From the North or South you can travel in either direction, the country makes it easy to follow the coast line, while stopping along cute cities and towns along the way. The major cities where your journey has begun require some confidence, if not with just crossing the street, but maneuvering the many crevasses and mazes of street shops that have flooded city centers. Create a plan that makes you happy whether its shopping and dining in grand french style Vietnamese restaurants or partying the night away at various hostels and bars. Either city has something for everyone.

Once you’ve spent a few days situating yourself and getting over that long flight; book a bus, train or flight to the next destination and somewhere along the way you’ll stumble upon Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park in the Middle North. This stop is off the beaten path, 45 minutes from the main street off highway 1. If coming from Ho Chi Minh City or flying in, the city of Dong Hoi will be your stop. From Dong Hoi you will take a 45 minute drive into the depths of the national park where you will find a tiny village tucked into the Ke Bang Mountains away from the hustle and bustle and anything normal or familiar.

PHONG NHA RICE FIELDS

The first thing you see as you crest into the valley are the bright green rice fields full of vibrant color, women in conical hats tending to the rice in muddy boots and cascading rain descending upon the valley, if its spring. You’ll turn into Phong Nha under their ‘Hollywood Sign’ and become transported to what one would think a rural, yet developing village might look like. The streets are kept impeccably clean with centered foliage and some new light poles. Yet, this place still has an air of small village life with its brick facades and tempered concrete buildings. This town is developing at a speed faster than most businesses can keep up with, but they are trying. Why the sudden rush in development? Because of the sudden influx of travelers popping into town to visit the well written about and explored cave systems.

PHONG NHA CAVE

Phong Nha is surrounded by two of the world’s largest caves, along with a string of other beautiful adventures. You can do some on your own or book a fantastic tour guide. The trips can last one day or up to 5 days, the choice is up to you and what kind of adventure you want to take.

Oxalis Adventure books most of the longer cave tours and the 5 day tour into the world’s largest cave, Son Doong Cave. If something of that caliber is too much for your first cave adventure I suggest taking their one day Tu Lan tour. This tour was everything I wanted a cave tour to be. We hiked into the depths of two different caves to experience both a dry cave and a wet cave, where we donned life jackets and swam through deep darkness while listening to the deafening silence of being under the earth. We swam out into the light and a hidden valley awaited us where we ate delicious riverside BBQ while basking in the sun.

TU LAN CAVE SYSTEMS

Easy Tiger Hostel in the very heart of Phong Nha offers a great place for backpackers, with a fun atmosphere and easy to book tours. Book a motorbike driver and enjoy the scene from the back of a scooter as you roll through green fields into lush jungle.

Although Phong Nha is known for its caves, and they definitely are must see when here, there is so much more you can do. Spend more than a few days and you’ll soon discover the magic of a blissfully silent hike through the Botanical Gardens or a bike ride to the pub with cold beer. I heard a rumor you can kill a chicken and cook it right there, but that’s for you to find out, if you want.

BOTANICAL GARDENS IN PHONG NHA NATIONAL PARK

If that isn’t your idea of a good meal there are some other delectable options in town. Say hi to Hi at Bamboo cafe and enjoy one of the best spring rolls in town, or over to Capture for some familiar American style grub. Craving a latte or espresso? Capture is where you’ll want to be. Or maybe you crave some authentic Vietnamese food? Head to Tuan Ngoc and get the Vietnamese pancakes with pork, crispy and pure perfection.

If you’d rather be an independent party, you can visit Phong Nha and Tien Son Cave via the Tourism center. You book a boat, so the more people in your party the cheaper the trip. As you motor up the Song Con River, the sight of the bright teal hue of the water is magnificent. A river that is so clean, it begs to be swam in on a hot day. Once you arrive at Phong Nha Cave, the boat’s motor is turned off and you are paddled through a well lit cave to admire the towering stalagmites and mountainous stalactites. The journey almost ends when you step off the boat onto a sandy hill inside the cave to get up close and personal with the cave’s wonders. If you also booked the Tien Son cave ticket, you’ll exit the cave and ascend many stairs to the entrance. This one feels larger because of its spacious amphitheater attributes, you can almost hear your breathe echoing through its walls.

TIEN SON CAVE, PHONG NHA

Next stop on the independent tour, motorbike up to Paradise and Dark Cave. You can walk 1 km into paradise cave to experience it in all its glory or book a tour through Easy Tiger Hostel to enjoy its full 7 km trek. At Dark Cave you’ll experience a swimming adventure, mixed in with some zip lining and a dip in the mud baths. This cave has no lights, so maybe conquering some dark water swimming is in your future?

Whether you stay for a day or stay for a week, this place will steal a special place in your heart. The people are welcoming and excited to have you, while the environment is inviting and begging for exploration and awe. Vietnam is opening its doors to be explored, so jump on the band wagon! You won’t be disappointed.

TU LAN VALLEY

Source: bitesizedbabe.com