Phong Nha-Ke Bang is one of the best places in the world to explore caves. The national park is in Quang Binh Province, Central Vietnam. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to over 300 caves, though only a few are open to visitors. The park sits on a huge limestone area, and the caves here range from easy and family-friendly to hardcore adventures that take several days.

If you’re planning a trip here and don’t know where to begin, this guide to the Top 11 Best Caves in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park will help you choose the right ones for your style, time, and fitness level. We’ve included everything you need to know: what makes each cave special, who it’s suitable for, and how to get there.

Paradise Cave

Difficulty: Easy
Who it’s for: Anyone can visit this cave. It’s great for first-time visitors, families, or travelers who want to see something beautiful without hiking or adventure sports.

Overview:
Paradise Cave is one of the most famous caves in Phong Nha. It's about 31 kilometers long, but the tourist path covers the first 1 kilometer. Inside, the cave is wide, tall, and filled with incredible stalactites and stalagmites that look like sculptures. The lighting is done well, so you can clearly see the formations without it feeling artificial. It’s cooler inside the cave, which is a nice break from the heat outside.

Highlights:

• Wide wooden walkways inside make it easy to walk.

• Some of the most impressive cave formations in Vietnam.

• It’s less wet and slippery than other caves.

• You don’t need a guide for the basic visit, but having one can help you understand the geology better.

How to reach:
Paradise Cave is about 25 km from Phong Nha town. You can take a taxi, rent a scooter, or join a tour. After parking, you can take an electric buggy or walk 1.6 km to the base of the cave. There’s a short but steep climb with stairs to reach the entrance, but it's manageable for most people.

Entrance fee: 250,000 VND.

Tien Son Cave

Difficulty: Easy
Who it’s for: This cave is good for anyone visiting Phong Nha Cave. It's not a must-see on its own, but it's an easy add-on if you’re already there.

Overview:
Tien Son Cave is a dry cave. It’s located right above the entrance to Phong Nha Cave. You climb a set of stone stairs to get there. The cave is smaller than Paradise Cave, but it has a peaceful atmosphere and interesting rock formations.

Highlights:

• Old cave formations with some manmade lighting.

• Quiet, especially if you come in the afternoon.

• It offers a good view of the Son River from the entrance.

How to reach:
You need to visit Phong Nha Cave first by boat, then climb up the stairs near the cave entrance.

Entrance fee: 80,000 VND (boat ride not included).

Tam Co Cave (Eight Ladies Cave)

Difficulty: Easy
Who it’s for: Suitable for travelers interested in Vietnam’s history and war sites. It’s not a typical cave experience but more of a memorial.

Overview:
Tam Co Cave is small and located near the Ho Chi Minh Highway. It’s known for its emotional story. During the Vietnam War, eight young workers were trapped and died in this cave while trying to keep the road open for military supplies. The site now has a memorial temple to honor them.

Highlights:

• A quiet and respectful place.

• You’ll see the entrance of the cave and the memorial site.

• Good stop for those interested in local history and war stories.

How to reach:
It’s about 50 km from Phong Nha town and usually visited on the way to or from other destinations like the Mooc Spring or the western branch of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. You can go by car, motorbike, or with a tour guide.

Free entry

Phong Nha Cave

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Who it’s for: Great for all travelers, including families. If you like boat rides, beautiful scenery, and want to take it easy, the basic visit is perfect. For those looking for more action, there are optional adventure tours too.

Overview:
Phong Nha Cave is one of the most famous caves in the park and one of the easiest to visit. It’s a river cave, so you explore it by boat. The entrance is wide and scenic, with limestone cliffs and the peaceful Son River. Inside, the boat goes deep into the cave, then drops you off to walk around a section on foot.

The cave is around 7 kilometers long, but tourists usually see about 1.5 kilometers. For the more adventurous, there are special tours that go deeper, with hiking and caving. You can only explore this cave on a tour.

Highlights:

• Beautiful river cruise to the cave.

• Impressive stalactites and cave formations.

• Cool, quiet environment—perfect on hot days.

• Adventure tours include swimming and climbing inside.

How to reach:
The cave is located right in Phong Nha town. You need to buy a ticket and take a dragon boat from the boat station.

Boat to Phong Nha Cave: 550.000 VND/boat
Entrance fee: 150.000550,000150,000 VND.

Dark Cave

Difficulty: Moderate
Who it’s for: Best for people who want fun, physical activities. You should be able to swim and be okay with tight spaces, mud, and a bit of chaos. Not ideal for people afraid of the dark or small spaces.

Overview:
Dark Cave is less about scenery and more about fun. The cave itself is, as the name says, dark. There’s no lighting inside, so you wear a helmet with a headlamp. The cave is muddy, wet, and narrow in parts. What makes it popular is the range of outdoor activities included in the tour.

You start with a zipline across the river to the cave entrance. Inside, you’ll walk, swim, and wade through muddy water. There’s even a mud bath deep inside. After that, you kayak back and can enjoy some water games at the river.

