Thứ Hai, 26 tháng 10, 2015

Hoi An food tour by motorbike focuses on street food which you would not find if you just walked around by yourself. You will discover some special and hidden Hoi An streets while sitting and enjoying the view from the back of our tour guides motorbikes. The enthusiastic and friendly tour guides will show you the best places to eat Hoi An style food as well as to offer insights about the making of these special dishes and talk about local Vietnamese culture and traditions.

Highlights

Small group ensures personal service
All-inclusive tour
Dinner included
Free hotel pickup and drop-off included

What You Can Expect

Banh Beo

Our tour will begin with a pick up from your hotel. You will be greeted by our friendly local guides and then introduced to the safe way of riding on the back of the bike during your tour. After a quick briefing, we will start heading out for delicious food tasting adventures at 15.00.
First stop is the famous bread shop in Hoi An where you will try one of the best Vietnamese sandwiches in Vietnam.
We then walk around the local market. Resting on the banks of the Thu Bon River, bustling Hoi An Central Market is certainly worth a look for its authentic slice of Vietnamese life. Here, guests will enjoy Cao Lau with authentic local taste, a specialty just found in Hoi An.
Next stop we will go through a small alley and stop at local business house that you could not find by yourself and see how real Vietnamese life looks like. Here, we will discover a Vietnamese Traditional cake (Banh Beo) – a popular snack of Hoi An people. You will have a chance to talk and take photos with the owners.
Afterwards, it‘s time to relax your stomach. Our local guide will bring you to the oldest pagoda in Hoi An where few tourists go and then take a lovely trip through the countryside. Guests will enjoy a unique dance performance done by our lovely guides. And you will see farmers working the rice paddies with the sunset reflecting off their hats.
After stopping at the rice fields we will continue our trip and try Banh Khot- a round pancake made with rice flour, turmeric, coconut milk, quail egg and vegetables at a famous street vendor near Hoai square.
Next, you will take the food challenge- Balut- One of the Top 10 weird foods in the world. Egg no more, duck not yet. It is not because of the taste but because of its appearance.
Next, we will go to a local restaurant by the river to enjoy a special dinner and discover a part of Vietnamese people life – “Nhau” style with cold beer and delicious food.
At the end of the trip, we would like to take you back to your hotel or you are free to continue exploring the area.

Thứ Hai, 19 tháng 10, 2015

Introducing Dong Hoi

Following the 1954 partition, Dong Hoi and its southern neighbour Dong Ha went from being at the centre of the country to frontier towns. Both suffered more than most during the American War – as the ruins and bomb craters throughout the area will attest. The fact that Dong Hoi has bounced back to become an attractive city while Dong Ha still retains a badlands feel surely owes a lot to being on the winning side.

It has a wonderful location with the Nhat Le River dividing the main part of the city from a beautiful sandy spit, with lengthy stretches of beach to the north and south of town. While most tourists head from Hanoi to Hué, Dong Hoi is the best spot to break up the journey. It’s also a much nicer base to explore the DMZ sites than Dong Ha – but it’s slightly further away, and being on the northern side you won’t find as many English-speaking drivers. From Dong Hoi you can easily make a day trip to the Phong Nha Cave.

Introducing Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park

Designated a Unesco World Heritage site in 2003, the remarkable Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park contains the oldest karst mountains in Asia, formed approximately 400 million years ago. Riddled with hundreds of cave systems – many of extraordinary scale and length – and spectacular underground rivers, Phong Nha is a speleologists’ heaven on earth.

Its collection of stunning dry caves, terraced caves, towering stalagmites and glistening crystal-edged stalactites represent nature on a very grand scale indeed, and are beginning to create a real buzz in Vietnam, as more and more riches are discovered.

Serious exploration only began in the 1990s, lead by the British Cave Research Association and Hanoi University. Cavers first penetrated deep into Phong Nha Cave, one of the world’s longest systems. In 2005 Paradise Cave was discovered, and in 2009 a team found the world’s largest cave – Son Doong. Huge caverns and unknown cave networks are being discovered each year.

Above the ground, most of the mountainous 885 sq km of Photoing Nha-Ke Bang National Park is near-pristine tropical evergreen jungle, more than 90% of which is primary forest. It borders the biodiverse Hin Namno reserve in Laos to form an impressive, continuous slab of protected habitat. More than 100 types of mammal (including 10 species of primate, tigers, elephants, and the saola, a rare Asian antelope), 81 types of reptile and amphibian, and more than 300 varieties of bird have been logged in Phong Nha.

Until recently, access to the national park was very limited and strictly controlled by the Vietnamese military. Access is still quite tightly controlled for good reason (the park is still riddled with unexploded ordnance). Officially you are not allowed to hike here without a licensed tour operator.

You can however travel independently (on a motorbike or car) on the Ho Chi Minh Highway or Hwy 20 that cut through the park. Sights that can be visited include the astounding Paradise Cave, turquoise river, ecotrail of Nuoc Mooc and a war shrine known as Eight Lady cave.

The Phong Nha region is changing fast, with more and more accommodation options opening. Son Trach village (population 3000) is the main centre, but it's a tiny place – there's only one ATM and transport connections are poor.

