Our journey to Phong Nha was particularly complicated. We chose to take the train from Hanoi to Dong Hoi (city near Phong Nha), then sleep there and take a bus to Phong Nha the next morning. Our train left more than two hours late, was of questionable cleanliness (cockroaches in the sockets …) and we did not arrive in Dong Hoi before around 11 PM, after more than 12 hours by train (compared to 9 hours originally planned ).
However, we did not regret our choice to visit Phong Nha at all. Phong Nha is a small mountain village renowned for its caves. The landscapes in this part of Vietnam are breathtaking. Our hotel had a view on the surrounding rice fields, which gave a very pleasant atmosphere.
To move more easily, we chose to rent a scooter, because points of attention werefar away from each others and we did not want to be part of an organized trip.
We were able to visit Phong Nha cave (cave which is accessed only by boat, which we shared with other tourists) as well as Paradise Cave. While the entrance to Paradise Cave gives the impression that it is very small, we in fact went really deep into the heart of the mountains, and the cave itself and its rock formations are breathtaking.
We were also able to visit the Phong Nha Botanic Garden, which allows you to hike surrounded by many plant species.
In the end, our stay in Phong Nha was very pleasant, and we will return with pleasure if an opportunity arises.
If you want to see more, you can watch the following video: