Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park: Things You Need to Know

Phong Nha-Ke Bang (Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng) National Park is located in the center of Quang Binh province in north-central Vietnam. This national park protects one of the world’s two largest karst regions with several hundred caves and grottoes. Its name – Phong Nha Ke Bang - derives from Phong Nha cave, one of the most beautiful cave, with numerous fascinating rock formations, and Ke Bang Forest. The plateau of Phong Nha Ke Bang is probably one of the finest and most distinctive examples of a complex karst landform in Southeast Asia.

• Location: Minh Hoa & Bo Trach District, Quang Binh Province
• Opening Hours: Every day from 7.00am to 4.00pm
• Entrance Fee: Ticket Prices depend on your sightseeing routes

Geography and Climate of Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park:

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is located in Quang Binh Province in central Vietnam, about 500km south of Hanoi Capital, and 250km north from Hue City.The western boundary of National Park partially forms Laos-Vietnamese border, which is only 42km from the East Sea. The National Park is found within the geographical coordinates of 170 20′-170 48′ N and 1050 46-1060 24′ E in Bo Trach and Minh Hoa Districts of Quang Binh Province.

Like the North of Central Vietnam (or Bac Trung Bo) in general and Quang Binh Province in particular, the climate in Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park is tropical, hot, and humid. The annual mean temperature is about 23 to 25°C, with a maximum of about 41°C in the summer and a minimum of 6°C in the winter. Annual rainfall is about 2,000 mm to 2,500 mm, and 88% of the rainfall is from July to December.

With more than 160 rainy days of the year, no any month is without rain. Mean annual relative humidity is very high with 84%. The typical tropical climate with high humidity has helped build up a pure atmosphere of the green ecological environment, ideal for any visitor seeking for wildlife discovery

• See also Best Things to Do in Phong Nha Ke Bang.

How to Get to Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park of Vietnam:

Flying to Dong Hoi, then Bus to Phong Nha is the most comfortable way to reach Phong Nha. There are severall daily domestic flights to Dong Hoi Airport from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and also some weekly flights from Chiang Mai, Thailand.

You can also take the train to Dong Hoi City from Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh City railway line. Nearby destinations from Phong Nha are Hue and Danang (Hoi An) to the south and Ninh Binh to the North. Check the train time table on the Vietnam Railway Website.

Also Overnight sleeper buses (VND 250,000) leave from Hanoi to Phong Nha daily, and take about about 9 hours one way. There are also several open buses to Phong Nha every day from nearby cities such as Hue (VND 200,000) and Danang/Hoi An (VND 250,000). You can easily buy the open bus tickets at your accommodation or from travel agents the day before departure.

• Local Bus from Dong Hoi to Phong Nha - Local buses from Dong Hoi to Phong Nha for as little as VND 40,000 (1.7USD) a seat. The travel time is from 45 to 90 minutes, and buses run every hour (except noon) from 5am to 5pm. Note that the bus stations are a few kilometres from the Dong Hoi train station and Dong Hoi airport, so you can get there via taxi or motorbike taxi.
• Taxi from Dong Hoi City to Phong Nha - You can save time by taking a metered taxi/Private car directly to Phong Nha (cost about VND 400,000) from the airport or train station in Dong Hoi. If you’re travelling on a tight budget and want to save money, you can look for people to share a taxi with you when you arrive to Train Station or Airport.

See Also: Best Things to Do and to See in Phong Nha Ka Bang National Park

Adventure Journey Vietnam