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park

The Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2003, covered 85,754 hectares. With this extension, the site covers a total surface area of 126,236 hectares (a 46 % increase) and shares a boundary with the Hin Namno Nature Reserve in the Peoples Democratic Republic of Laos. The Park’s landscape is formed by limestone plateaux and tropical forests. It features great geological diversity and offers spectacular phenomena, including a large number of caves and underground rivers. The site harbours a high level of biodiversity and many endemic species. The extension ensures a more coherent ecosystem while providing additional protection to the catchment areas that are of vital importance for the integrity of limestone landscapes.

Outstanding Universal Value

Brief synthesis

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is located in the middle of the Annamite Mountain Range in Quang Binh province, Viet Nam, and shares its boundary with the Hin Namno Nature Reserve in the Lao PDR to the west. The property comprises an area of 123,326 ha and contains terrestrial and aquatic habitats, primary and secondary forest, sites of natural regeneration, tropical dense forests and savanna and is rich in large, often spectacular and scientifically significant caves.

The property contains and protects over 104 km of caves and underground rivers making it one of the most outstanding limestone karst ecosystems in the world. The karst formation has evolved since the Palaeozoic period (some 400 million years ago) and as such is the oldest major karst area in Asia. Subject to massive tectonic changes, the karst landscape is extremely complex, comprising a series of rock types that are interbedded in complex ways and with many geomorphic features. The karst landscape is not only complex but also ancient, with high geodiversity and geomorphic features of considerable significance.

The karst formation process has led to the creation of not only underground rivers but also a variety of cave types including: dry caves, terraced caves, suspended caves, dendritic caves and intersecting caves. With a length of over 44.5 km the Phong Nha cave is the most famous of the system with tour boats able to penetrate inside to a distance of 1,500 m. The Son Doong Cave, first explored in 2009, is believed to contain the world’s largest cave passage in terms of diameter and continuity.

A large number of faunal and floral species occur within the property with over 800 vertebrate species recorded comprising 154 mammals, 117 reptiles, 58 amphibians, 314 birds and 170 fish. The property clearly has impressive levels of biodiversity within its intact forest cover, notwithstanding some gaps in knowledge of the population status of some species. .

Criterion (viii): Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is part of a larger dissected plateau, which encompasses the Phong Nha, Ke Bang and Hin Namno karsts. The limestone is not continuous and demonstrates complex interbedding with shales and sandstones. This has led to a particularly distinctive topography. The caves demonstrate a discrete sequence of events, leaving behind different levels of ancient abandoned passages; evidence of major changes in the routes of underground rivers; changes in the solutional regime; deposition and later re-solution of giant speleothems and unusual features such as sub-aerial stromatolites. On the surface, there is a striking series of natural landscapes, ranging from deeply dissected ranges and plateaux to an immense polje. There is evidence of at least one period of hydrothermal activity in the evolution of this ancient mature karst system. The Son Doong Cave, first explored in 2009, could contain the world’s largest cave passage in terms of diameter and continuity. The plateau is one of the finest and most distinctive examples of a complex karst landform in Southeast Asia and the property is of great importance for enhancing our understanding of the geologic, geomorphic and geo-chronological history of the region.

Criterion (ix): Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park consists of a complex limestone landscape, which includes very large caves and underground rivers. The property includes karst formations which are some of the oldest and largest in Asia, and it has geological, climatic, hydrographic and ecological conditions which are distinct from other limestone karst landscapes. Its cave ecosystems and habitats are unique with high levels of endemism and adaptations displayed by cave-dependent species. The property constitutes one of the largest remaining areas of relatively intact moist forest on karst in Indochina, with a forest cover estimated to reach 94%, of which 84% is thought to be primary forest. Furthermore, the property protects globally significant ecosystems within the Northern Annamites Rainforests and Annamite Range Moist Forests priority ecoregions.

Criterion (x): A high level of biodiversity is found within the property, with over 2,700 species of vascular plants and over 800 vertebrate species. Several globally threatened species are also present: 133 plant species and 104 vertebrate species have been reported, including several large mammals such as the endangered Large-antlered Muntjac, Clouded Leopard, and the critically endangered Saola. The level of endemism is high, especially in the cave systems. Furthermore, it is estimated that over 400 plant species endemic to Viet Nam are found within the property, as well as 38 animal species endemic to the Annamite range. Several new species to science have recently been found, including cave scorpions, fish, lizards, snakes and turtles, and more species are likely to be discovered. Importantly, four threatened primate taxa endemic to the Annamites are found within the property: the Hatinh Langur (specialised in karst forest and endemic to Viet Nam and the People’s Democratic Republic of Lao), the black form of the Hatinh Langur, sometimes considered as a separate species, the Red-shanked Douc Langur, and the largest remaining population of White-cheeked Gibbon.

Integrity

The property constitutes one of the largest protected karst landscapes in South East Asia. Covering an area of 123,326 ha and bounded to the west by the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, all elements necessary to manifest the outstanding geological values of the property of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park are contained within the boundaries of the property. The inscribed property is completely surrounded and protected by a buffer zone of 220,055 ha and is designated into three management zones: a strictly protected, an ecological restoration and an administrative/service zone. The watershed protection forests in the buffer zone also protect the integrity of the property. Furthermore, the extension of the property enhances its integrity and connectivity with the karst landscape in Lao PDR.

