Guide contents

Jonatheno

Nov 28th, 2025

•

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Visited Phong Nha in October 2025 for a week

General tips

This 3 day itinerary offers flexibility to experience the best of Phong Nha, including world-class caves, jungle adventures, and authentic rural Vietnam. After an exclusive cave camping tour in Phong Nha you can do the self guided tours on last day.

Check out this travel guide if you are looking for where to stay in Phong Nha.

Day 1

Tiger Cave Trek (Part 1)

07:00 AM - Tour Office Meeting Point for Tiger cave

Place: Jungle Boss Tours Office / Oxalis Adventure Office
Activity: Meet guide, safety briefing, equipment check
Duration: 30 minutes
Notes: Bring packed bag with trekking clothes, swimming gear, and personal items

07:30 AM - Transfer to Trailhead

Place: Km 24, Road 20 (Trailhead)
Activity: Van transfer from Phong Nha town to jungle starting point
Duration: 45 minutes
Notes: Enjoy scenic views of karst mountains along the way

08:30 AM - Jungle Trek Begins

Place: Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park Primary Forest
Activity: Trek through thick jungle terrain with uphill and downhill sections
Duration: 3.5 hours
Notes: Challenging trek through dense tropical forest. Wear long sleeves and pants for protection

12:00 PM - Trail Lunch

Place: Jungle rest stop
Activity: Lunch break on the trail, prepared by support team
Duration: 1 hour
Notes: Energy boost before afternoon trekking

01:00 PM - Continue Trek to Tiger Cave

Place: Trail to Tiger Cave (Dai A Cave)
Activity: Continue trekking deeper into the jungle
Duration: 2 hours
Notes: Gradually approaching the cave entrance

03:00 PM - Tiger Cave Swimming & Kong Collapse

Place: Tiger Cave & Kong Collapse
Activity: Swim approximately 300 meters through downstream passage to reach Kong Collapse (450-meter deep sinkhole)
Duration: 2 hours
Notes: Wear life jacket provided. One of the deepest sinkholes on Earth

05:00 PM - Camp Setup & Dinner

Place: Kong Collapse Campsite
Activity: Set up camp, take photos, enjoy dinner prepared by porter team
Duration: Evening
Notes: Experience camping at one of Earth's most unique locations. Bring camera for amazing sunset photos

NOTE: another option is Hang en cave which is also 2 day tour of Phong Nha!

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Day 2

Tiger Cave Trek (Part 2)

08:00 AM - Breakfast at Kong Collapse

Place: Kong Collapse Campsite
Activity: Breakfast and pack up camp
Duration: 1 hour
Notes: Prepare for cave exploration and return journey

09:00 AM - Deep Cave Exploration

Place: Tiger Cave System
Activity: Explore underground stalactite and stalagmite formations, rock scrambling through cave passages
Duration: 2 hours
Notes: Helmet and headlamp required. Marvel at unique limestone formations

11:00 AM - Trek Back Through Cave & Jungle

Place: Tiger Cave to Trailhead
Activity: Return journey through cave and jungle to starting point
Duration: 3 hours with lunch break
Notes: Trekking back the way you came

02:00 PM - Transfer to Phong Nha Town

Place: Trailhead to Phong Nha accommodation
Activity: Van transfer back to town
Duration: 45 minutes
Notes: Rest and recover during drive

03:00 PM - Check-in & Rest

Place: Your hotel/hostel in Phong Nha
Activity: Shower, rest, recover from trek
Duration: 2 hours
Notes: Well-deserved rest after challenging adventure

06:30 PM - Dinner

Place: Bamboo Chopsticks Restaurant (Quán Bamboochopsticks)
Activity: Dinner with authentic Vietnamese cuisine
Duration: 1.5 hours
Notes: Try local specialties, fresh healthy ingredients. Vegetarian options available

08:00 PM - Evening Drinks (Optional)

Place: East Hill Phong Nha or After 8 Lounge
Activity: Sunset views and cocktails
Duration: 1-2 hours
Notes: Relax and share stories from your adventure

Day 3

Self-Guided Phong Cave Day

08:00 AM - Depart for Paradise Cave

Place: Your accommodation
Activity: Rent motorbike (100,000 VND/day) and depart
Duration: 10 minutes
Notes: Fill up with gas before leaving town (25,000 VND/liter)

08:45 AM - Arrive Paradise Cave

Place: Paradise Cave (Thien Duong Cave) Entrance
Activity: Park motorbike, buy tickets (250,000 VND), take electric buggy or walk 1km to stairs
Duration: 30 minutes
Notes: Arrive early to beat crowds. Buggy costs 20,000 VND return

09:15 AM - Paradise Cave Exploration

Place: Paradise Cave
Activity: Climb 500 steps, explore 1km of boardwalks through stunning stalactites and formations
Duration: 1.5 hours
Notes: Asia's longest dry cave at 31.4km total. Cool temperature inside provides relief from heat. Formed over 300 million years

11:00 AM - Depart Paradise Cave

Place: Paradise Cave to Duck Stop
Activity: Motorbike ride back toward Phong Nha (20km, 25 minutes)
Duration: 30 minutes
Notes: Scenic ride through karst landscape

11:30 AM - Duck Stop Experience & Lunch

Place: Duck Stop, Bong Lai Valley
Activity: Herd 120+ ducks, duck massage, ride water buffalo "Donald Trump", enjoy banh xeo (Vietnamese pancake) and drink
Duration: 1.5 hours
Notes: Entry fee 100,000 VND includes full experience, food and drink. Buffalo ride extra 50,000 VND. Quirky and fun rural experience

01:00 PM - Depart for Dark Cave

Place: Duck Stop to Dark Cave
Activity: Motorbike ride north on Ho Chi Minh Highway West (15km, 20 minutes)
Duration: 20 minutes
Notes: Follow road signs to Dark Cave

01:30 PM - Dark Cave Adventure

Place: Dark Cave (Hang Toi)
Activity: Zipline 400m across river, kayak, swim 400m into cave in darkness, mud bath inside cave, swimming to wash off, obstacle course
Duration: 3.5 hours
Notes: Entry 450,000 VND includes all activities. Vietnam's longest dual zipline. Waterproof bag recommended for valuables

05:00 PM - Return to Phong Nha Town

Place: Dark Cave to accommodation
Activity: Motorbike ride back (25km, 35 minutes)
Duration: 45 minutes including gas stop
Notes: Watch for sunset views over rice fields

06:30 PM - Dinner

Place: Lantern Vietnamese Restaurant or The Villas Restaurant
Activity: Farewell dinner with Phong Nha chicken with turmeric, tofu and mushrooms, or international cuisine
Duration: 1.5 hours
Notes: Lantern is great for Vietnamese specialties. The Villas has riverside views

08:00 PM - Evening Relaxation