Phong Nha Grotto | Top attractions in Quang Binh

The grotto has many sections, with a total length of up to 20km, but travellers are only able to explore the part of it, which is a part of an underground river called Nam Aki.To admire the beauty of this cave,travellers must take a 30 minute boat ride along Son river – the journey gives you the great captivation of majestic forested limestonne mountains setting along the river- the mountains and the river embrace each other, creating a majestic scene that provokes the imagination of many people.

The mouth of Phong Nha cave

It is a water cave with a river running thru so it is impossible to visit on the rainy season ( September to March) because when the water of the river increases, the cave is almost flooded.This cavern is beautiful and reachable on dry season from March to August.

The entrance of the grotto has a width of 20m and a height of 10m.The further you go into the cave, the more beautiful the cave is with thousands of stalagmites & stalactites in magical forms, you will feel refreshing with the cool air inside the cave  ( like a natural aircon).The transparent water of the river resembles the surface of a mirror. As we go further into the heart of the cavern, the light becomes dimmer before it totally dies out. Along with the sound of the boat's rowing paddles, we feel as if the sound of gongs is coming from afar. The inhabitants regard it as the music from the banquet of the God of Mountain.

Inside Phong Nha cave – natural sand & stalagtites

Phong Nha has more than 20 caves with a huge 1500m-long main hall as well as many supplement halls which are hundreds meter long. The outer caves have 10m high ceilings and the inner caves have 25-50m high ceilings. From the 14th cave on, visitor can get to bigger and more dangerous caves where the stalactite-forming process is still occurring. Continuing their adventure on the boat for about 800m, visitors can get to a place called the Dried Cave where stalagmites and stalactites form a spectacular construction full of intrigue shapes.

Phong Nha cave's stagmites 

It is hard and even nearly impossible to describe in words the majestic beauty of those caves and halls painted with the glistering color of underground water reflecting on huge blocks of stalagmites and stalactites. We feel speechless: excited and scared at the same time as if we are traveling inside a giant monster. At that moment, your mind will be filled with exhilarating or daunting imagination.

In this boat ride to Phong Nha grotto, you can extend the trip to visit Tien Son cave – a dry cave next to Phong Nha cavern, you just pay 80.000 vnd for entrance tickets & some fees for the boat as well. You can buy tickets in advance at Phong Nha ticket center if you love to visit both of them.

Nam Aki river inside Phong Nha cave

How to get to Phong Nha cave?

The entrance ticket is 150,000 vnd/ person, the private boat is 360,000 vnd/jounrney (if you go in big group, you can get one boat for your privacy. If small group you have, you can share with the others.The capacity of each boat is 14 paxs maximum and requested with life jackets on).

Phong Nha grotto is 60km far from Dong Hoi city.If you stay in Dong Hoi city and would like to do the trip yourselves, the cheapest one is catching a local bus daily routing from Dong Hoi city to Phong Nha tourism center & back. More freedom & flexible, you can rent a motorbike and hang around to visit Phong Nha cave and other places such as Thien Duong cave, Nuoc Mooc stream,  Chay river – Dark cave. For the comfort & safety, you can get a private car with driver rent for a day journey from Dong Hoi city to Phong Nha cave, Paradise cave, Nuoc Mooc Stream or Chay river – Dark cave, then back to Dong Hoi city.

If you stay in Dong Hoi city and would love to join in the tour with guide, lunches, transfer & entrance fees included ( shared- group tour or private tour only for your group), you can send us the request to [email protected] or contact us at +84.988451530 (sms, viber, whatsapp)

We wish you a good trip to explore Phong Nha cave & Quang Binh landscapes !