There are, however, a number of issues that affect the integrity of the property. Wildlife poaching and illegal harvesting of forest products are a direct threat to biodiversity values. The property has also suffered from past developments and its integrity could be threatened by further uncontrolled tourism developments, notably by the proposed construction of a cable car and access roads. There is a need for the implementation of Environmental Impact Assessments for any projects which could negatively affect the site. This would ensure that the natural landscape, geologic and geomorphic values, and key features such as primitive forest, caves, rivers and streams within the inscribed area remain intact. The property is situated within an area of high population density and as such a number of activities, such as cultivation, tourism, transport and freshwater fisheries could also impact on its integrity.

Protection and management requirements

Originally designated as a Nature Reserve in 1986, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park was established in 2001 under the Decision 189/QD-TTg by the Prime Minister and is managed by a Management Board. The Management Board is responsible for protection of forest resources and biodiversity and was established in 1994. Cave conservation and the provision of a tourism service are the responsibility of the Cultural and Ecological Tourist Centre under the Management Board. The property is also included in the Special National Heritage List (2009), and the Special Use Forest system (1999). The National Park is effectively protected by a number of national laws and government decisions, which prohibit any action inside or outside the boundaries of the National Park or a World Heritage property that may have a significant impact on the heritage values.

A Strategic Management Plan has been in place since 2012 and is based on existing plans, including the Sustainable Tourism Development Plan, the National Park Operation Management Plan and the Buffer Zone Development Plan. The Management Board oversees law enforcement programmes including ranger patrols and joint law enforcement operations on the border with Lao PDR. Nevertheless, the rugged nature of the country and community dependence on natural resources coupled with relatively limited resources for enforcement means that wildlife poaching and illegal timber gathering are difficult to eradicate and remain a challenging issue.

The Ho Chi Minh highway, constructed outside and to the north of the property is appropriately located and provides important and valuable benefit to the National Park in terms of opening up views of and access to the Ke Bang forest area. However, other road construction and tourism development will require rigorous and comprehensive assessment of environmental impact before decisions are made on whether they should be permitted or not. It is paramount that such developments do not impact on the karst and biological values for which the property has been inscribed. Impacts of increased development pressure and tourism numbers will also require continual consideration, planning and management to ensure that these pressures do not damage the Outstanding Universal Value of the property. The property clearly has impressive levels of biodiversity within its intact forest cover, however, up-to-date data on large mammal species is also needed to confirm the population status of reported large mammals including tiger, Asiatic black bear, Asian elephant, giant muntjac, Asian wild dog, gaur and the recently discovered saola.

9 Best Places for Trekking in Vietnam

Tourists coming to Vietnam are often mesmerized by the wildly beautiful nature of the country, from the yellow terraces in harvesting season of the North stretching to central highland or the fascinating bustles of the Mekong Delta in the South. The most popular trekking, hiking types in Vietnam are jungle trekking, mountain hiking, countryside hitch-hiking, walking, and rambling adventures. Here is the list of the most famous trekking areas voted by both local and foreign travellers.

Sapa

Being a frontier town of Lao Cai Province in the Northwest region of the country, Sapa is considered the best trekking spot in Vietnam. At the height of 3143 meters, Mt. Fansipan of Lao Cai is the highest peak in Vietnam and the entire Indochina peninsula. Beside the mountainous terrain, Sapa is also place where several ethnic minorities likeHmong, Dao (Yao), Giay, Pho Lu, and Tay reside.

Thứ Hai, 12 tháng 10, 2015

SON DOONG PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR

For the first time we are offering a specific photography tour to Son Doong, led by British caving experts who all have extensive experience with photo teams such as National Geographic, BBC, and recently ABC (Good Morning America).

This specific photo tour will have extended days to enable night time shooting. A large, top-class local guide team will carry special high powered LED lighting as well as other needs, such as a generator for charging. They will also act as models in this huge stunning new wonder of the world.

This is the first time such a tour has been run so the chance for amazing photo opportunities is unlimited. Our British caving experts will be there to offer you viewpoints very few people have seen, let alone photographed. With our powerful 32,000 lumens LED lighting we can light up many parts of the cave previously unseen.

The tour itself is demanding and with the extended days, so it will be a challenge for many people. However the rewards for both the amateur and professional photographer alike are great.

This tour is intended for those who are already serious about photography, and photography lessons will not be provided on this tour. It is expected that anyone who joins this tour already has extensive knowledge of photography, including use of all their equipment. Our British caving experts will be able to help set up shots, but they are not responsible for capturing the actual shots.

Drone information: In order to bring in and use a flycam/drone, you will need a permit from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The process of obtaining the permit requires that you provide them with an official letter addressed to the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, regarding the date, time, and filming location. They will also need the personal data of you and anyone travelling with you, which includes full name, passport number, DOB, gender, nationality. They will also need to know the make/model/dimensions of the drone. Once they have this information, they can discuss with you further about obtaining all the permits that you’ll need to use the flycam/drone in Son Doong. Note: If you need a permit, we cannot guarantee that you will secure this permission, nor quote you a price for the permission, as it must be applied for independently.

Briefing

Dong Hoi – Safety Briefing – Local hotel in Phong Nha

Arrive in Dong Hoi by no later than 4 pm on the afternoon of your briefing day, where you will be met by a member of our team and transferred to either Oxalis Home Hotel or Ho Khanh’s Homestay. Both are located just next to the Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park. You’ll then have the rest of the day to rest, relax and wander around the village of Phong Nha. You will be required to purchase your own breakfast and lunch on this day.

