Động Phong Nha

Phong Nha Cave - The Wind's Fang Cave - Troc Caves

Useful Information

photography — Phong Nha Cave, Vietnam. Public Domain.

Location:	Phong Nha - Ke Bang tourist complex, Quang Binh province. From North/Hanoi QL1A, turn right on DT2B at Bố Trạch, turn right on QL16, at Bố Trạch turn left on DT20. Visitor center at the river in Bố Trạch, visitors are transported to the cave by boat. (17.581605268208400, 106.283077509430500)
Open:	All year daily 8. [2022]
Fee:	Adults VND 150,000. [2024]
Classification:	Karst Cave
Light:	Incandescent Coloured Light
Dimension:	L=7,729 m.
Guided tours:	D=3 h, by boat.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Son Trach, Bo Trach, Quang Binh, Viet Nam, Tel: +84-5236-77021, Fax: +84-5236-77021. E-mail: Phong Nha Daily Tours, 161 Ly Thuong Kiet - Dong Hoi - Quang Binh, Tel: +84-9123-56056. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1550	first described by Duong Van An.
1920	area exploited for tourism.
09-AUG-1986	Phong Nha Nature Reserve declared.
1990	cave explored and surveyed by the British Cave Research Association (BCRA).
1991	Phong Nha Nature Reserve extended to 41,132 ha, approved management plan.
19-MAY-2000	Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park (PNKBNP) established.
2003	inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Description

Phong Nha Cave is a large cave system with a cave river. A tour follows this cave river from the huge mouth through 14 chambers. Outside the river is called Son River, but when it enters the cave it is called Nam Aki River. Its resurgence is 20 km to the south near Pu-Pha-Dam Mountain. The boat trip follows the river for 1.5 km, where the cave becomes impassable. At 800 m the visitors leave the boat for a short walk through a dry passage called Shallow Cave. There may be restrictions during the wet season between mid-SEP and mid-NOV after heavy rains.

The tours are offered by various operators, and typically they take 6 hours. The trips start with the pickup at the hotel, train station or airport at Dong Hoi. A 45-minute drive to the Tourism Centre is followed by a 4.5 km long boat ride on Son River to the cave entrance. On the way, the history of the Ho Chi Minh Trail and some Vietnam History are explained. Finally, the actual cave tour takes place by boat and a walking circuit inside the cave. A lunch at a restaurant 200 m from the entrance with local food follows, then the participants are brought back to their pickup point.

The cave is located in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park (PNKBNP) which was named after the cave. The cave was known to the locals for a long time, the portal is quite prominent, and the cave is easy to enter by boat. It was located at a system of trails which became known as Ho Chi Minh trail during the Vietnam War, named by the U.S. Army after the North Vietnamese president Hồ Chí Minh. But it has been quite important before, since the First Indochina War with the French. The cave was obviously not part of the trail, as it was not a through cave, but probably it was used to hide boats and goods inside.