Highlights:

• Ziplining,150,000 kayaking, and swimming.

• Mud bath experience inside the cave.

• Fun, active, and different from the usual cave tours.

How to reach:
It’s located about 15 km from Phong Nha town. You can get there by motorbike, car, or with a guided tour. The tour includes all gear like helmets, life vests, and lights.

Ziplining: 450,000 VND/adult

Tra Ang Cave

Difficulty: Moderate
Who it’s for: Nature lovers and travelers who like quiet places, swimming, and some light trekking. You need to be able to swim and walk through the forest.

Overview:
Tra Ang Cave is one of the more peaceful and natural experiences in the park. It’s not very touristy, so you won’t see big crowds here. To reach the cave, you walk through the jungle, which takes about 20–30 minutes. Once at the cave, you swim through the entrance tunnel into the cave itself.

The water is cold and clean, and the swimming is the main part of the experience. The cave is about 600 meters long, and the tour usually includes a guide, safety gear, and a BBQ lunch by the stream.

Highlights:

• Swimming into the cave in a quiet forest setting.

• Clear, cold water and peaceful surroundings.

• More off-the-beaten-path than the other caves.

How to reach:
Tra Ang Cave is in the Phong Nha National Park area. You need to go with a tour or guide, since there’s no direct road access. Tours usually start with a car ride to the park, then a jungle walk.

En Cave

Difficulty: Hard
Who it’s for: Adventurous travelers with good fitness. If you love trekking and camping and want to explore a massive cave without going all the way to Son Doong, this is perfect.

Overview:
Hang En is one of the largest caves in the world. Its entrance is massive—so big that sunlight reaches inside, making it feel like a secret world. The cave has its own beach and a river running through it. Most people visit on a 2-day, 1-night trekking tour that includes camping inside the cave.

You’ll hike about 10 km through the jungle, cross rivers, and pass through Ban Doong, a small ethnic minority village. Then you spend the night camping in the cave with proper gear provided by the tour operator.

Highlights:

• Camp inside a massive cave.

• Jungle trekking and river crossings.

• Less expensive and more accessible than Son Doong but still amazing.

How to reach:
You can only go with an official tour (usually with Oxalis). The trip starts in Phong Nha town with a safety briefing, then a van takes you to the trailhead. From there, the trek begins.

Tu Lan Cave

Difficulty: Hard
Who it’s for: Perfect for adventure lovers who enjoy multi-day treks, swimming through caves, and being deep in nature. You must know how to swim and be physically fit.

Overview:
The Tu Lan cave system is about 70 km from Phong Nha and includes over 10 caves. The tours here range from 1 to 4 days. Each day involves trekking, swimming through cave rivers, scrambling over rocks, and camping by waterfalls.

Some of the caves are dry; others are wet caves with rivers inside. The jungle around Tu Lan is beautiful and remote. You won’t see many tourists here.

Highlights:

• Swimming inside remote caves.

• Waterfalls, jungle trails, and wild landscapes.

• Camp in remote areas near caves or rivers.

How to reach:
Tours start from Phong Nha or from Tan Hoa village, where the cave system is located. Oxalis Adventure is the main operator here.

Tour price: $79 - $750 USD/person (depending on tour duration)

Va Cave

Difficulty: Hard
Who it’s for: Travelers who want a technical adventure. You should be fit, able to swim, and comfortable with ropes, climbing, and trekking in wet, rocky environments.

Overview:
Hang Va is a small but fascinating cave known for its unusual tower cone formations—these are rare and not found in many caves around the world. The cave is part of the same system as Son Doong and En, but it's a different experience.

The 2-day tour includes trekking through the jungle, river crossings, swimming, climbing with ropes, and spending the night in the jungle near the cave. You’ll wear helmets and harnesses and use ropes to climb safely inside.

Highlights:

• Rare and strange cave formations.

• Technical adventure with ropes and climbing.

• Very small tour groups—more personal.

How to reach:
Tours depart from Phong Nha town with transport to the trailhead. Only a few operators are licensed to run Hang Va tours, and Oxalis is one of the main ones.

Pygmy Cave

Difficulty: Hard
Who it’s for: Serious adventurers who want something less commercial. You should be confident with jungle trekking, ropes, and exploring wild, unlit caves.

Overview:
Hang Pygmy is a dry cave and the fourth largest cave in the world. It’s located deep in the jungle and accessible by guided trekking tours. The entrance is huge and dramatic. Inside, the cave is wild, quiet, and mostly untouched. There’s no built path or lighting—this is real caving.

Tours usually combine Pygmy with other nearby caves like Hang Over. You’ll trek for two days, rappel down the cave wall, camp in the jungle, and climb through the darkness.

Highlights:

• Rappelling into one of the world’s largest caves.

• No crowds, a truly remote experience.

• Wild camping and deep jungle trekking.

How to reach:
Tours begin in Phong Nha. A van takes you to the starting point in the national park. From there, you hike with a guide and porter team. Only certified tours are allowed.

