10 Of The Best Cave Tours in Phong Nha: Prices, Difficulty + More!
Looking for the best cave tours in Phong Nha? I’ve compared ten of the best, from boat rides through underground rivers to exhilarating multi-day trekking adventures!
Phong Nha was a highlight of my month in Vietnam, with gorgeous natural landscapes and plenty of fun, adventurous things to do.
In particular, the UNESCO Word Heritage Site of Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park is best known for its expansive and awe-inspiring caves. Said to be home to over 400 caves in total, a cave visit is an essential part of visiting Phong Nha. Cave systems have always excited me, so we made the most of being in one of the world’s most expansive cave sites!
The national park is actually home to the largest cave in the world – the Son Doong Cave is almost 9km long, with sections reaching up to 200m high. Unfortunately, only a select few places on a five-day expedition tour are granted annually, but there are plenty more spectacular caves in Phong Nha that are much easier to get to!
Some can be visited independently, while others require an organised, guided tour. This guide covers ten different Phong Nha cave tours, from the popular backpacker spots to more challenging and multi-day trekking adventures.
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Planning your visit to Phong Nha? Check out my two-day Phong Nha itinerary and travel guide!
Overview of Phong Nha Cave Tours
The first five tours in this article visit the two to three of the most popular and easily accessible Phong Nha caves. These are are great options if you’re spending two days in Phong Nha and want to hit the highlights and explore more of Phong Nha alongside the caves. All of these tours have an easy-moderate level of difficulty.
- Paradise Cave & Dark Cave – from US$71pp
- Phong Nha Cave & Paradise Cave – from US$63pp
- Dark Cave & Phong Nha Cave – from US$71pp
- 3 Cave Overnight Tour – from US$149pp – includes hotel & meals
- Phong Nha Cave Kayak Tour – from US$95pp
Looking for a more challenging cave expedition? You can book a tour to explore some of the region’s lesser-explored caves, which are only accessible with a licensed tour guide. These range from moderate to challenging difficulty levels and are mostly aimed at adults and older children/teenagers.
- Abandoned Valley Trek – E Cave & Golden Cave – 1 day – from US$114pp
- Sinh Ton Valley Tour: Dark Cave and E Cave – 1 day – from US$147pp
- Hang Vom One Day Challenge – 1 day – from US$307pp
- Pygmy Cave Overnight Trekking Tour – 2 days – from US$349pp
- Hung Thoong Cave Expedition with Camping – 3 Days – from US$505pp
Choosing your Phong Nha Cave tour
If you’re taking a one day tour to the most popular caves, each tour includes just two of the three more accessible caves in Phong Nha.
Phong Nha Cave is the easiest to visit without transport as it departs in Phong Nha town. However, there’s a 550,000 VND boat fee, which can be shared by up to twelve people – making a taking a tour there a potentially more cost-effective option.
Dark Cave and Paradise Cave are both a little out of town. With a tour, you’ll benefit from return transportation, plus group rate discounts paid by the provider. Most tours include lunch and bottled water, and I’ve chosen tours that offer hotel pickup from either Phong Nha town or the nearby city of Dong Hoi.
However, I’d personally pick the Dark Cave and Phong Nha Cave tour option, as we found Paradise Cave to be very easy to explore self-guided.
1. Paradise Cave and Dark Cave
Price: From $71 per adult / $60 per child
Duration: Approx. 9hrs (including hotel pickups)
Departure time: Pickup from approx. 8am
Hotel pickup? Yes – Dong Hoi city centre or Phong Nha town.
Inclusions: Transportation, cave admission fees, caving equipment hire, lunch (vegetarian option available), 2x bottled water, lockers (refundable deposit of 50,000 VND).
Guide? Yes – English speaking
Children? Yes
Wheelchair accessible? No
Restrictions: For the zipline at Dark Cave, riders must be between 40-90 kg.
Ability level: Easy-Moderate
Two of the most popular caves for adventurous travellers are Paradise Cave and Dark Cave.
Paradise Cave takes a little effort getting to, but it’s more than worth it! On our visit, I tackled the hefty walk up to the mouth of the cave, before descending the steps to walk along theboardwalk through the cave. The actual cave stretches a whopping 31km, but the first 1km features a flat boardwark with illuminating light highlighting the cave’s spectacular features.
Dark Cave is all about fun and exploration. To get to the cave entrance, ride an exhilarating zipline across the water! Once you’ve kitted up with head torches, you’ll head into the dark part of the cave. Explore and take a mud bath before making your way out to enjoy swimming and an over-water obstacle course.
2. Phong Nha Cave & Paradise Cave
Price: From $63 per adult / $43 per child
Duration: Approx. 9hrs (including hotel pickups)
Departure time: Pickup from 7.30-8.30am
Hotel pickup? Yes – Dong Hoi city centre or Phong Nha town.