Around 5:30 pm you will congregate in the hotel restaurant before transfer to Oxalis Headquarters, where you’ll meet your cave experts and guide team for your safety briefing and equipment check. Please have all belongings you’ll be taking on the trek prepared before the safety briefing and ready to bring to Oxalis, as immediately after the briefing we will collect everyone’s belongings in individually labeled large plastic bags, and send them to our porters to prepare for the following day. You will receive your belongings each evening once you get to your campsite. Therefore, anything you want to take with you during the day you should keep in a separate backpack (e.g. cameras, tripods etc.).

Prior to the briefing, if there is a beautiful sunset on the horizon, you are welcome to proceed to the roof of Oxalis headquarters where you’ll have a panoramic view of Phong Nha Village and the Son River. If you’d like to set up a time lapse of the sun setting and stars rising, you are welcome to do so. After the briefing and just before dinner, you will be given your helmet for the trip; the helmet will then be your responsibility for the duration of the tour. Please do not put any GoPro mounts directly onto our helmets; you must use a head strap, chest strap, or alternate means. Enjoy dinner with your team at around 7:30 pm at the hotel restaurant, after which you will be transferred back to your hotel for a good night’s sleep.

day 1: Phong Nha – Ban Doong Village – Hang En Cave

Enjoy breakfast at 8:00 am with your guide before departing at 9:00 am for the first leg of the expedition. You’ll leave extra luggage and any valuables at the Oxalis headquarters before heading to pick up the porter team and setting off for adventure.

After a 25 minute drive along Road 20 of the Ho Chi Minh Highway you’ll reach the Tra Ang bridge, which overlooks the national park including the river running below the bridge. Your tour guide will explain the historical importance of this area and give you a chance to take any photos if you feel so inclined. It’s then about 25 more minutes through the national park to reach the trailhead, where you’ll start trekking for approximately 1 hour downhill through the forest, which is quite steep at times. Walk for half an hour along a small stream to the minority village of Ban Doong, which is a real highlight for many on this expedition. Learn more about this unique ethnic group of people and enjoy lunch beside a small river. Photography is allowed in the Doong village but it is asked that you are courteous of the citizens of the village and respect their privacy should they prefer not to have their picture taken.

After this point, you will be in the sun all afternoon with about 2 hours along a river, with very little shade. You’ll cross the river many times so please expect to have wet feet for the whole day. In the summer, the water is only usually knee deep, but Gore-Tex boots will fill and hold the water so therefore they are not recommended (please see our detailed FAQ for footwear recommendations).

You’ll then reach the entrance to Hang En Cave, home to thousands of swifts. Here you’ll be given your headlight and you will trek/boulder approximately 20-30 minutes to your campsite inside the cave. The group should arrive at camp by 3:00 pm where you can enjoy swimming and washing within the underground river. Photography from high level viewpoints is a highlight of this day.

Dinner will be served at the spectacular campsite with numerous photographic opportunities, followed by nighttime photography of the campsite. If there is a clear sky, you may be able to capture some unique shots looking out of the “second entrance” into the night sky. On the rarest of nights, a full moon can also be viewed from camp through this entrance.

Anyone who is unable to complete any stage of this first day comfortably will be turned around to Phong Nha and will not be permitted to continue the expedition. This will be the decision of the cave experts on your tour. Should you be turned around, all tour costs will be forfeited.

Day 2: Hang En Cave – Son Doong Entrance – Hand of Dog – SD Camp 1

You’ll again begin your day with a delicious breakfast at around 8:00 am. You’ll be in for a very tough day today so it’s best to enjoy a big breakfast, as you’ll need your energy!

In February, there is a good chance of epic sunbeams shining through the cave in the early morning. If so, your tour guide will take you to a high overlook next to camp where you’ll be able to set up your camera and capture the brilliance of these sunbeams. A member of the porter team can also stand in below to give an idea of scale in the photo.

Start your trek around 9:00 – 10:00 am (depending on how long is spent on sunbeam photography) through Hang En Cave. There is a large, dark passage within the cave which can be lit up for those interested in photography here. 30 minutes after leaving camp, the team will journey to the magnificent exit again as you make your way to Son Doong. This site has been made famous by many photographers over the past few years.

You’ll scramble down to the river valley and then it’s an hour walk through the river, so your boots are going to be wet for most of the day; it is unavoidable, yet part of the fun.

You’ll then start climbing a steep hill for about 45 minutes with some rocky sections to start. At the top of the hill you’ll enjoy lunch, a safety briefing and fit your safety harness and prepare for your big journey underground. A steep descent with a couple of short rope climbs brings you at last to Son Doong entrance.

A number of locations on this day will be devoted to serious photography, such as the entrance climb and river crossings. With your safety harnesses, you’ll then start the 80 m descent into the cave by making a number of short climbs, using ropes and safety lines with your guides’ assistance. There is no rappelling or abseiling at any point during the expedition. You’ll then enjoy a few more climbs and bouldering to reach the first and second river crossings inside the cave, which are no more than knee-to-thigh deep depending on the water levels. You should have a wash here, as it will be the last washing place for the day.

On your way to the first campsite in the first large passage of the cave, you’ll have to be extra careful as there are a number of big drops and scrambling over boulders along a rocky path before reaching one of the most spectacular views: Hand of Dog and daylight streaming through the cave, thanks to the first doline! We will set up lighting within the Hope and Vision passage for photography at this point, where you’ll have views into Camp 1. This has rarely been done so you are likely to capture some really unique images at this point.

