Son Trach Village
Best for first-timers: the river dock, tour offices, hostels and cafes within a short walk. Very quiet at night.
Central Vietnam
Phong Nha
- Best time
- Feb – Aug
- Ideal stay
- 3 days 2 nights
- Avg. cost
- $40 – $80/day
- Airport
- 520km from Hanoi
Phong Nha Overview
Phong Nha is a karst national park of caves, rivers and jungle, with a small traveler village at Son Trach. It suits adventure travelers, cave fans and slow nature trips.
Highlights of Phong Nha:
- Phong Nha Cave by boat: Take a river boat into the cave. Buy tickets at the dock.
- Paradise Cave: Walk the boardwalk through a large lit cavern. Go early to avoid tour groups.
- Dark Cave: Book a tour that combines a zip-line, kayaking and mud bath. Wear clothes you can get dirty.
- Son Doong and Hang En treks: Multi-day expeditions run only in the dry season. Permits are limited, so book months ahead.
Best Time to Visit: Feb – Aug is dry and cave access is open. Sep – Dec has heavy rain and flooding that can close caves. Jun – Aug is hot, so start early.
Book multi-day cave treks months ahead. Overnight buses arrive at 3 – 5 AM, so arrange late check-in.
Where to stay in Phong Nha
Where to base yourself, by travel style.
Bong Lai Valley
Farmstays with rice-field views. You need a bicycle or scooter to get around.
Dong Hoi City
Beach, airport and train station, 45 min from the caves. More food choice but a longer daily transfer.
When to visit Phong Nha
Temperature, rain and crowds by month.
January
19°C ~ 66°F
18 days of rain
Crowds: Moderate
February
20.1°C ~ 68°F
16 days of rain
Crowds: Moderate
March
23.6°C ~ 74°F
14 days of rain
Crowds: Busy
April
26.5°C ~ 80°F
13 days of rain
Crowds: Busy
May
28.6°C ~ 83°F
17 days of rain
Crowds: Busy
June
30.2°C ~ 86°F
10 days of rain
Crowds: Moderate
July
29.1°C ~ 84°F
17 days of rain
Crowds: Busy
August
28.9°C ~ 84°F
16 days of rain
Crowds: Moderate
September
27.3°C ~ 81°F
22 days of rain
Crowds: Quiet
October
24.5°C ~ 76°F
26 days of rain
Crowds: Quiet
November
22.5°C ~ 73°F
23 days of rain
Crowds: Quiet
December
19.4°C ~ 67°F
20 days of rain
Crowds: Moderate
Getting to Phong Nha
Times, costs and booking links.
Step 1: Fly to Dong Hoi (VDH) Land here, then head into Dong Hoi
Dong Hoi Airport is a small airport close to Dong Hoi city, with flights from Hanoi and Saigon. Phong Nha itself has no airport.
- Flights: Fares are roughly $34 – $64 one way. Flights run daily from Hanoi and Saigon.
- Taxi: Mai Linh, Taxi Dong Hoi and Taxi Quang Binh serve the airport. Use the meter.
- Cash tip: Withdraw dong in Dong Hoi before heading to the park. Village ATMs can run out.
Step 2: Bus to Phong Nha Hourly buses from Dong Hoi, about 1 hr
The local bus is the cheapest way from Dong Hoi. Direct sleeper buses from Hanoi and Hue drop you in Phong Nha town.
- Local bus: About 35,000 VND ($1.50), 45 – 60 min, hourly from about 5:00 to 17:00.
- Taxi: About 400,000 VND ($15 – $17), 45 min. Best for groups of 3 or 4.
- Private transfer: About 500,000 – 700,000 VND ($21 – $30).
- Long-distance bus: From Hanoi 9 – 10 hrs, $10 – $18; from Hue 4 – 5 hrs, $6 – $9. Overnight buses arrive at 3 – 5 AM.