Son Doong

Difficulty: Extremely Hard
Who it’s for: Experienced adventurers in top physical condition. You need to be able to hike for hours, climb over rocky terrain, cross rivers, and handle remote jungle camping. This is not for casual tourists.

Overview:
Son Doong is the largest cave in the world. It’s so big it has its own ecosystem, underground river, lake, and even a forest inside. The cave ceiling is over 200 meters high in some places—taller than most skyscrapers. Only 1 company (Oxalis) runs the tour, and only about 300 people per year are allowed to visit.

The expedition lasts 4 days and 3 nights. You’ll trek over 25 km through forest and caves, use ropes to climb, cross underground rivers, and camp inside the cave. It’s one of the most expensive tours in Vietnam (around $3,000), but people say it’s life-changing.

Highlights:

• Explore the largest cave on Earth.

• See giant dolines (cave collapses) and jungle growing inside the cave.

• Cross underground rivers and sleep on cave beaches.

How to reach:
Tours start in Phong Nha with a detailed briefing. Then you drive to the trailhead and start the jungle trek. All gear, food, and safety support -Keare provided.

Tour cost: $3,000 USD.

Best time to explore caves in Phong Nha Ke Bang

The best time to visit Phong Nha for cave exploration is from March to August. During these months, the weather is dry and the jungle trails are more accessible.

• March to May: Ideal for trekking and not too hot.

• September to early November: Rainy season begins. Some caves close due to flooding risks.

• November to February: Still cool and rainy. Many adventure tours pause or shorten their routes.

Our advice: Avoid visiting during the rainy season (especially from mid-September to early November) because heavy rain can flood caves and make jungle trails slippery or dangerous. Some tour companies shut down their operations during this time.

How to get to Phong Nha-Ke-Ke Bang

Phong Nha is located in Quang Binh Province, Central Vietnam. The nearest city with an airport and train station is Dong Hoi, which is about 45 km away from Phong Nha town.

By Plane

• Fly to Dong Hoi Airport (airport code: VDH).

• Direct flights are available from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang.

• From Dong Hoi Airport, you can take a taxi or arrange a transfer to Phong Nha (about 45–60 minutes).

By Train

• Take a train to Dong Hoi Railway Station.

• Trains run along the Reunification Line (Hanoi–Hue–Da Nang–Saigon).

• From the station, get a taxi or ask your accommodation to send a pickup.

By Bus

• Sleeper buses run from Hanoi, Hue, Da Nang, and Ninh Binh to Phong Nha.

• Several bus companies stop directly in Phong Nha town (ask to be dropped at the main street near Easy Tiger Hostel or Phong Nha Farmstay).

Our advice: If you're coming from Hue or Ninh Binh, the overnight sleeper bus is a good option. If you're short on time, flying to Dong Hoi is the fastest and most comfortable.

FAQs—Best caves in Phong Nha-Ke Bang

What are the best caves in Phong Nha?

It depends on what kind of experience you're looking for. If you want something easy and beautiful, Paradise Cave and Phong Nha Cave are great picks. If you're into adventure, Hang En, Tu Lan, Hang Va, and Pygmy Cave offer trekking, swimming, and camping. Hang Son Doong is the most famous and extreme, but it's very limited and expensive.

What is the largest cave in Phong Nha-Ke Bang?

Hang Son Doong is not only the largest in Phong Nha but also the largest cave in the world. It's over 5 kilometers long, with its own jungle and river inside. Some chambers are tall enough to fit a 40-story building. Only 300 people can visit it per year, and the tour costs around $3,000.

What is the famous cave in Vietnam?

Hang Son Doong is the most famous cave in Vietnam and around the world. It was discovered in 2009 and has been featured in National Geographic, BBC, and many documentaries. However, Phong Nha Cave and Paradise Cave are also very popular among tourists and easier to access.

Can you visit Hang Son Doong?

Yes, but it's not simple. You must join a tour with Oxalis Adventure, the only company licensed to run Son Doong expeditions. The tour lasts 4 days and 3 nights, requires very good fitness, and costs about $3,000 USD. You also need to book several months in advance.

Can you visit Phong Nha caves by yourself?

You can visit some caves like Paradise Cave, Phong Nha Cave, and Tien Son Cave on your own. Just go to the park entrance and buy tickets. But for most adventure caves (like Hang En, Tu Lan, and Pygmy), you need to join a guided tour. These caves are deep in the jungle and can be dangerous without guides.

Conclusion

Phong Nha-Ke Bang is not just about caves—it’s about the experience of going deep into nature and discovering something unforgettable. Some caves will surprise you with their size, some with their beauty, and others with the challenge they bring. From short day trips to full-on expeditions, you’ll find something that suits your travel plans. We hope this guide to the Top 11 Best Caves in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park helps you explore the area with more confidence and excitement. Take your time, stay safe, and don’t forget to enjoy the journey.

>>> Ultimate Travel Guide To Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park