Inclusions: Cave admission fees, Phong Nha boat ticket, English-speaking guide, lunch (vegetarian option available), 2x bottled water.
Children? Yes – child rate for first child aged 7 and under. Children aged 3 and under go free.
Ability level: Easy-Moderate
Another tour that includes Paradise Cave, but this one’s combined with the aptly-named Phong Nha Cave. If you’re not too bothered by the zipline or water activities in Dark Cave and would rather spend more time seeing spectacular rock formations, this is the tour for you
In the morning, you’ll board one of the blue boats at the edge of the river in Phong Nha. The boat takes you through Phong Nha’s dramatic mountainous landscapes, and into the cave entrance. Once you’re inside, you’ll sail down part of the cave’s 14km long underground river, past cave grottoes, pointed rock spires and epic hanging stalactites.
Inside, there’s also a dry cave which can be explored on foot. Across both caves, you’ll see a plethora of unique rock formations, shaped over millions of years.
3. Dark Cave and Phong Nha Cave
Price: From $71 per adult / $57 per child – full option, includes zipline and mud bath.
Duration: Approx. 9hrs (including hotel pickups)
Departure time: Pickup from approx. 8am
Hotel pickup? Yes – Dong Hoi city centre or Phong Nha town.
Inclusions: Transportation, cave admission fees, caving equipment hire, lunch (vegetarian option available), 2x bottled water.
Guide? Yes – English speaking
Children? Yes
Wheelchair accessible? No
Restrictions: For the zipline at Dark Cave, riders must be between 40-90 kg
Ability level: Easy
Combining the adrenaline adventures of Dark Cave with the awe-inspiring boat ride at Phong Nha cave, this tour is great for those looking for an immersive, active experience.
Visiting Phong Nha Cave first, you’ll fill up your morning with an exciting boat ride through the cave, with time to explore on foot in the dry cave. You’ll also learn more about the history of Phong Nha Cave, and the role it played as a strategic location in the Vietnam War.
After an included lunch (vegetarian options available), it’s time to get wet and wild at Dark Cave! You’ll have around 3 hours to explore the cave and mess around on the water activities.
4. Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park Overnight Tour
Price: From $149pp (min. 2 people per booking)
Duration: 2 days / 1 night
Departure time: Pickup from around 7.30-8.30am
Hotel pickup? Yes – Dong Hoi station or hotels, Phong Nha town hotels.
Inclusions: All cave admission fees, Phong Nha boat ticket, guide, hotel accommodation, meals (2 lunch, 1 dinner, 1 breakfast), bottled water.
Guide: Yes – English-speaking
Children? Yes – adult prices apply.
Wheelchair accessible? No
Ability level: Easy-Moderate
See all three of Phong Nha’s main caves on an overnight tour from Dong Hoi!
On your first day, you’ll walk around Paradise Cave, before having lunch at Dark Cave’s restaurant. You’ll then have the afternoon to enjoy the caving and water activities at Dark Cave.
You’ll stay overnight in double room accommodation in Phong Nha town, where you can head out and explore the town’s quiet but welcoming bars after your included dinner.
The next morning, you’ll take your Phong Nha cave tour, followed by the chance to explore Phong Nha Botanic Garden. It’s not your traditional botanical garden, but more of an ecological park, with plenty of plants and wildlife. You’ll have free time to take a jungle hike and explore beautiful natural features, such as Gio Waterfall and Vang Anh Lake.
5. Phong Nga Cave Kayak Expedition
Price: From $95pp
Duration: 7hrs
Departure time: Pickup from around 9am
Hotel pickup? From hotels in Phong Nha
Inclusions: Transportation, cave entrance fee, kayak hire, safety gear, picnic lunch, snacks, bottled water.
Guide: Yes – English-speaking
Children? Aged 10+, but must be physically fit enough to complete the activities.
Wheelchair accessible? No
Ability level: Easy-Moderate – 4.5km total kayaking. No previous kayaking experience required.
Explore Phong Nha cave from a different perspective, with a 4.5km kayaking tour!
On this tour, you’ll go deep into the cave, away from the crowds and illuminations, to experience the wonder of the lesser-travelled parts of Phong Nha Cave. Using flashlights and specialist equipment, you’ll explore more of the underground river that runs almost 14km through the cave system.
Within the cave, there are hiking and climbing opportunities, as well as pool swimming. A picnic lunch inside the cave is included, and you’ll also have time to explore the dry chambers to learn more about early Vietnamese dwellers, the Cham people.
No previous kayaking experience is required to join the tour, as there’s a training session at the beginning. However, you need to be fit enough to be able to kayak the 4.5km and undertake a short 1.5km hike. Lifejackets will be provided, but participants should be able to swim.
6. Abandoned Valley Trek – E Cave & Golden Cave
Price: From $114
Duration: Full day
Departure time: Pickup from around 8am
Hotel pickup? From Phong Nha hotels. Dong Hoi pickup can be arranged for an extra cost.
Inclusions: Transportation, park entrance fee, cave permits, picnic lunch, caving and safety gear, dry bag, boot rental (sizes 36-46), snacks, bottled water.
Guide: Yes – English-speaking
Children? Aged 5+, but must be physically fit enough to complete the activities.
Wheelchair accessible? No
Ability level: Challenging – around 6km of trekking, including steep inclines.
For experienced hikers wanting to explore some of Phong Nha’s lesser visited caves, this tour takes you deeper into the Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park’s ‘Abandoned Valley’.
To start your day, you’ll have a brief meeting to plan your trip and get gearedAfter a 3km trek through the rocky jungle terrain, you’ll reach your first cave of the day. Golden Cave is uniquely home to the only gold rock formations in Quang Binh. After exploring, you’ll take a quick snack break and move on to your next cave adventure.
Cave E is a 200m wet cave, which you’ll explore by swimming (lifejackets are provided). Be warned – the water in here is COLD! As a reward for braving the temperature, you’ll get to see fossils and rock formations using head torches to guide your way through the water. You’ll also have the opportunity to try out some water activities including SUP and snorkelling.
After hiking the 3km back, you’ll finish up your tour around 4.5km. If you’re looking for a bit more of a challenge and to explore more unchartered caves, this is an ideal Phong Nha day tour!
7. Sinh Ton Valley Tour: Dark Cave and E Cave
Price: From $147pp
Duration: 8hrs
Departure time: Pickup from around 8am
Hotel pickup? From designated locations in Phong Nha and Dong Hoi.
Inclusions: Transportation, park entrance fees, cave permits, picnic lunch, caving and safety gear, dry bag, boot rental (sizes 36-46), snacks, bottled water.
Guide: Yes – English-speaking, plus assistance porter(s).
Children? Aged 8+, but must be physically fit enough to complete the activities.
Ability level: Moderate-Challenging – around 9km of trekking plus 1.5km Stand Up Paddleboard.
On this tour, you’ll trek across the 2000 hectare Sinh Ton Valley, one of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park’s lesser-explored routes. You’ll pass a range of diverse landscapes packed with fascinating natural features, from the rugged Tai Meo mountains to lush bamboo forests.
This tour also visits the popular Dark Cave, but from a whole new perspective! Going through the back entrance, you can explore around 1km of cave pathway and its moss-covered rocks. The tour also includes a visit to the stunning Ngoc Cave.
Continuing your trek through the forest, you’ll stop for lunch at E-Cave, before heading out on stand up paddleboards to explore the cave. With time to relax and enjoy water activities afterwards, you’ll be refreshed and ready for a 2.5km return trek to finish up the day.
If you want to feel like a true adventurer, this is the Phong Nha cave tour for you!
8. Hang Vom One Day Challenge
Price: From $307pp
Duration: 1 day
Departure time: From 7am
Hotel pickup? Dong Hoi and Phong Nha town hotels.
Inclusions: Transportation to activity, national park entrance fee, cave permit, lunch, bottled water.
Guide: Yes – English-speaking guide
Children? Yes
Ability level: Moderate
One of Asia’s largest cave systems, Hang Vom is so big, the full 35km length of the cave has never been explored in one single caving trip! On your day trip to Hang Vom, you’ll experience a small amount of what this cave has to offer. We’re talking huge passages, spectacular rock formations and even an underground lake.
The tour explores sections of both the dry and wet cave. At the latter, you’ll be able to do some kayaking and swimming on the underground river. A jungle BBQ lunch is provided, prepared by the porters who’ll be assisting with your adventure.
If you’d prefer to camp overnight, there’s also a two-day tour that gives you more time to enjoy the jungle and caves.
9. Pygmy Cave Overnight Trekking Tour
Price: From $349pp
Duration: 2 days / 1 night
Departure time: 8am
Hotel pickup? Phong Nha town hotels.
Inclusions: Transportation to activity, national park entrance fee, cave permit, overnight camping, safety equipment, meals (2 lunch, 1 dinner, 1 breakfast), snacks, bottled water.
Guide: Yes – English-speaking guide and assistant team
Children? No
Ability level: Challenging – 20km total hiking; climbing and abseiling
One of the more challenging Phong Nha cave tours on this list, you’ll be rewarded by seeing the sights of a cave where few visitors to the Quảng Bình province rarely tread. Covering around 20km total across the three days, including scramble climbs through rough terrain, this is a challenging expedition, but the rewards are more than worthwhile.
