Top 7 Incredible Places You Can’t Miss in Cao Bang, Vietnam
Cao Bang landscapes & top 7 places to visit in Cao Bang province.
Cao Bang is a far – north frontier province of Vietnam.Sharing the border with China, Cao Bang is an off- the- beaten- path destination with spectacular landscapes of magnificient rugged mountains,tropical forests & waterfalls.This land was ever the cradle of Vietnam revolution with famous historical heritages and is home to many ethnic minorities such as Tay, Nung, Dzao, H’Mong of their rich cultures.If you are nature lovers, photographers or cultural & historical enthusiats, Cao Bang should be listed as the place to visit on your coming Vietnam Holiday.Let’s review this detailed article of top 7 places to visit in Cao Bang you should not miss when travelling to this land.
Non Nuoc Cao Bang’s Geopark
1. Ban Gioc waterfall – the most impressive one in Vietnam.
Ban Gioc waterfall is without a double a top tourist attractions in Cao Bang province, a must-see place in Vietnam.With forested mountains as a gorgeous background, Ban Gioc is really impressive with silver water falling down at about 30m high and 300m wide, making it the widest (not the highest) waterfall in Vietnam.The cascading water set against the back of the immense mountains is a uniquely captivating sight.Best time for fullest beauty of the fall is in late September & early October when the rice fields by the fall are turning golden color, the climate is also pleasant with blue sky – nice time for wonderful photographs.
2. Non Nuoc Cao Bang – a UNESCO Globlal Geopark
Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark covers more than 3,000 km2 in the districts of Ha Quang, Tra Linh, Quang Uyen, Trung Khanh, Ha Lang and Phuc Hoa, and part of Hoa An, Nguyen Binh and Thach An districts in Cao Bang province.Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark has geological value and offers majestic landscapes shaped by by limestones, towers, valleys, caves, fossils, lakes, rivers and connected underground caves… where the history of the earth dates back over 500 million years.Thanks to its values,in April 2018, the region was recognized as a global geopark by UNESCO, becoming the second in Vietnam to be honoured after the Dong Van limestone plateau in Ha Giang Province. A visit to Non Nuoc Cao Bang Global Geopark will surely bring you valuable moments of relaxation in the beautiful natural scenery and the peaceful life of ethnic locals.
Quay Son river & mountainscapes
3. Nguom Ngao cave ( Tiger Cave)
Nguom Ngao cave is just a short distance away from Ban Gioc waterfall and will be good to combine with your trip to Ban Gioc waterfall.The cave stretches over 2 km, but only the first kilometre is open to visitors.The name of the cave comes from the language of the local Tay ethnic minority, which means tiger’s cave. It is said that a long time ago, many fierce tigers sheltered in the cave and would enter the nearby village to hunt for livestock and even humans.Luckily, rather than an ambush of angry tigers, those who enter the cave are met with stunning scenes of rock formations. The cave is filled with stalactites and stalagmites in differing shapes and sizes, their forms emerging from the cliff face and often depicting mythical creatures or magical scenes.
4. Phat Tich Truc Lam Pagoda.
Phat Tich Truc Lam is a famous pagoda buit on the hillsides that you can easily realize from afar. The pagoda was constructed in traditional Vietnamese styles worshipping Buddha & Vietnam’s national heroes such as Vo Nguyen Giap, Ho Chi Minh, Hung Vuong.Quite steep to climb up but it is worth your efforts.As you climb higher to the main temple area, the towering mountains & Ban Gioc waterfall in the valley are stunningly captured into your eyes.What a pictureque Non Nuoc Cao Bang you can captivate !
The view from Truc Lam Pagoda
5. Visit the ethnic handicraft villages in Cao Bang.
En Route to Ban Gioc waterfall from Cao Bang city, there are two handicraft villages in Quang Uyen district, you can visit for a better sense of local ethnics’ daily life : Phia Thap village in Quoc Dan commune of Nung people and Pac Rang village in Phuc Sen commune.
