On your visit to Phong Nha National Park you’ll be surrounded by natural wonders. Sure you’ll spend time cruising through the bright green rice fields and tremendous mountains by motorbike. However, the real activity that makes Phong Nha unique is hidden deeper in the earth! This unique town in the jungle is home to Phong Nha Cave, Dong Tien Son, and many more of the most famous caves in Vietnam. The best part is you can see them by taking a Phong Nha boat tour. Join us as we cruise through Phong Nha wet cave, and hike above it to one of the most beautiful views in Central Vietnam.
PHONG NHA CAVE VS. DONG TIEN SON
Once you’ve made it to Phong Nha you’ll have to decide whether you want to visit one or two the most famous caves in Vietnam. Phong Nha Cave is called a “wet cave” because it’s filled with water so you must enter it by boat.
If you also want to see Dong Tien Son cave it’s at the same location, but be ready to climb the grueling steps to the entrance. A visit to Phong Nha Cave will takes 2 to 2.5 hours, or you can add Dong Tien Son Cave on for a total time of 3 to 3.5 hours.
MAKING FRIENDS AT PHONG NHA NATIONAL PARK
You can either book a private boat if you have enough people, or you’ll have to make some friends and form a group to save money. The boats can carry up to 12 people, and the more passengers you find the less you’ll pay. You may be asked to join a group when you walk up to the ticket counter, but if not just wait around for a little.
Naturally, others will come and small boat groups are formed. We’ve included the prices and times for you below so you can make the best decision for your visit to Phong Nha National Park!
- Phong Nha Boat Tour Cost: 550,000 VND – Total Split Between All Travelers
- Phong Nha Cave: 2.5 Hours – 150,000 VND Entrance Per Person
- Dong Tien Son and Phong Nha Cave: 3.5 Hours – 80,000 VND Entrance Per Person
BOAT RIDE DOWN THE RIVER
Honestly, the boat ride down the Song Son River through the mountain scenery is worth the trip alone. It’s about a 45 minute cruise where you’ll get some of the best views of the day. Our Phong Nha boat tour was a great opportunity to sit back, relax, and to see the natural beauty of the park from the water.
Phong Nha Weather Warning: Try to plan your visit on a clear and sunny day. While this won’t affect you once you’re in the cave, the views down the river are not to be missed! When we woke up the morning of our tour fog had overtaken Phong Nha and we couldn’t see anything. Yet, just a few hours later the sky cleared and we couldn’t have asked for better visibility. That just goes to show how quickly the weather can change in this part of Vietnam!
PHONG NHA CAVE TOUR
Once we arrived at Phong Nha Cave the driver cut the engine and paddled us slowly inside. Before we knew what was happening they untied small strings fastened tight against the steel roof, and slid back the large metal sheet.
The entire roof of the cave opened above us with the lights illuminating the walls so you can see the incredible rock formations. What a way to see one of the most famous caves in Vietnam!
We then traveled deeper into the cave for about 15 minutes before turning around and docking on a small sliver of shore. For the last part of the Phong Nha Cave tour we actually got out of the boat and were able to walk around.
Don’t be alarmed when your small vessel leaves you, but try to see what number boat you are on. All the drivers wait outside the caves so you can take your time exploring from here.
HIKING TO DONG TIEN SON CAVE
Walking out of Phong Nha Cave there’s a small sign for Dong Tien Son. If you only booked the single cave tour just ignore it, yet if you’re doing both get ready for a climb! Follow the arrows up the stairs instead of heading back to the boat.
The hike up the hundreds of stairs is steep and long so luckily there’s plenty of shops to stop and grab a cold drink along the way. You might have to pay a slightly higher rate than in town, but remember that someone had to carry all the drinks and snacks up here!
Also, you should know some of the most beautiful views in Phong Nha National Park can be seen along the stairway. We stopped multiple times to take photos and catch our breaths. Don’t let the constant steps deter you, but prepare for about a 20 minute climb to get to the entrance of Dong Tien Son.
EXPLORING DONG TIEN SON CAVE
As you can imagine, Dong Tien Son is quite a different experience than Phong Nha Cave. It’s location at the top of a mountain makes it all the more alluring, and the walkways go deep into the mountainside.
Follow the tight winding passageways as you navigate your way through one of the most unique caves in Vietnam. In total, it shouldn’t take you more than 20 minutes to see Dong Tien Son before you head down the stairs and back to the boat.
MORE TIPS FOR YOUR PHONG NHA BOAT TOUR
- There’s a parking lot next to the ticket office, or you can pay 10,000 VND to have one of the cafe owners watch your bike. As always, it’s best to pay a little to insure your bike is looked after.
- If you have time definitely see both of these famous caves in Vietnam! They’re right next to each other so you might as well visit the two of them. Just be aware of the 500+ steps it takes to get to the top of Dong Tien Son.
- Unless you’re hiring a private boat for around $24 USD they won’t sell you a ticket until you have a full group ready to go. Be friendly and talk to people arriving to try to get a group of passengers together. Six to eight people is more than enough to get a decent price.
- Wear good shoes and athletic clothing for the hike up to Dong Tien Son.
- Try to get a seat towards the front of the boat for the best views and away from the noise of the engine. You’ll also have a great seat in case the driver doesn’t open the roof when you’re floating through Phong Nha Cave.
Have any questions about Phong Nha National Park, or want to share more of your favorite famous caves in Vietnam? Comment below!
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