Phong Nha Caves
Phong Nha Caves
4.5
Points of Interest & Landmarks • National Parks • Caverns & Caves
Read more
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
About
The spectacular system of underground rivers and passages still has some Cham altars from the 10th century.
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view










What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience Phong Nha Caves
The area
Address
See what other travelers are saying
- Wessel Landman59 contributionsWow Factor!This is a mild activity done from the comfort of a dragon boat and you can sit back and relax while taking in the breathtaking scenery inside this HUGE cave believed to be 7 km long. You only go in about 1 km inside the cave and it is amazing to discover the beauty of it all. Very ancient , feels like you travel back into time , sense of peace, amazement and complete surrender to your immediate surroundings..You also do about 200-300m walking inside the cave which I enjoyed immensely. This is money well spend and worth doing.... go early...Visited March 2020Written March 22, 2020
- 4boysdad127 contributionsPhong Nha Cave wowI included this area in our holiday to specifically visit the three caves close by after reading about them in various travel guide. Access to the Phong Nha cave is via a 25 minute boat ride which gives an interesting view of the town built along the river banks. Tickets must be bought before entering the embarkation area. As we had our own guide we had the boat to ourselves but I suspect the others were a mixture of family groups and individuals. The boat takes you 500 meters into the cave before dropping you back at the walk way that traverses the interior of the cave. Both sections provide views of spectacular formations in a range of amazing colours. The walking section is easy to travel as it is well constructed with even boardwalks and hand rails. There is a flight of steps at the exit point but with with a low level of fitness everyone should handle these with minimal difficulty. Before embarking on the return journey (in the same boat- so remember the number) take the time to wander in the market on the quay to buy drinks, ice cream or food and souvenirs. There are toilets located in the market. I highly recommend this attraction. I have seen nothing like this in Australia for colour or size the cave is truly spectacular.Visited July 2023Traveled with familyWritten August 1, 2023
- kielersprotte1511 contributionsCONQUER 4.5 KM OF PHONG NHA CAVEWe did the 4.5 km kayak tour in the Phong Nha Cave and really liked it! We were a group of 6 people with one tour guide and one porter. We kayak and also hiked into different parts of the cave. We were served a nice vietnamese lunch in the cave and there was also the possibility to go swimming (but its not a must). Before we were worried about the temperature as now in december it was quite cold outside, but inside the cave it was about 20 degrees and not too cold. We were fine with shorts (your legs get a bit wet during kayaking) and a tshirt. You are also given some plastic sandals and a dry bag to use during the tour. It was quite adventurous - which was what we had hoped for! You really go inside parts of the cave where not many people go. This also means you climb over rocks, hold onto ropes etc. without a very well maintained path, which can be slippery - so be prepared for that! Overall very nice and fun day.Visited December 2022Written December 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
1,304 reviews
Excellent
900
Very good
323
Average
64
Poor
10
Terrible
7
Beth
Bristol, UK980 contributions
Mar 2020 • Couples
Nightmare to actually get tickets. You have to pay 150,000 dong for your ticket then wait for 11 other people so you can all pay for a boat at 550,000 dong between you. Why not just charge everyone 45,000 dong which is a twelfth of the boat price?! We had a nightmare trying to badger passersby into joining our boat and eventually found 10 people. The boat journey itself was nice and the caves interesting. Dont really think it's worth the amount they charge though
Written March 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Edwincrb
Hanoi, Vietnam29 contributions
Jul 2020
Gliding in gondolier style into a spectacular cave the is kilometres long. Seeing sculptures that are unbelievable. Imagination, shows an alligator, a lion, a mother and child's heads, stepped water falls...We went three times over 20 days.
That is how extraordinary the caves are..........
That is how extraordinary the caves are..........
Written August 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
QuanLee
Shawnee on Delaware, PA131 contributions
Sep 2023 • Family
Amazing trip to Phong Nha cave with my family. the cave is away the city centre around 45km (1,5 hours by car).
