Phong Nha Cave Vietnam – UNESCO World Natural Heritage

Introduction

Nestled in the heart of Central Vietnam, Phong Nha Cave Quang Binh stands as a testament to the Earth’s incredible natural beauty. This UNESCO World Heritage Site has captivated many cave experts and nature enthusiast travelers alike for generations.

Known for its stunning limestone formations, meandering underground rivers, and awe-inspiring grottos, Phong Nha Cave is a destination that promises an adventure like no other. In this Phong Nha Cave travel guide, Phong Nha Cave Tours Travel takes you to more details about it for the best Phong Nha cave tour.

Phong Nha Cave Quang Binh Travel Guides

Phong Nha Cave is a mesmerizing limestone karst cave system renowned for its unique beauty. A journey to this underground world promises a unique and unforgettable experience, making it a must-visit place for travelers passionate about natural exploring. Let’s keep reading to know more details!

Where Is Phong Nha Cave?

Phong Nha Cave is located in the core zone (strictly protected area) of Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park – a World Natural Heritage twice recognized by UNESCO. The cave is located in Son Trach commune, Bo Trach district, about 45km from Dong Hoi city center, Quang Binh province.

Among the system of more than 400 caves in Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park, Phong Nha Cave is the most renowned cave that attracts millions of visitors. This cave has a total length of nearly 8km, including many small caves, possessing a myriad of magical stalactites and stalagmites as well as other special things.

Moreover, the Phong Nha cave is very near the Paradise Cave, Dark Cave- Chay River, and Mooc Spring. Therefore, you can combine exploring Phong Nha Cave with these fabulous ecotourism sites by booking our Phong Nha cave tours as follows:

• Phong Nha Cave Kayak Tour – 72 USD/ pax (the best Phong Nha cave day tour).
• Phong Nha Cave And Mooc Spring Tour – 55 USD/ pax.
• Paradise Cave And Phong Nha Cave Tour – 65 USD/ pax.
• Phong Nha Cave And Dark Cave Tour – 65 USD/ pax.
• Phong Nha Cave Tour From Hue – 45 USD/ pax.

How To Get To Phong Nha Cave?

If you are staying in Phong Nha town, you can book our Phong Nha tours above for the best experience. In case you are staying at your hotel in Dong Hoi City or Dong Hoi airport/train station, you can book our Dong Hoi private car or luxury car to transfer to Phong Nha town conveniently, such as

• Dong Hoi To Phong Nha Private Car – from 26 USD/ Sedan car.
• Dong Hoi To Phong Nha By Limousine – 89 USD/ Limousine.

In addition, you can also rent a motorbike or book a taxi. If you stay in Hanoi or other destinations that are far away from Phong Nha, you can travel by plane or train to Dong Hoi. Then, take a taxi or private car from Dong Hoi to Phong Nha boat station to visit the cave.

Phong Nha Cave Entrance Fee & Opening Hours

Phong Nha cave price:

• Adult and children over 1.3m: It costs 150,000 VND per person.
• Children under 1.3m are free.
• Take a boat at Phong Nha boat station to move along Son River to reach the Phong Nha Cave: 550,000 VND/boat with life jackets.

One boat can carry up to 12 people, including children, and you don’t need to book the boat in advance. If you would like to know more about the entrance fee for other caves as well as ecotourism sites, you can read more at Phong Nha Entrance Fee.

Daily opening hours: Summer: from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm. Winter: from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm.

Phong Nha Cave Name Meaning

Phong Nha means “wind passing through teeth” since it refers to the shape of stalactites and stalagmites at the cave entrance. Additionally, many people also call this Phong Nha Ke Bang cave after the name of the National Park. However, in reality, this is just one of more than 400 caves in Phong Nha Ke-Bang National Park.

Furthermore, Phong Nha Cave has been regarded as the “First Cave Wonder” (in Vietnamese: “Nam Thien De Nhat Dong”, meaning the most beautiful cave). Importantly, it was the first cave of Phong Nha National Park to be operated for tourism in 1991.

Best Time To Visit Phong Nha Cave

The ideal time to visit Phong Nha cave is from March to August. During this time, the weather is dry, on nice days, the river water becomes clear with a jade color and you can even see the bottom.

Things To Do At Phong Nha Cave Vietnam

In addition to admiring the beauty of the cave, you can take photos to save memorable moments. In particular, this is also a great place for wedding couples to take extremely beautiful wedding photos with a setting of surrounding magnificent stalactites.

Moreover, you can also swim through the underground river inside the cave to explore the wet caves when joining the Phong Nha cave day tours. The temperature of the water is only from 18 – 20 degrees Celcius, so it is very cool despite the summer temperature being over 35 degrees Celcius.

Phong Nha Cave’s 7 Most Prominent Global Criteria

The Phong Nha cave is 7,729 meters long, with the deepest place being 83m, including 14 grottoes, as well as a nearly 14-kilometer underground river. While the British and Vietnam cave expert team have surveyed 44.5 kilometers of the cave, tourists are only can explore the first 4,500 meters.

