back and forth along the same route. The interior is illuminated with spotlights, allowing you to view the numerous stalactites. A small section near the exit involves a short, easy walk, after which you reboard the same boat and sail back to the parking area. After the long walk in Paradise Cave, it is lovely to sit back and relax on the boat while taking in the views both outside and inside the cave.
Short Video About Phong Nha Cave: