As the “Green Jewel” in the Northeast of Vietnam, Cao Bang Province is famous for mesmerizing scenery, magnificent mountains expanding to the northeast border with China, significant historical and cultural values of ethnic communities. For nature lovers, cultural and historical enthusiasts, Cao Bang is certainly not-to-miss destination.

Cao Bang Travel Overview

Cao Bang is an off-the-beaten-path destination with spectacular natural landscapes of superb mountains, tropical forests, gorgeous lakes and poetic waterfalls. Due to mountainous location, the landscapes here are mainly impacted by jagged mountains carpeted in thick vegetation, limestone karsts, immense rice paddies and winding roads. With the nickname of Cradle of the Revolutionary Movement, this land used to be a basis for the North Vietnamese revolutionaries with numerous famous historical heritages. Cao Bang is also the long-time settlement of many ethnic minorities with long-established customs and traditions such as Tay, Nung, Dzao, H'Mong. In April, 2018, the stunning natural beauty of the region was recognized as UNESCO Global Geo-park.

Climate in Cao Bang 

With subtropical humid climate, Cao Bang is has a mild weather. In the spring, the weather is sunny and warmer around 28 while summertime is rainy and hot with the temperature around 32℃. In the fall, the weather is fewer rainy, cool and pleasant at 29. In winter, due to the high altitude, is quite cold with a low average temperature of 5-8°C and a high average of 15-28°C.

What is the best time to visit?

Each season in Cao Bang has own charms; however, the best time to visit Cao Bang is in the spring (March to April) or fall (September to October). If you want to admire the snow-capped mountains in Cao Bang, let’s come here from November to January.

How to get there?

About 300 kilometers far from Hanoi, Cao Bang is a remote mountainous province with few transports. There are no train stations or airport so tourists can get there only by road.

1. By public bus transport

There are both sleeper buses (at night) and mini buses during the day time. It takes about 6 to 8 hours from Hanoi to Cao Bang. Tourists can take a public bus from My Dinh Station, Gia Lam Bus Station or Southern bus station in Hanoi, which is high-quality and air-conditioned.

2. By private car

For freedom, flexibility and comfort, hiring a private car with driver is an ideal choice. A private car with an experienced and professional driver gives tourists opportunities fully explore the province.

3. By motorbike.

If you are good at driving motorbike and guarantee your safety along rugged mountains and steep slopes with winding passes, motorcycle will be a good choice.

What to visit in Cao Bang

1. Ban Gioc Waterfall

Ban Gioc Waterfall is one of the most impressive waterfalls in Southeast Asia and one of the 4 largest cross-border waterfalls of the world. With about 100 meters wide, 70 meters high and 60 meters deep, the waterfall contains 2 branches. The main branch flows through the steep limestone cliffs to create a magnificently strong current while the sub-branch flows gently, like a soft white silk strip across the gorgeous mountains. The waterfall rolls down the flat rocks, creating a white dust that blurred the whole space, making the extremely poetic and marvelous setting.

2. Nguom Ngao cave

Just 3 kilometers far from Ban Gioc waterfall, Nguom Ngao cave is the natural masterpiece and a charming limestone cave in Vietnam. Discovered in 1921, the cave was officially opened to tourists in 1996, and recognized as a national-level scenic landscape in 1998. With the total length of 2144 meters, Nguom Ngao cave has many stalactites and stalagmites inside, forming eye-catching shapes with different colors. Nguom Ngao is often called as “Tiger Cave” in the Tay ethnic language because the cave used to be the natural habitat of tigers. Reaching here, tourist will be stunned at the majestic landscapes and the great creation of the Mother Nature.

3. Pac Bo Historical Complex

Pac Bo Historical Complex is a memorial and museum. Pac Bo Cave is a place where Ho Chi Minh used to live, work and lead the Vietnamese revolutionaries in against French colonialism. Lenin Stream is the most turquoise river with crystal clear water and the place where the great beloved father admired pristinely natural scenery and wrote poetry. Coming here, tourists have chance to gain a great insight of Ho Chi Minh's modest life, his talented leadership and Vietnamese history during war. Travelers also contemplate dreamy and poetic setting of cool streams, lush mountains and charming marine paint.

4. Thang Hen Lake

As a part of Non Nuoc Cao Bang UNESCO Geo-park, Thang Hen is the largest freshwater lake among 36 natural ones in Tra Linh district at an altitude of 1000 meters. All the lakes here are around mountains, formed in limestone formations. Despite being separated into many small lakes, they are connected by underground caves. Thang Hen is endowed with picturesque landscape, with green jade water, towering limestone mountains, stunning flower fields and a poetic valley.

5. Phat Tich Truc Lam Pagoda

On the hillsides, Phat Tich Truc Lam is a famous pagoda, constructed in traditional Vietnamese styles. The pagoda is to worship Buddha and some famous Vietnam's national heroes, including Vo Nguyen Giap, Ho Chi Minh, Hung Vuong. Arriving here, visitors can admire the unique architecture of traditional pagodas in Vietnam. Climbing higher to the main temple area, tourists feast the eyes with the towering mountains and poetic Ban Gioc waterfall in the dreamy valley.

6. Nui Thung mountain

Considered Angel Eye Mountain, Nui Thung Mountain is a special place with a huge hold is halfway up the mountain. Inside the mountain, there is a very large cave with stalactites, stalagmites and water seeping out of cliffs above, forming a small stream of tens of meters down into the cave. Tourists also admire the large plains, lakes and a small Nam Tra waterfall around the mountain.

7. Phia Oac-Phia Den National Park

Like a haven for unique flora and fauna Phia Oac-Phia Den National Park has the total area of 10,593 hectares, in which the approximately 77 percent of the area is natural forest. The park is the home to more than one hundred floral species, including over 90 endangered types, 496 vertebrate species, and 58 rare types. Apart from preserving the biodiversity, the park also aim at promoting environmental security, and reducing land erosion and floods; thus the livelihoods of local people in downstream regions is much stabilized.

8. The ethnic handicraft villages

There are two famous ethnic handicraft villages in Cao Bang that should not be missed. Firstly, Phia Thap village, home of Nung ethnic minority, is famous for traditional incense making. When Lunar New Year is coming, the villagers busily prepare ingredients for making incense. Secondly, Pac Rang village is known as traditional forging for generations. This village is home to 51 households of Nung An ethnic minority group who live in stilt house and still preserve their cultural traditions, and traditional dresses.

Cao Bang Festivals

Long Tong Festival is one of the biggest festivals of Tay ethnic group, which is taken place annually on the 4th day of the lunar year. The spring festival is to worship the god of agriculture and pray for prosperous upcoming crops. In the festival, delicious local foods are prepared to offer the gods and many interesting traditional games are held.

Held in the Dong Khe region of Cao Bang, Moi Me Trang (Mother Moon Festival) is a spring festival to pray for prosperity and luck in the New Year. The celebration starts with a beautiful ceremony of traditional singing, dancing and flower offerings. After that, the villagers held many cultural activities and games.  

What to eat in Cao Bang?

1. Ants Egg Cakes

In Tay language, Ant Egg cake is called “Peng Ray”, which is a seasonal delicacy for the Tay group in Cao Bang. Annually, Tay people gather the ant eggs from the nearby forests from April to May.  The dish is made from sticky rice, ant eggs and leaves of fig trees. The eggs are encased in a glutinous rice cake and wrapped in fig leaves.

2. Cao Bang Sticky Rice

It is the typical food of Cao Bang, which is based on the classic Vietnamese dish sticky rice. Sticky rice in Cao Bang is mixed with fruit from the Carnarium tree to make the rice purple.

3. Da Hien Vegetables

Called “Phjac Dien” in Tay – Nung language, Da Hien vegetable is a wild vegetable, growing in the rocky areas with crunchy tree. The vegetable is often fried with beef, pork, which brings inviting flavor.

4. Khao Cake

Khao cake is a rustic specialty food of Cao Bang yet has unforgettable flavor. The main ingredients are glutinous rice flour combined with fatty, peanut or sesame meat as a filling.

5. Roasted duck with seven flavors

Seven flavors mean seven spices used to marinate the duck, including ginger, garlic, dried onion, pepper, honey, tofu, and dried clausena (leaves in Cao Bang's forests). Diners will be allured by the roasted duck with crispy golden-brown skin outside and tender meat inside.

=> How to travel to Cao Bang? 

=> Best things to do in Cao Bang