Vietnam is not only known for its amazing and delicious food and rice paddies, but it’s also an excellent destination for those who love to explore caves.
If you are one of the cave enthusiasts, Vietnam is the place for you to discover. In this article, we will list the best caves in Vietnam that you should visit. From natural caves, man-made caves, under the water caves, and of course the biggest cave in the world.
For safety’s sake, make sure to find a reputable guide. They’ll provide all the safety gear, but make sure you pack appropriate clothes for your explorations!
Top Vietnam Caves by Type
Caves are underground chambers appealing for explorers who love the artistry in nature. Hidden and cloak by darkness, some are bursting with colours, covered with ice, extraordinary, and almost too beautiful to exist.
Biggest Caves in Vietnam – Hang Son Doong
Hang Son Doong is the biggest cave in the world and is situated in the province of Quang Binh, Vietnam, located at the heart Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, the northern region of the country.
A logger was on its way to make its daily grind, but this time he goes farther. He noticed a hole in a rock, and on the other side, what he sees shockingly amazed the world. This cave contains a whole ecosystem. Inside is a rainforest, rock walls, and an untouched beach. A complete and unexplored body of nature.
Only around 2009/2010 is the first time ever that a British cave researcher was able to explore this cave. One of the most popular spots is where a big open hole serves as a window to bring lights inside the cave.
Here’s the bad news, visiting the Hang Son Doong can be very expensive and often fully booked. So, you have to remember to book the tour months in advance if this is one of the main reasons you’re going to Vietnam before booking anything else.
Smallest Caves in Vietnam – Tam Coc
Tam Coc Caves is some of the smallest caves in Vietnam. It is positioned in Ninh Binh, and what makes it more unique is that it’s a collection of three caves – Hang Ca, Hang Giua, and Hang Cuoi. Each of the caves is travelled using a small boat.
Don’t expect some ground to walk on because it is submerging from the rivers of Ngo Dong. You can see an abundance of stalagmites and strange carvings in the rocks. You can visit these caves by renting small boats from Pier Van Lam. And exploring these caves can take you about four hours.
Most Known Caves in Vietnam
The most known caves in Vietnam is the Tran An Cave and Sung Sot Cave. Trang An Cave is a system of caves. The regions have 31 lagoons that connect to 48 caves. Some of the famous caves are known to be the Dia Linh Cave, Sinh Duo Cave, and May Cave, each of these has different characteristics. No caves are indeed alike.
On the other hand, you can locate Sung Sot Cave in Ha Long Bay. It is the largest and most magnificent cave on Bo Hon Island. Tourist suggests that entering this cave is narrow, but once your inside is two rooms that can hold thousands of visitors.
The cave is also packed with stalactites in odd but fascinating shapes. Entering the other room can be enchanting like in the fairy tales that some tourists say the view makes you shiver. You’ll be amazed by how light reflects in stalactites by emerald green.
Most Known Cave – Nguom Ngao Cave
You can locate this cave next to Ban Gioc waterfall. Discovered in 1921 and opened for the public in 1996. You can walk inside on foot through paths straight to polygons room filled with delicate formations of stalagmites. The language of Tay names the cave Nguom Ngao, meaning cave of tigers. Legends of its people say that ferocious tigers are the first inhabitants of this immense cave.
This cave is formed for thousands of years through weathering by wind and water. You’ll notice that your voice echoes inside the cave distancing with a total length of 2144m. The cave’s temperature is almost two times less than the heat outside of Vietnam. The feeling of coldness inside makes it even more mysterious.
Most Known Cave – Ke Bang
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is a UNESCO heritage site in central Vietnam. The karst mountain dates back 400 million years and remained undiscovered until two decades ago. It is one of the oldest in Asia. You can get to the park from Hanoi. Catch a train or 10-hour overnight bus drive.
You’ll be amazed by how many natural lights comes from outside. This cave is famous for unorthodox shapes of stalactites and stalagmites. It is over 7000m long and has an underground river of 13,969m long. You can only explore about 44.5 km of passage, but only 1.5 km of routes are open for tourists. Take note that visiting this cave would require pre-bookings.
Less- Known Caves in Vietnam
The caves in the Marble Mountains in Danang is less known in Vietnam. But for some tourists, it is the second most favourite place in town. Expect to see Buddhist temples inside these ancient caves in Vietnam. Getting here is very scenic and over-looking the panoramic view of the city and south china sea. It has the highest peaks and ancient pagodas as you make your way to one of the caves. Tang Chon Cave, Hoa Nghiem Cave, and Huyen Khong Cave are the top 3 highlights of Marble Mountain.
Less Known Cave – Paradise cave
This cave extends its cave system to a staggering 51 km. Though tourists can only explore the cave 8 kilometres. However, you can book tours and explore more of what’s behind if you book the 7km Paradise cave tour. Of course, it includes an underground river and a vest to use if you want to soak in the freshwater.
They say it’s the driest and longest cave. Surely you’ll be amazed by its 2 km wooden walkway with a perfect view over the stunning stalactites and stalagmites. This cave is about 30km away from Phong Nha Ke-Bang National Park. You can rent a motorbike or get a smooth rider. If you are here on a budget trip, I strongly suggest joining a day trip.
ALSO READ: Best hikes in Vietnam
Less Known Cave – Elephant cave and Ma Da Valley hike
The path of this cave requires an intermediate fitness level. Elephant cave and Ma Da valley hike are about 9km of trekking. Prepare the things you will need, such as water bottles and a towel. Ideally, you should wear long sleeves to protect yourself from poison ivy. The tour is challenging since it involves climbing over the rocks and navigating your way.
Also, you’ll get soaked with water going to the elephant cave since crossing a river is a must. The experience starts deep in the jungle of Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park. You can either stretch your way up to Ma Da valley and dive in the crystal blue water of Ma Da lake or complete the journey of 600km away to Tra Ang cave.
FINAL THOUGHTS
There are about 500 caves in Vietnam, and some of them remains unexplored and is under natural reserves and in protection. Due to the continuous fascination of caves, from north to south, Vietnam came to be a place to witness astonishing rock formations through caves.
The caves mentioned above would be just some of the best places for tours if you wanted for an exciting adventure. Some of the tourists enjoy swimming in one of these caves and hiring a boat that directs you to the caves can be relaxing as you admire the genuinely miraculous wonders of nature.