I have a chance to visit Quang Binh, Viet Nam which is famous for many charming landscapes of mountain and sea. I arrange the tour myself, except for the Sunspa resort booked via Eviva Tour Viet Nam since the price is quite reasonable and cheaper than that from the resort. Hope that this information below will be useful for you.
1. Location
Located in North-Central Vietnam, Quang Binh province is surrounded by Ha Tinh Province to the north, East Sea to the east, Laos to the west and Quang Tri Province to the south.
The coast of Quang Binh is blue water and yellow sandy beaches. This is also a culturally-diversified place as well; history has seen it as a disastrous battlefield in the resistance against French colonists and the later American war. Today, Quang Binh still preserves many historical and cultural relics of previous ages. Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park is a well-known local attraction which has been recognized by UNESSCO and listed as a World Heritage Site.
2. Getting there
– By Car and motorbike: Dong Hoi – the capital of the province is on Highway 1A, 166km north of Hue, 95km north of Dong Ha (Quang Tri province) and 197km south of Vinh ( Nghe An).
– By Train: The Dong Hoi train station is located 3km from Highway 1A. The Reunification Express heads to destinations including Ha Noi (9-12 hours, six daily), Vinh (3 ½ – 9 ½ hours, eight daily), and Hue (2 ½ – 5 ½ hours, eight daily)
– By Air: Vietnam Airline operates 4 flights per week from Ho Chi Minh city to Dong Hoi city (except for Tuesday, Friday and Sunday) and 5 flights from Ha Noi to Dong Hoi (except for Monday and Wednesday)
3. Attractions:
+ Phong Nha cave: It is a UNESCO world heritage site composing of 14 grottoes situated in a region of Limestone Mountains in Ke Bang National Park. The main cave system contains 14 chambers, linked by an underwater river that runs for 1.5km. Caves have always held a primitive fascination for visitors, as if they are meeting places for the real and the imagined.
Entrance fees: VND 80.000/adult (around USD 4.00)
+ Heaven Cave: Vietnam’s longest cave which is filled with magical and mysterious formations. The cave is in the heart of limestone mountain range and runs through the Phong Nha – Ke Bang conservation area. Compared to Phong Nha Cave, the stalagmites in Thien Duong are more various in shape and size – there are some which stretch for up to 60m, some which are said to look like the three Vietnamese gods of Happiness, Fortune and Longevity.
Entrance fees: VND 120.000/adult (around USD 6.00)
4. Food:
– Paste of Lep Fish: Lep fish are small, flat, soft and very fat. The most favored dishes made from Lep fish are usually the salted paste or BBQ ones. Paste of Lep dish is so popular and so appetizing that is has been mentioned in many Quang Binh proverbs.