Phia Thap village, home to 50 families of Nung ethnic minority, is surrounded by green rice fields & mountains.The locals haves specialized in making incense for ages.Every year, when Lunar New Year is approaching, the village is busy in preparation to make the largest volume of incense. The incense here are made of natural ingredients with a special fragrance.Visiting the village you will get to know the whole process of incense making.
Pac Rang forging village – is an another interesting place to visit in Cao Bang. Pac Rang villagers practice traditional forging for generations. This village is home to 51 households of Nung An ethnic minority group.At Pac Rang, almost every home has a furnace and do forging business with various products such as knives, hoes, shovels …..In addition to the forge, people here also cultivate rice, crops and cattle.The houses of the people here are stilt houses.They preserve their cultural traditions & dress their own tradtional dresses.. This is a wonderful site for cultural enthusiats.
6. Thang Hen lake system.
As a part of Non nuoc Cao Bang UNESCO Geopark,Thang Hen lake system are made up of 36 natural lakes connected with eachother. However, the best time to visit is the wet season, when the water level rises and links up all the lakes together to become one big lake.The surrounding landscape is blessed with green jade water, green towering limestone mountains, wide flower fields and a peaceful valley.While the lake is picturesque, it’s the rock formations and scenes of daily life that make Thang Hen worth visiting.
7. Pac Bo Historical Complex.
Pac Bo historical complex is a place of historical significance & incredible beauty in Vietnam.Located near China’s border, Pac Bo cave was ever the living place of President Ho Chi Minh in 1941 to promote the early revolution in Vietnam against French colonialism.Pac Bo boasts an absolutely wild and primitive nature with limestone mountains, cave, azure rivers and lakes and green paddies. Pac Bo cave is the place Ho Chi Minh lived for seven weeks while Lenin Stream is the place the beloved leader sat and worked during his time here.A visit to Pac Bo cave will give you a great insight of Ho Chi Minh’s modest life, his talented leadership & Vietnam’s history during that tough time as well as nice chances to admire pristinely natural scenery.
Le Nin stream – Pac Bo historical complex
Best time to visit Cao Bang area
Although Cao Bang landscapes can be visited any time of the year but the best time to visit Cao Bang is between September & October.In this time, the climate is pleasant with less frequent rain, the sky is clearly blue, it is also the time the rice field change its colour to its fullest golden beauty – beautiful time to admire Non Nuoc Cao Bang’s landcapes.
In rainy season especially during storm influences happening between May and August, mountainous regions are constant with the threats of landslides, it could sometimes cause a big danger on roads or even block the roads for a few days.Travelling to Cao Bang this time, you should check weather forecast in advance to make sure of safe travel journey.
Connected journey with Cao Bang exploration.
Your journey to visit to Cao Bang could be done in 3 day travel itinerary from Hanoi, you can flexibly arrange well to visit above top must-see attractions in Cao Bang.If longer time you have, we suggest you explore the whole Northeast Mountain Vietnam in 8-10 day travel program exploring Bac Son valley, Ba Ba lake & national park, Cao Bang highlights, Dong Van Global Geopark, Hoang Su Phi rice terraces, Bac Ha – Sapa, then back to Hanoi.This region of less touristic & untouched natures promises you a journey of natural landscape admiration & authentic local culture expleriences.
Check-in Ma Pi Leng Pass – Ha Giang
Let’s review this 8 day Northeast Vietnam Adventure for the detailed references and plan well for your journey ahead
How to get to Cao Bang from Hanoi?
Cao Bang is a remote mountainous province, 300 km far from Hanoi, you can choose to reach Cao Bang by different ways depending on your budget & interest.
By motorbike.
If you are skilful at driving motorbike and love adventure trip along rugged mountains & stunning landscapes, motorcycle will be your great choice. However, the road to Cao Bang has many steep slopes with winding passes and many large trucks so you need to guarantee your safety.