You will then scramble down to the first campsite of Son Doong and have the afternoon to soak up the views and rest your weary bodies. You’re in for another big meal with your team before setting up for nighttime shots of camps, and then turning in for the night.

Please note that there are no washing facilities at camp on this day.

Day 3: SD Camp 1 – Watch out for Dinosaurs - Great Wall of Vietnam – SD Camp 2

Your day begins with a hearty breakfast with your team before a 9:00 am departure towards your second campsite in Son Doong Cave. A big day for photography.

You’ll start with some rocky climbs, which are quite steep in some places, as you reach the first jungle within the cave at Watch Out for Dinosaurs. It will take about 1.5 hrs to travel within the cave from Camp 1 to Watch Out for Dinosaurs. This is a really special spot to stop for some truly breathtaking photos, after which you’ll be trotting down the rocky path to reach the enormous Green Gours, one of the most magnificent and famous photography spots on the tour. A light lunch is provided with an incredible backdrop of the first doline. If you are lucky you may even catch some sunbeams! The Green Gours are a highly recommended spot for time lapse photography.

It is then a walk through the cave past gigantic formations and plenty of cave pearls towards the light of the second doline and main jungle within the cave. Follow the path past the beautiful foliage reaching towards the light, to reach the underground jungle, unlike anything you could experience on the planet! Cross the jungle for around 45 minutes to reach the steep and sometimes slippery path down to your second campsite within Son Doong Cave. Arrive into camp later in the afternoon and enjoy dinner.

After the evening meal at your campsite, you are back on your feet and heading deeper within the cave towards the Great Wall of Vietnam. You’ll pass through a very large dry passage with huge stalagmites and great views back to the second doline. Many new creepy crawlies have been discovered within this passage including white spiders, fish, woodlouse and shrimp species, so be sure to keep your eyes open, especially if you’re interested in macro photography.

You will reach at this point either a very large beautiful underground lake (where you’ll then paddle to reach the Great Wall of Vietnam) or you will find a fantastically adventurous muddy pit (at which you will need to trudge your way through for a few hundred meters to reach the wall). It is entirely optional if you wish to go further and reach the actual wall, as you will get very dirty in the mud and there are no bathing facilities on this day at camp (pack plenty of wet wipes if you decide on the plunge). The passage to the wall, known as Passchendaele, can be lit up with the big powerful lights so that you’re able to photograph the high cliffs.

You’ll be back at camp again in the evening to enjoy a sensational dinner with your team and delight yourself with an evening of games and entertainment, or simply relax and soak up the views at what is quite possibly the very best campsite in the world. Nighttime photography is a highlight here, as there is even a possibility of catching stars through the doline if you’re lucky. Time lapse photography is also an option.

Quick note: you may use a pair of dry boots on this day, as aside from the mud, there are no water crossings.

Day 4: SD Camp 2 – Fossil Passage – Nat Geo View Point – Hang En Cave

After refueling with another hot breakfast you’ll pack up camp and start heading back to the first doline, with a slightly different route through a small oxbow passage above the underground river, in which there is a very steep drop, where you will need to use a rope and safety line. We can help you set up an awesome shot here where you are looking down into the first doline.

Once you have reached the first campsite around 11 am, you’ll have time for a short break before climbing down to the ancient fossil passage, where you will witness 350 million year old coral fossils. Here you can capture not only macro photography of the fossils themselves but the actual full passage as well. Enjoy a small wash in the pools and a hearty lunch before descending back to the main passage, crossing the river twice and proceeding to climb up to the entrance, again strapped in with your harness and safety lines. There will be opportunities to photograph the National Geo viewpoint, and large passage shots can be arranged for people interested in capturing those on the way back out.

Your group will appear out from the entrance of Son Doong no later than 4 pm, at which point you’ll have a chance to enjoy a small break and some snacks. Then head back towards the river valley, where you can enjoy a well-deserved and refreshing wash.

Walk along the river back to Hang En for your final evening, at which point you’ll be able to get any final photography of the magnificent Hang En exit in the evening light. Proceed to dinner and a celebration with porter team at this underground campsite, where you’ll have a second opportunity for nighttime shots on a clear night. This is also the last night for shots of camp, the porter team, the chefs cooking around the fire, etc.

Day 5: Hang En Cave – Ban Doong Village – Phong Nha

Wake up early, and possibly have a last chance at photos of sunbeams if you’re lucky (only available in February). Then start your 10 km trek back to Road 20 after breakfast. You’ll follow the river along the valley and back through Ban Doong Village. Walk back along the river valley, where morning light can offer better natural lighting that you would have gotten on the way in with afternoon light. Also, there is another chance at Ban Doong village shots.

You will enjoy snacks and fruit along the way before starting on what is quite a difficult climb back up the mountain for the last hour of your big adventure! Cold drinks await you at the top of the hill before a 45 minute drive back to Phong Nha. You will have a brief stop at the office to collect your luggage and valuables before transferring to a local hotel in Phong Nha.

You can then enjoy the bath you’ve been awaiting for so long, or you could even go for a dip in the river. In the evening, you can enjoy a group farewell dinner with your fellow expedition team members.