Firstly we access cave by boat, it took around 30 minutes on the boat but we really enjoy it. we were lucky to travel on a beautiful weather day. My kids enjoy the boat trip. The only thing we think it could be better if the boat use the electric engine or better engine, the current one is ran by fuel so it was so noisy and sometime not good impact on the customers when we enjoy the sceneries along the river, anyway the boat driver and the tour guide were so nice that make us forget the engine.
Entering the cave was an stunning feeling. the cave is really a magnificent artwork which we can not imagine how could mother earth can create it.
We love the cave and the way how was it built. if we have another chance, we will be back with an kayak boat for an adventure trip (6km deep to the cave).
Firstly we access cave by boat, it took around 30 minutes on the boat but we really enjoy it. we were lucky to travel on a beautiful weather day. My kids enjoy the boat trip. The only thing we think it could be better if the boat use the electric engine or better engine, the current one is ran by fuel so it was so noisy and sometime not good impact on the customers when we enjoy the sceneries along the river, anyway the boat driver and the tour guide were so nice that make us forget the engine.
Entering the cave was an stunning feeling. the cave is really a magnificent artwork which we can not imagine how could mother earth can create it.
We love the cave and the way how was it built. if we have another chance, we will be back with an kayak boat for an adventure trip (6km deep to the cave).
Written September 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helen
2 contributions
Feb 2020 • Friends
Many beautiful caves in Quang Binh Need to explore and different.All trips are well worth the trip, right from the boat trip to the entrance of the cave. Visiting Phong Nha, your life will be bright! We can say that Phong Nha is a marvelous masterpiece of creation. Phong Nha is a pride not only for Quang Binh - but also for Vietnam!
Written February 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Monica
16 contributions
Aug 2019 • Friends
I was so amazed by the beauty of nature here at Phong Nha Caves. I cannot imagine a more beautiful and stunning place then here. The most impressing memory for me was when I was driving the boat and going into the caves. The transquill atmosphere here literally drew all my stress away. I will come back here with my family.
Written January 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
氏戎 阮
3 contributions
Apr 2019 • Friends
Take a boat trip on river about 30 minutes to arrive Phong Nha cave. Leaving the boat you will walk inside caves. You will see amazing caves with so many wonderful stones. Nice things to discovery. Do not forget to bring jacket when going there coz it is little bit cold. I really loved this place. I will recommend this caves to all of my friends.
Written March 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tom Travel
Sapa, Vietnam547 contributions
Feb 2020 • Family
Take a boat trip on the Son River about 30 minutes you will arrive Phong Nha caves. Leaving the boat you will walk inside caves. You will see amazing caves with so many wonderful stones. I really loved this place. I will recommend this caves to all of my friends.
Written February 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JSTrip_77
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina1,274 contributions
Apr 2021
If you look at the negative reviews, they seem to be from people who either weren't interested in seeing the caves in the first place or just seem like people who cannot be pleased. The fact of the matter is that there's really no way to see these caves properly without taking a tour with a guiding company. If you do that, you'll see the remarkable cave system through trekking, climbing, rope-work (basic), and even swimming. We did a 3d/2n trip and considered it to be the most incredible experience of our three-years in Vietnam.
Written April 28, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pete
Narrandera, Australia178 contributions
Feb 2023
We visited Phong Nha cave on a day trip during a 20 day tour of Vietnam. We'd been to Paradise Cave in the morning and visited Phong Nha after lunch. While not as spectacular as Paradise Cave, this is an activity worth doing.
After a 20-30min boat ride up the river, the captain turns off the engine and then uses an oar to paddle into the cave. Once in the cave you disembark and walk out through the dry section of the cave. Once out, you board the same boat and head back down the river to the starting point.
After a 20-30min boat ride up the river, the captain turns off the engine and then uses an oar to paddle into the cave. Once in the cave you disembark and walk out through the dry section of the cave. Once out, you board the same boat and head back down the river to the starting point.