Some suggested agencies for hiring motorbikes in Hanoi
– Van Chinh Company
Address: No. 24D Ta Hien St, Hoan Kiem District
Tel: +84 989 595 533
– Bon Bon Motor
Address: No. 246 Ton Duc Thang St, Dong Da District
Tel: +84 125 5225 555
By public bus transport
Cheap option is catching a public bus from My Dinh Station in Hanoi (No. 20 Pham Hung St, My Dinh), there is a lot of high-quality and air-conditioned coach to Cao Bang Station.However, Cao Bang’s attractions are far from Cao Bang city & not close to eachother so you need to get a motorbike or taxi to get around there.
Thanh Ly Company
Fee: VND 200.000 for a single ticket
Travel time: 9 hours
Tel: +84 944 266 266 +84 916 121 888
Khanh Hoan Company
Fee: VND 200.000 for a single ticket
Travel time: 8 hours
Tel: +84 915 660 062
By private car transfer.
For your flexibility & comfort, hiring a private car with driver is another choice. You can get consulted with suitable travel itineraries & qoutation from a car transfer service company,and be arranged with experienced & professional driver.
By joining a private customized tour.
You are the first timers and would love to experience the best of the places you come to? The smart way is planning your trip thru an experienced tour company who can provide you with useful information & consultancy, customize your trip of your preference & support the trip well for your memorable experiences.Planning a trip to visit Cao Bang’s top attractions, if you are in need of local consultancy, feel free to drop us an email to [email protected] or contact us at +84.988451530 ( whatsapp, viber).
See you in Cao Bang, Vietnam !
Golden Holiday Travel Team !
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Ban Gioc Waterfall is the widest and most impressive waterfall in Vietnam, spanning 300 meters across and dropping 30 meters in multiple tiers. It is also famous for being the world’s fourth-largest waterfall located on an international border (between Vietnam and China). For the best experience, visit during the rainy season (June to August) to see the falls at full power, or the dry season (October to April) for clear turquoise waters and easier access for bamboo raft rides.
The Non Nuoc Cao Bang UNESCO Global Geopark covers nearly half of the province. The best way to explore it is by following the specialized “experience routes” curated by local experts like Golden Holiday Travel. These routes take you through fossil-rich limestone landscapes, “The Mountain Angel Eye” (God’s Eye Mountain), and traditional craft villages like the Phia Thap incense village, offering a deep dive into 500 million years of Earth’s history.
Nguom Ngao Cave, or “Tiger Cave” in the local Tay language, gets its name from a legend that tigers once lived inside. Today, it is famous for its massive chambers and unique limestone formations that resemble lotus petals, forests, and mythical creatures. Located just 3km from Ban Gioc Waterfall, it is a must-see stop that offers a cool, mystical escape from the tropical heat.
Pac Bo is more than just a scenic spot; it is a sacred pilgrimage site where President Ho Chi Minh returned to Vietnam in 1941 after 30 years of exile. Visitors can see the exact cave where he lived and worked, alongside the strikingly blue Lenin Stream and Karl Marx Mountain. It offers a rare combination of serene natural beauty and deep political history that is central to the identity of modern Vietnam.
The Thang Hen Lake System is a geological wonder consisting of 36 separate lakes connected by underground caves. During the rainy season, the water levels rise and connect the lakes into one massive, emerald-green body of water. It is a peaceful location perfect for photography, boat rowing, and discovering the “mountain eye” hole at the nearby Mat Than Mountain.
The journey itself is an attraction, specifically the Ma Phuc Pass and the Me Pia Pass (14-level pass). Ma Phuc is famous for its seven steep turns and spectacular views of the karst valley below, while Me Pia is a legendary 2.5km winding road that looks like a giant snake crawling up the mountain. For safety and the best photo spots, booking a private car with an experienced driver is highly recommended for these challenging terrains.
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