Please advise our sales team in advance of your departure time for the following day so that they can arrange the logistics of your transfer back to the airport or train station. If you would like to extend your holiday in Phong Nha, let our team know so that we can assist you in booking extra nights at the hotel.

Departure day

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and our driver will pick you up according to your departure time. Check out at the hotel will be at 12 pm regardless of your departure time. Again, please let us know in advance if you would like any additional night(s) at the hotel and we can secure that for you.

We wish you all the best in your onward travels!

Son Doong Cave is in the heart of the Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park in the Quang Binh province of Central Vietnam. Only recently explored in 2009-2010 by the British Cave Research Association, the cave has only been open to the public since 2013.

Less people have seen the inside of Hang Son Doong than have stood on the summit of Mount Everest. Join us on this otherworldly expedition and become one of the lucky few who have had the life changing experience of exploring the world’s largest cave.

Imagine trekking straight into the depths of the world’s largest cave on an expedition unlike any other. A cave so massive that a 747 could fly through its largest cavern. A space so mesmerising that it forces you to question whether you are still on this planet at all. Foreign landscapes found nowhere else, enormous stalagmites rising from the ground and statuesque stalactites hanging from the ceiling like an alien species. Jungles emerge from inside the cave itself, a scene so surreal that you have to see it to believe it. Misty clouds envelop the whole scene, a result of the cave’s own localised weather system. Passages adorned with ancient fossils offer evidence of the millions of years that have passed on this Earth.

As you approach the jungle just outside the entrance, the rush of cool wind that cascades out brings to life everything inside of you. Hazy, cold and exhilarating, it is apparent that there’s something magical waiting just beyond the opening to the cave.

HOW WAS SON DOONG CAVE FIRST DISCOVERED?

From an early age, local man Ho Khanh used to spend weeks on end trekking and maneuvering his way through the jungles of the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, searching for food and timber to earn a modest income.

In 1990 while out on a hunting mission, Ho Khanh stumbled across an opening in a limestone cliff and moved forward to investigate. As he approached he noticed clouds billowing out of the entrance, and could hear the sounds of a river raging from somewhere inside the cave.

When he could feel a strong wind also blowing out from the cave, he decided to move on without further inspection. By the time he had returned to his home a few days later, he had forgotten its exact location and thought no more of it.

At the same time two members of the British Cave Research Association (BCRA), Howard and Deb Limbert, were basing themselves in Phong Nha to conduct exploratory cave expeditions in the area. While chatting with Ho Khanh one day, he mentioned to the caving experts that he had found a cave with clouds and a river inside. Howard and Deb were intrigued and urged Ho Khanh to try and rediscover the cave. After many failed attempts, they began to think this elusive cavern might remain lost in the jungle forever more.

In 2008 while out on another food gathering trip, Ho Khanh found the mysterious opening again and studiously took note of the path on how to get there. In 2009 he led Howard, Deb and a team of professionals back to the cave for the first expedition to enter what would later become known as Hang Son Doong, or ‘Mountain River Cave’.

GEOLOGY OF SON DOONG CAVE

The Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in Vietnam contains the oldest karst system in Asia, between 400-450 million years old. Hang Son Doong itself is relatively young, with the analysis of sediment dating it to be only 3 million years old.

Formed on the edge of a fault zone, Hang Son Doong has been carved out by the mighty Rao Thuong River as it erodes away the limestone, forming the enormous tunnel beneath the Annamite Mountains. Giant sinkholes, known as dolines, have collapsed sometime up to 300’000 years ago, creating massive openings to the outside world. Cave pearls the size of baseballs have been formed by water dropping from the ceiling.

HOW BIG IS SON DOONG CAVE?

The first expedition had been halted by an 80m high calcite barrier, which was jokingly dubbed the ‘Great Wall Of Vietnam’. It wasn’t until their second expedition in 2010, when the Great Wall was finally climbed and the end of the passage was found, that Hang Son Doong was determined to be the largest cave in the world.

At over 5km long, with sections reaching up to 200m tall and 150m wide, Hang Son Doong is large enough to house an entire New York City block, complete with 40 story skyscrapers. With a total measured volume of 38.5 million cubic metres, this comfortably surpasses Deer Cave in Malaysia, which was considered to be the previous record holder. Stalagmites up to 80m high have also been surveyed, the tallest every encountered.

BAN DOONG ETHNIC VILLAGE

To reach Hang Son Doong, adventurers must first pass through the Ban Doong ethnic minority village. The only village located inside the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, less than 40 people makes up the population of Ban Doong.

Life is tough for the minority people here, due to their isolation from the outside world. Access is only possible by foot, and the dense jungles surrounding Ban Doong prohibit the cultivation of most crops. The discovery of Hang Son Doong and the subsequent expeditions that now pass through the village have seen new opportunities arise for the community, who now can earn extra income by working closely with Oxalis to protect the conservation of the area.

For many people, being able to visit Ban Doong and meet its welcoming villagers becomes a highlight of their trip. Ban Doong offers a view of way of life that has been unchanged for centuries.

Come and explore Hang En Cave located within the Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, and spend one night in its massive chamber below thousands of darting swifts. We offer 3-4 departures per week but places fill up quickly so please book in advance!

HANG EN CAVE ADVENTURE

Hang En Cave is probably the world’s 3rd largest cave and is quickly becoming one of the must-see natural wonders in Vietnam.