Written March 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bobnrobyn
Gympie, Australia658 contributions
Oct 2019
Nice boat trip from town , then engine off and row inside cave . All very peaceful and pretty , interesting war history , hideout and hospital . Walk back to entry nice then back on boat to town . Great cave but after visit to Paradise every cave will be a bit disappointing .
Written January 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Graham27Ireland
Dublin91 contributions
Hi Everyone. I am wondering the cost of a private taxi from Phong Nha to Hue? Also If I am going to Phong Nha can I see all the caves and do the ziplining in a day or do I need two?
Laurens
66 contributions
Hi Graham
We travelled from Hue to Phong Nha.
For transport I would advise to use a (sleeping/standard)bus instead of a taxi because taxies are expensive (we took a private taxi from Hoi An to Da Nang for 12 USD for only 30 km). A bus trip from Hue to Phong Nha costs around 10-15 USD/pax only (I don't remember exactly). The bus companies are well organised and thus thrustworthy. For us, the busses didn't have any delays or overbookings. We always booked a bus via our hostel or just go to a local booking office in Hue. They always can help you with any request.
About the caves: the choices of trips are endless. The most compact trip you can do is a day trip where you can visit 3 caves: Paradise Cave, Phong Nha Cave and Dark Cave. Or you can choose to do a day trip to every cave and explorer into more detail or do a more custom trip of more days. The choice is yours.
gunslingorg
Buford, GA22 contributions
Which caves can be reached by car, and how long does each take to see? For those that cant be reached by car, how far do you have to walk and are there trail maps somewhere?
Matthew P
Brighton and Hove, UK716 contributions
Not sure they can be reached by car as a large part of the joy of this excursion is to take the boat up river and to explore the caves from there. If you are able to get there by land, I'm sure Google can help, I'd give yourselves a couple of hours to see everything but you have to remember that some caves are only accessible by boat and you have to join the boats at the start not once at the complex. The best cave is up a huge number of steps which are paved and there are plenty of points to stop and take in the view and buy a cold drink if needed. As for trail maps, again Google should be able to help but not sure if they're really necessary as once you are there it's fairly clear where to go.
Melanie E
Auckland Central, New Zealand128 contributions
Do I need to book in advance? Is it necessary to book a tour or can you get a ticket at the entrance?
Matthew P
Brighton and Hove, UK716 contributions
Hi Mel, just get a ticket at the ticket office down o the river. The ticket includes a boat trip upstream to the caves where you get dropped off to explore on your own. You are then picked up at a prearranged time and the boat then navigates through a series of caves only accessible by water. It's a great place to visit.
antonella c
Arenzano, Italy299 contributions
Vorrei suggerimenti su come organizzare questa escursione . Pacchetto organizzato ( con chi vi siete trovati bene?) o fai da te ( come raggiungere il sito?)
Vorrei visitare sia Phòng nha cave sia la grotta del Paradiso.
Attendo consigli. Grazie
Alberto S
Milano, Italia1,540 contributions
Ri- ciao Antonella, sono in leggera difficoltà nel risponderti.
Io e mia moglie eravamo a Dong Hoi (quindi abbastanza distanti) dove abbiamo avuto solo l'imbarazzo della scelta nel trovare un mini tour operator che con 65 euro circa ci ha portato (in 2 con la sua auto) a entrambe le grotte.
Essendo tu in un hotel già nei pressi di entrambe le località, ma fuori dai centri abitati, non sono in grado di darti indicazioni sulla possibilità di trovare prezzi più ragionevoli (per l'assenza di un rapporto domanda/offerta vantaggioso).
Da dove mi sembra sia situato il vostro albergo potrebbe essere ragionevole anche il noleggio di biciclette... ma siamo sempre lì, saranno disponibili in loco?
Per organizzarvi da soli, anche io non amo i tour organizzati, tenete presente che con una mappa decente troverete la strada che collega le due attrazioni e che comunque non c'è pericolo di perdersi o di trovare gente pericolosa; fidatevi senza problemi delle indicazioni dei locali (se riuscite a capirvi col loro "imperfetto" inglese.
