Phong Nha History and Background

Central Vietnam is home to many stunning sights, including the tiny town of Phong Nha. Even though the area boasts something of interest for almost every traveler, thrill seeker, and explorer, it flies under most traveler’s radars. Since 2003, Phong Nha Ke-Bang National Park has held UNESCO World Heritage status and it is easy to see why. My Phong Nha trekking tour took me through dense jungle and caving inside complete darkness. Phong Nha Ke-Bang is also home to Hang Son Doong, the world’s largest known cave.

Not all of Phong Nha Ke-Bang National Park is open to the public. In fact, only Paradise Cave, Dark Cave, and Phong Nha Cave are open to the public. All three can be visited in a single day on a rented motorbike. However, these are the most popular attractions and they can get quite busy, especially in May (peak season). That is not to say they aren’t worth it.  But in Phong Nha, trekking was my aim!

With so much of Phong Nha’s National Park closed to tourists without a tour guide, there are a few valid reasons why.

One – Weather here is fickle. It can and will change suddenly. My trek happened to take place during a monsoon, we knew it was coming, but it still made conditions much more difficult!

Two– Phong Nha’s jungle is extremely dense, and with a multitude of winding, weaving tracks, I would’ve gotten lost in seconds.

Three – Explosives. Yeah, you read that right. This section of Central Vietnam holds the infamous Ho Chi Minh Trail and was consequently bombed by U.S. forces every day, for 10 years. It is estimated by Mines Advisory Group, or  MAG that around 20% of these dropped explosives didn’t detonate. Leaving an estimated 30kg of explosives for every square meter of land on average. Trekking in Phong Nha was high on my Vietnamese bucket list, but not that high. My partner and I opted for an organized tour, but there are quite a few options to choose from.

 

On the Trail of Phong Nha 

We had the pleasure of meeting Leo, our guide for the day. A young Vietnamese guy whose next joke or giddy laugh was never too far away! Including Leo and myself, our group consisted of four people. Within the national park, there are many different trails to take, but most trails are controlled by a single company, to aid conservation. Throughout our entire eight hour trek and all 12kms of the trail, we never saw another group or even another person!

An old refurbished jeep from the Vietnam War era drooped us off deep into Phong Nha Ke-Bang National Park, along with a seemingly random section of winding road flanked by thick jungle. Thick fog rolled in as we ascended a short but steep jungle path. Across a solid jungle canopy, different heights of trees provided the only contrast over a complete sea of green.

Having been warned of unexploded ordnance (UXO), I followed Leo closely. Trails are well trodden and originally made safe by MAG – (Check them out! They do some fantastic work in clearing land for locals to continue to farm and live on!) Yet either side of the narrow track was not guaranteed. Staying on the track proved quite difficult at times, especially after a typical South East Asian monsoon settled in overhead.

Staying dry was impossible, the monsoon was unrelenting by now. Apart from raindrops the size of golf balls swooping down from the tree canopy, wading through knee-high rivers was inevitable, especially in wet season. Having given up completely on the wish to stay dry, I enjoyed the challenge. This narrow path, sometimes not wide enough for a single footprint, became incredibly slick. Slipping off the trail into the jungle and into rivers became quite common. I was muddy and wet, yet I loved every moment!

 

Into the Caves of Phong Nha Trekking Tour

Our first stop along the trail was the secondary, almost secret entrance to the Dark Cave. While the main entrance to the Dark Cave is open to tourists, this secondary entrance is not. With a hard hat and attached torch, we set off into the pitch black. Around 700 meters into the cave, there was no light to be seen except for the light emitted by our helmets. We sat down for a break inside the cave on a beach of coarse sand. We were in complete darkness with lights turned off. Everything became so still I could hear my heart beating. It was quite something to experience.

Another short distance along the jungle trail found us at a campsite, where a blue tarp was strung up to protect us from the weather. Fresh salad rolls were being prepared right in front of us! Beef was included, but vegetarians could swap that for tofu.