Its size will blow you away, and our campsite located within the cave beside a lazy river, will leave you speechless. You’ll examine fascinating fossils in one part of the cave over 300 million years old, and around every corner be subjected to the most picturesque views.

A stop in the ethnic minority Ban Doong Village, set amongst the limestone mountains is a highlight for many, not to mention the pristine jungle, many river crossings, and jovial porter team, made up of local jungle men!

We provide the very best adventure experiences with every aspect of the trip carefully planned including delicious meals, the highest safety standards, and friendly and informative adventure guides.

Hang En is one of our famous caves that has been featured within National Geographic, The New York Times, Lonely Planet, Dailymail UK and recently on Good Morning America, in front of over 6 million audience members, as well as in Pan (2015), a newly-released blockbuster film distributed by Warner Bros. Entertainment (Hollywood).

Come and find out what makes Hang En so popular and amazing as many have said.

Day 1:

Phong Nha - Ban Doong Village - Hang En

Start your ultimate adventure with a pickup from your hotel in Phong Nha between 8:00 am and 8:30 am and short transfer to Oxalis Headquarters.

Learn all about safety and collect your gear before driving 45mins through the National Park to reach the trailhead.

A steep jungle hill starts the adventure, with a refreshing river at the bottom. Hike through rich jungle to reach the Ban Doong minority village, where a hot cup of tea welcomes you.

Lunch takes place shortly after near the river, and then it’s back into the jungle, through river streams, and across the river valley until Hang En lays on the horizon.

Enter the cave around 3 PM, and enjoy your afternoon swimming, before a sizzling BBQ dinner is served, complete with rice wine and beautiful flocks of swifts overhead.

Day 2:

Hang En - Ban Doong Village - Phong Nha

Awake for breakfast early and explore the breathtaking exit, and then trek through the dry passage to the viewpoint high above camp, where 300 million year old fossils can be witnessed.

In the late morning, trek back through the mountainous river valley, through jungle and across streams, until reaching Doong village again.

Enjoy a picnic lunch by the stream and then prepare for the biggest challenge ahead, climbing the treacherous hill up to the Ho Chi Minh Road.

Watch out for leeches and push ahead to the road, where cold drinks are waiting. Return by vehicle to Phong Nha by 5:00 pm.

WILD TU LAN CAVE EXPLORER

This adventure tour offers the perfect balance between trekking, caving, climbing, squeezing and swimming, combined with enough time to enjoy two spectacular campsites over three-days and two-nights!

Our three-day trekking and caving adventure includes the very best wild caves of the region including Hang Ken Cave, Hang Kim Cave, Secret Cave, Hung Ton Cave and Tu Lan Cave!

It is a more in challenging experience compared to our Tu Lan Cave Encounter (2 days), as you’ll see more of the caves and go much further into the jungle!

One of the highlights on the Wild Tu Lan Cave Explorer is our second campsite at To Mo Waterfall, where you’ll spend the night camping inside a small cave wedged within the limestone mountain and overlooking the beautiful natural swimming lagoon. It is really something special and a highlight for many of our guests.

Get ready for the adventure of a lifetime and one of the most talked about adventure experiences in Vietnam!

Day 1:

Phong Nha - Tan Hoa - Tu Lan

You will be picked up in Phong Nha between 8:00 am and 8:30 am at your hotel and driven to the little village of Tan Hoa for your initial safety briefing.

You’ll then set off across sweeping fields for 2.5 km to the Rao Nan River, where climbing ensues (50 m), up a rocky slope to find the entrance of Secret Cave for your first cave discovery.

You’ll then trek through Hung Ton Valley and up Hung Ton Mountain. It’s 2 km more along the mountain ridge until Mango Mountain, where the reward is a picnic lunch and from there, the trek continues into and through Tu Lan Valley (2 km).

You’ll finish your afternoon on a more relaxed note with swimming around the waterfall, followed by a BBQ dinner, and singing around the campfire until sleep overcomes you.

Day 2:

Tu Lan - Hang Kim - To Mo

The morning arrives with another full day of adventure. Shortly following breakfast comes a 200 m swim directly into Tu Lan Cave.

Trek 2 km back through the valley to loop back to camp for more waterfall swimming, a rest, and picnic lunch.

Post-lunch, it’s a 200 m swim into Ken Cave, followed by a 500 m trek to Hang Kim where swimming (450 m) and exploration (500 m) continues before adventuring 500 m on through To Mo Valley to the To Mo Cave campsite.

Enjoy another beautifully prepared dinner, and the unique experience of camping inside a cave set deep in the Vietnamese jungle.

Day 3:

To Mo - Tan Hoa - Phong Nha

The last day continues to exude more adventure with breakfast and then a morning swim 200 m upstream past the waterfall and through Hung Ton Cave via what is usually the exit of the cave.

Investigation of the dry passage leads to a 15 m ladder climb up to the entrance of Hung Ton. After trekking across Hung Ton Valley and over the hill to La Ken Valley (2.5 km), enjoy lunch by the river prior to visiting Hang Chuot (300 m).

Early afternoon holds the return trip across Rao Nan River, the beautiful fields, and back to Tan Hoa (2.5 km), where a cold drink will be calling your name.

Showers are available for those who would like to clean up and change. The tour returns to Phong Nha by 5:30 pm.