So di non averti dato le spiegazioni che cercavi ma ti consiglio di continuare a cercare su internet eventuali opportunità oppore di fare un'offerta al ribasso all'albergatore... i vietnamiti sono abbastanza inclini alla trattativa.
Alberto095
What's the price for a boat trip?
Chublah
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam26 contributions
Hi, the price of 1 boat is 350,000 VND (approx. $16).
aliceemw
6 contributions
Hi! I have an upcoming trip to Vietnam in March and I'm super excited! But a little bit stressed in terms of traveling between each city.
What is the best/recommended way to travel from Ninh Binh to Phong Nha Caves and Phong Nha Caves to Hue?
I've read a few sites and I've just seen lots of conflicting views!
Thanks :)
Simon B
Munich, Germany20 contributions
Hi Alice,
from Phong Nha to Hue it's very easy to take a bus. It usually takes approx. 4-5 hours and it's cheap and comfortable.
It was our favorite way of travelling between most cities and you can book the bus either directly in your hostel or at any local travel agency.
Have fun!
maryam
Tehran, Iran12 contributions
Hello
Im planning for visiting this cave in a one day trip from hoi an. is it possible? as I will be in hoi an for 5 nights, I preffer dont go to another city. is there one day tours from hoi an and how much does it cost?
Also how can I go there myself with a lower price?
Thanx
Cheryl T
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam8 contributions
Hi there,
It's better if you stay in Hoi An 2D1N --> Hue (old royal palace) 1D1N --> Phong Nha - Ke Bang at least 2D1N (highly recommend you should stay in PN-KB as much as you can). Or Hoi An 3D2N --> PN-KB 3D2N.
There is bus from Hue to PN-KB as 1 day trip but it's takes much time (4 hrs) and you don't have enough time to visit caves in PN-KB. I'm not sure is there any 1 day trip from Hoi An to PN-KB as the route is very far, you can ask receptionist at your hotel for more info.
If you have 1 day only in PN-KB, the cost of tour about 1 million vnd/person and you just visit normal caves, not special caves because of not enough time.
Again, I'm highly recommend you stay some more days in PN-KB, many tourists told me they wished they had more days in there to visit more caves.
List of caves you "must go": combo Paradise cave + Dark cave (1 day), Tu Lan cave (1 day), Hang En Cave (2 days), Hang Tien Cave (1-2 day),..
Flyer748414
7 contributions
Hello,
We’re going to Phong Nha tomorrow (arrive about 11am), staying for 1 night and hoping to get the 5pm bus to Dong Hoi to get our train. We’d like to see Phong Nha caves and Paradise Cave. We’ve looked at day trips for our second day, they’re quite expensive and we might miss our bus to Ding Hoi. Phong Nha caves will be easy to sort but is there a cheaper way to see Paradise caves? Can you negotiate with tour companies? We have considered renting a moped. Are there also any other ways to do it?
Thank you
Andrew LIM
Singapore, Singapore207 contributions
I am sorry. Our trip was arranged by a local guide. Do not have the information to guide you. Maybe check with the hotel you are staying?
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listingPhong Nha Caves - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about Phong Nha Caves
- Phong Nha Caves is open:
- Sun - Sat 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
- We recommend booking Phong Nha Caves tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 42 Phong Nha Caves tours on Tripadvisor
- According to Tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience Phong Nha Caves:
- Phong Nha Cave & Paradise Cave Day Tour Small Group to Fairy Land (From $75.00)
- PHONG NHA CAVE- PARADISE CAVE FULL DAY FROM DONG HOI or PHONG NHA (From $79.00)
- Paradise Cave & Dark Cave Full Day Trip (From $89.90)
- Da Nang – Hue – Phong Nha Dark Cave - Hoi An – Ba Na Hills–golden Bridge 5days4n (From $864.17)
- Paradise Cave & Phong Nha Cave (From $69.75)
Phong Nha Caves Information
Excellent Reviews | 900 |
---|---|
Very Good Reviews | 323 |
Phong Nha Caves Photos | 1,701 |