The Longest Wet Cave In The World

In the Phong Nha – Ke Bang limestone cave system, you will be impressed with the Hang Vom cave system, most notably the Phong Nha water cave, with a length of up to 28 km. Hang Vom is also the source of the Son River – a beautiful river flowing through this limestone mountain complex.

Another impressive thing is that the scale of Hang Vom is very large, starting from Ruc Ca Roong cave at an altitude of about 360m above sea level in Ca Roong village, Thuong Trach commune, close to the Laos border.

The World’s Highest And Largest Cave Entrance

Phong Nha Cave in Quang Binh has the widest cave entrance, with a width of up to about 20 – 25 meters. Not only that, this cave is also the cave with the highest cave entrance, with a height of up to 10 meters.

This is also the intersection of light when the boat floats on the clear and smooth surface of the river like a mirror, gradually entering the darkness and discovering the mysteries inside the cave. The contrast between light and dark at the cave entrance makes the visitor’s experience more interesting and special.

The Largest And Most Beautiful Sandbanks And Reefs

Over millions of years of water erosion and weathering, the stalactites and stalagmites inside Phong Nha cave possess strange shapes, which everyone must enchant. Some shapes of stalactites that visitors can admire, such as Lady Buddha, unicorn, lion, Kneeling elephant, etc.

The Most Beautiful Underground Lake

In addition, Phong Nha cave in Quang Binh is also considered the cave with the most beautiful underground lake, 1.5 km in length. Because it is located in a limestone cave, the underground water here has a beautiful jade-green color.

In addition, the water’s surface reflects the light of the lamps and shines on the stalactites and stalagmites, creating different captivating colors.

At this time, visitors will admire the most beautiful scenery of the cave, where there is a blue underground lake mixed with the various colors of the cave, creating beautiful scenery.

The Most Magnificent Miraculous Stalactites

This place not only has beautiful reefs and underground lakes but also has a system of super-huge stalactites with rich colors that impress many visitors with their magnificence and magnificence.

Referring to Phong Nha cave, it is impossible not to mention the stalactites and stalagmites with unique shapes and names such as “Buddha Statue”, “Royal Palace”, “Unicorn”, “Lion”, etc. This is one of the unique features that makes visitors curious and excited, especially when they can guess the exact shape and name.

More specifically, you will see the Bi Ki dry grotto on a side branch inside the cave about 1km from the cave entrance. According to the traces found, cave experts believe this place was once a place of worship for ancient Cham people from the 9th to the 11th century.

Besides, Hang Tien Tien and Hang Cung Dinh(Fairy Cave and Royal Court Cave), where there are white stalactites interwoven with beautifully shaped stone blocks, are dry grottos that you cannot miss.

The Longest Underground River

The Phong Nha Cave in Quang Binh owns the longest underground river in the world, with a length of 13,969m flowing throughout the cave. Hence, many visitors exploring Phong Nha Cave often choose kayaks to follow the water deep into the cave.

A kayak is a small vehicle that is easy to paddle and can be rowed at a slow speed. Therefore, it is the most suitable vehicle for padding through small passages in the cave and admiring the beautiful stalactites inside the cave.

Conquering Phong Nha cave by kayak is a journey in which visitors will explore the majestic, pristine beauty and witness the wondrous scene when the magical shimmering light blends with the darkness in the 4.5 km length of the cave.

If you explore the cave by boat, you can explore 1.5 km of the cave only. Conversely, if you explore Phong Nha Cave by kayak tour, you will experience many exciting activities, such as kayaking, swimming, and enjoying lunch inside a Phong Nha dry cave.

The Cave Has The Most Beautiful & Largest Dry Cave

Going through the underground water cave and enjoying the beautiful scenery like a landscape painting, visitors will come to the largest and most beautiful dry cave with a system of magnificent, shimmering stalactites in every corner.

You will admire the magnificent stalactite system along the wooden stairs arranged throughout the 1km length of the cave. The deeper you go, the more opportunities you have to explore nature’s masterpiece for yourself, admiring each stalactite and stalagmite with countless different sparkling color shapes and sizes.

Important Notes

If you plan to travel to Phong Nha Ke Bang, consider booking air tickets and hotel reservations about a week in advance. Especially during the peak tourist season from April to August, to limit sold-out tickets and rooms.

In addition, those with weak constitutions susceptible to illness due to weather changes need to bring regular medications to avoid affecting their trip.

Don’t forget to bring a camera, a waterproof bag for your phone, sunscreen, sunglasses, insect repellent, swimsuit, and wear beautiful clothes.

Conclusion

On the whole, Phong Nha Cave is a place of unparalleled beauty and geological significance that truly showcases the magnificence of the natural world. It is a fabulous gift that Nature Mother bestowed on Vietnam.

Phong Nha Cave Tours Travel & Transport hope our article can help you answer your question “Is Phong Nha worth visiting? Once again, Phong Nha Cave is one of the most valuable World heritage to explore in Central Vietnam and the world. We wish you have the most memorable experiences in Phong Nha Vietnam.