TU LAN CAVE ENCOUNTER

This tour offers a glimpse into the amazing beauty of the Tu Lan area: caves, karst mountains, jungle, and waterfalls.

It is an opportunity to escape civilization and go deep into the rugged and untouched nature of Vietnam for two-days and one-night with a professional English-speaking guide and jungle porter team.

This tour is perfect if you are short on time but still want a solid taste of adventure in the amazing Tu Lan jungle and cave system.

You will enjoy exploring Hang Ken Cave, Hang Kim Cave, Hung Ton Cave and of course Tu Lan Cave. You’ll also be subject to decent amount of trekking with over 12 km of tough jungle terrain covered over the two days and plenty of swimming!

Once the days adventures are over get ready for a night in the jungle at our amazing Tu Lan campsite located by a beautiful waterfall.

You’ll enjoy a delicious BBQ beside the campfire before turning in to the sounds of jungle critters and rushing waters of the nearby waterfall.

With climbing, trekking, and swimming through river caves, this will surely be a highlight of your travels in Vietnam.

Day 1: Phong Nha - Tan Hoa - Tu Lan

You’ll be picked up at your hotel in PhongNha between 8:00 am and 8:30 am, before venturing off to the village of Tan Hoa, located 70 km away. After a safety briefing and gear check, it’s off and away for a full day of trekking!

The trek begins with a 2.5 km march across fields of peanut crops, giant water buffaloes, towering corn stalks, and down to the Rao Nan River.

The adventure accelerates with a 30 m climb up a rocky hill to a small jungle opening where you can catch your breath before a 100 m descent in elevation down to Hung Ton Valley.

Lunch will be enjoyed in the Hung Ton Cave opening and then the adventure picks up again with some serious trekking from Hung Ton Valley and over to Mango Mountain, then back down into TuLan Valley (3 km).

By mid afternoon, Tu Lan campsite will be on the horizon, where swimming can be enjoyed in the beautiful waterfall. Afternoon activities include exploring and swimming through Ken Cave, located next to the campsite, and after that it’s back to camp for a delicious BBQ dinner.

Sleep will come easy in comfortable hammocks set up amongst the trees!

Day 2: Tu Lan - Tan Hoa - Phong Nha

The second day starts with a hearty breakfast, and more cave exploration. Tu Lan Cave (both wet and dry sections) are first on the agenda, followed by lunch back at your campsite.

You’ll then be off on a swim (450 m) and trek (500 m) through Hang Kim to To Mo Valley, before continuing with a swim through Hung Ton Cave.

Following this is the exploration of a dry passage, and then a trek down into Hung Ton Valley (800 m).

After crossing this valley, it’s time to climb up over a small rocky mountain to get to Hang Chuot (Rat Cave).

After seeing Hang Chuot (300 m), the tour winds down by crossing the Rao Nan River and picturesque fields (2.5 km).

Arrival in Tan Hoa is followed by a chance to take in the scenery with a cold drink in hand.

Showers are available for those who would like to clean up and change, and then departure back to Phong Nha is at around 4 pm, with arrival in Phong Nha by 5:30 pm.

HANG TIEN EXPERIENCE

The majestic cave known as Hang Tien has previously only been viewable on the Tu Lan Expedition. It is now showcased as the star of our 1 day tour.

This tour is designed for those short on time but still looking for an escape to the jungle along with adventure and of course, a beautiful cave.

With formations rising up like a layer cake of rimstone pools and lush ferns, this cave is truly a unique specimen. The 1 Day Jungle Trek and Hang Tien Cave is fitting for both true adventurers and also those with little outdoor experience. Come check out our newest product of the season!

Phong Nha - Cao Quang - Hang Tien caves

Pick up will take place from 7:00 – 7:30 am from local hotels in Phong Nha, after which you will set off on an approximately 1.5 – 2 hour drive to our brand new Cao Quang headquarters. The road to Cao Quang commune passes by many small towns and rice paddies. Around 9:30 AM, you’ll turn off the main road and onto the rural village road, where you can see the jungle starting just beyond our office. The tour will both start and end at this office, which has basic amenities including showers, bathrooms, and a secure place to store belongings or extra luggage.

A short safety briefing will take place around 9:30 am, where you’ll have a chance to borrow a pair of our jungle boots if you don’t have any of your own. Then at 10 – 10:30 am your tour guide and porter team will lead you to Hang Tien.

Start off from headquarters, where you’ll pass through small farms and rice fields for about 3 km. During harvesting season you can witness locals securing their livelihood through farming and harvesting crops including peanuts, corn, rice, and paper trees. The trek is relatively easy on flat terrain.

After 45 minutes, the tour will reach the river, which you will trek alongside to reach the lunch spot. Be warned that it can be quite muddy and adventurous to trek along the river! When you stop for lunch, you’ll have a chance to refresh yourself and splash in the cool waters of the river and then enjoy BBQ feast made by the porters, including fresh pork and traditional spring roll wraps. You will be surrounded by green in every direction, with both the overhanging jungle trees and the elegant water of the river.

From lunch it’s time to head closer towards Hang Tien, which is the largest of the caves in the Tu Lan cave system. You’ll reach a natural swimming pool, where you’ll have to cross through the river (Rao Nay) to get to the entrance of the cave. The last kilometer before the cave is very rocky with many boulders, as if the cave terrain has spilled out onto the landscape in front of it. Very thick jungle and vines protect the entrance.