I ate slightly too much food, it was too fresh and delicious not too! The cook had foraged fresh herbs from the jungle for the salad rolls!  We then headed back into the water. Except, this time for a swim! Lifejackets were thrown on and into the extremely chilly water we went. Lifejackets are necessary as the cold water causes cramps quite often. Our small group of four set off through the crystal clear water and into E-Cave. Once again, all light became void and torches soon emitted the only source of light. This is where Leo had most of his fun…

Treading water in complete darkness, Leo asked us if we have ever heard of “Vietnamese Cave Crocodiles”. A slight moment of fear and anxiety was erased by logic and Leo’s laugh. Still, he made us turn off our flashlights once again. Bobbing around in the dark, only the sounds of gentle water echoing through the walls of the cave broke the silence. Until Leo began to cackle like a witch and then not too long later snuck up behind me so silently. Even though shrieking wasn’t my proudest moment, Leo undoubtedly made Phong Nha trekking a highlight of backpacking Asia.

Returning through the completely soaked and slippery Phong Nha jungle only became harder as exhaustion set in. Poison ivy also littered sections of the jungle track. It was a slow, exhausting hike back, but as we piled into the back of the army style jeep, we were greeted by a beer so cold it emitted steam within the now humid truck. They really do have every angle covered here! I was incredibly exhausted, but fulfilled!

 

Booking Phong Nha Trekking Tour

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This is where our selection of accommodation paid off. Easy Tiger Hostel not only provides a cheap room, a great meeting place with fellow travelers, but every morning provides a free talk about available tours (this is an open invitation to the entire town, no matter where you’re staying). For 1,650,00 Dong ($91 AUD) we settled on the Abandoned Valley Jungle hike through Jungle Boss tours and were not disappointed!

Alternatively, you can book from a range of guided tours online. This not only secures your place, but you can research in advance what type of Phong Nha Ke Bang trek is right for you.

 

Where to stay in Phong Nha

If you’re looking to spend at least one night in the town of Phong Nha, there are plenty of options available. Depending on what you’re after, I have two separate suggestions:

1. For a more lively, almost party orientated hostel, you’re after Easy Tiger. They are amazing. Regular makings of a great hostel (cheap, clean, comfy) but they usually have some sort of free beer going on and is just a fun place to hang out and chat. You can book a bed at Easy Tiger here!
2. For a much more relaxed vibe, Phong Nha Farm Stay is my recommendation. Watching the sunset over the flat rice paddies as hundred of duck waddle home. It’s a beautiful sight. There is also a bar and pool to cool off in. You can book a bed or room at Phong Nha Farm Stay here!

 

Phong Nha Trek Info

Jungle Boss trekking company was fantastic! Never once felt unsafe or in danger. We booked the trek through Easy Tiger Hostel. Highly recommend both Jungle Boss trekking company and the Abandoned Valley Trek.

Easy Tiger Hostel doesn’t use booking search engines (such as hostelworld.com, etc) or take bookings over the phone. Emailing easytigerphongnha@gmail.com is the way to book with these guys. With their informative meeting at 9 am every day and being a great place to meet fellow travelers. It was one of my favorite hostels in Vietnam and South East Asia overall.

For other Central Vietnam gems, check out the colorful Hoi An, Hue and it’s abandoned water theme park and the best way to travel between the two, along the Hai Van Pass.

 

Phong Nha Map

Phong Nha Trekking Tips

• Jungle Boos trekking company provided us all with army style canteens, but they were quite heavy. Bringing your own water bottle would definitely shed some extra weight!
• Along the path, we walked there was quite a lot of poison ivy. Long clothing is highly recommended as the burning sensation is painful! It is also advised to not wear the typical Asia “flowy” pants, my partner made this mistake and they became a mini skirt by the end of the trek. Well priced trekking pants can be found around Phong Nha from the main street. Both international brands and a very decent Vietnamese brand are available.
• Bug spray and lots of it! Jungle bugs and mosquitoes can be quite relentless!
• Although the jungle canopy shields from most of the sun, sunscreen is always a good idea.
• Good, reliable shoes are a must. Even if there isn’t any rain, wading through knee-deep rivers will see to your shoes being thoroughly soaked that. Local guides prefer rubber sandals.

 

Phong Nha Trekking Highlights

• Phong Nha Ke-Bang is a stunning attraction, lush jungle forests make for an exhausting, yet amazing experience.
• Swimming through E-Cave in the dark and the secret entrance of the Dark Cave was incredibly memorable highlights of my time in Asia.
• After all the hard work had been done, ending the trek with a beer so cold it was steaming!

 

Have you been on a Phong Nha Trekking tour? What was your favorite moment? Let me know in the comments below! 🙂

 

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