Along the way, you’ll get to feel like a true adventurer, along primitive trails with challenging terrains. Hang Over and Hang Pygmy used to be one cave, and after a ceiling collapse it was split. Inside, you’ll find a cave jungle full of wonders, and enjoy your first lunch stop. After a thrilling abseil into the main chamber of Pygmy Cave, the fourth largest cave in the world, before setting up camp at the mouth of the cave.
You’ll also learn more from your guides about the Ruc Ca Roong people, see waterfalls, learn about the jungle’s plant life and climb steep hills. A high level of fitness and trekking experience is needed for this adventure.
10. Hung Thoong Cave 2 Night Expedition
Price: From $509pp
Duration: 3 days / 2 nights
Departure time: 7am
Hotel pickup? Yes – Dong Hoi and Phong Nha town hotels.
Inclusions: Transportation to activity, national park entrance fee, cave permit, overnight camping, meals (3 lunch, 2 dinner, 2 breakfast), snacks, bottled water.
Guide: Yes – English-speaking guide and assistant team
Children? No
Ability level: Challenging
If you have plenty of time to spend in Phong Nha, good fitness endurance and a sense of adventure, this one’s for you! This three day trek explores the remarkable Hung Thoong cave system, a majestic wonder filled with hidden secrets. The tour visits multiple caves in the area, including Nightmare Sharp Cave, Tron Cave and Hung Cave.
You’ll trek through thick jungle to Nuoc Lan basecamp, next to the tranquil Hung Thoong River. At basecamp, you’ll be served a jungle dinner, and have the opportunity to relax and share stories after a hard day’s exploration.
The tour incorporates a variety of activities, including rapelling, swimming and trekking. On day two, you’ll abseil into Thung Cave before swimming in the underground river system. On your final day, you’ll embark on a 3hr trek to Ma Da valley, to enjoy a picnic lunch and a swim in the lake before heading back towards Phong Nha.
The most expensive tour on this list, but also the most expansive, exploring Hung Thoong is a rewarding and truly memorable adventure travel experience!
Phong Nha Cave Tours FAQ
How many caves are there in Phong Nha?
Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park is home to at least 400
Can you visit Phong Nha caves without a tour?
You can visit all three main Phong Nha caves without a tour guide, but you’ll need your own mode of transport to get to them. You could hire a scooter or car, or book a private taxi to take you to each cave.
If you’d prefer to have less hassle and don’t want to arrange your own transport, a Phong Nha cave tour is a great way to visit at least two caves in a day. You’ll also potentially save money vs visiting Phong Nha cave independently, as the boat price of 360,000 VND is shared between a boat of up to twelve people.
Are any Phong Nha cave tours wheelchair accessible?
Unfortunately not – most involve elements of walking on unsteady ground and climbing stairs (Paradise Cave). The Phong Nha Cave boat ride isn’t wheelchair accessible.
Travellers with accessibility needs should check with the tour provider before booking.
What level of fitness do I need to take a Phong Nha cave tour?
The level of fitness for Phong Nha cave tours varies by tour. Generally, the three most popular caves are the least challenging, with Phong Nha Cave requiring the lowest level of activity.
Hiking and trekking tours vary by location and length, but are generally moderate to challenging and recommended for those with some hiking experience. If you have any questions about required fitness levels for these tours, you can contact the tour provider in advance.
Dark Cave also has weight restrictions of between 40-90kg for the zip line part of the experience. You can still visit Dark Cave without riding the zipline though!
What should I take on a Phong Nha cave tour?
Most tours will provide advice on what to bring, and it’ll depend on the length of tour and if you’re trekking and camping overnight.
For a standard Phong Nha caves day tour, these items are essential:
- Sturdy footwear
- Comfortable clothes
- Swimwear, towel and water shoes (if visiting Dark Cave)
- Sunscreen, hat and sunglasses
- Insect repellant
- Cash (VND) for tour leader tips and additional purchases
Summary: Which Phong Nha cave tour is best?
Hopefully this comparison guide has given you some insight into choosing your ideal Phong Nha cave tour! Your choice will depend on which caves you want to see the most, how long you have in Phong Nha, and your personal abilities and fitness levels.
I’d personally pick the Paradise Cave and Dark Cave option, and do Phong Nha independently, banding together with other small groups to make the boat cheaper. However, next time I visit Phong Nha, I’ve also got my eye on the Hung Thoong Cave Expedition for the epic camping experience!
Whichever one you choose, visiting Phong Nha’s cave is a Vietnam highlight not to be missed!
