Quang Binh Travel Guide

Quang Binh is a province in the North Central Coast of Vietnam and one of the popular stops of foreign and Vietnamese travelers every year. Its famous landscapes include Phong Nha Cave, Ke Bang, Nhat Le beach and so on. It would be incomplete if you don’t come and visit Quang Binh and Phong Nha Ke Bang Cave especially.

The best time to visit Quang Binh

The climate in Quang Binh is quite similar to other provinces in the Middle of Vietnam with one rainy season and one dry season, but the dry season in this place is from April to August with the average temperature of 24 - 25 0 C (the perfect time to visit Quang Binh)

How to get to Quang Binh

From Hanoi and Sai Gon (Ho Chi Minh City), you may go by train, bus or plane to Dong Hoi city:

By Air: From Hanoi and Sai Gon (Ho Chi Minh City), you can take a flight to Dong Hoi Airport- at AH14, Lộc Ninh, Đồng Hới City by Vietnam Airline or Jetstar Airline.

By Train: There are many trips / day (about 8 trips) and start in all day. Distance Hanoi – Dong Hoi is about 600km (375miles), take less than 10 hours to arrive

Address: 120 Le Duan Street, Hanoi Tel: (+84-43) 825-3949

There are about 8 trips /day too. Distance Sai Gon – Dong Hoi is about 1250km (750miles), take about 0ver 20 hours

Address: Sai Gon train station: No. 01 Nguyen Thong Street, Ward 9, District 3, and Ho Chi Minh City. Phone (automatic answer): +848 39 310 666

By bus

From Hanoi: Bus will take about 12 hours to arrive Dong Hoi – Quang Binh.

From Saigon: Bus will take less than 40 hours to Arrive Quang Binh

Some famous company: Hoang Long bus, Sinh Cafe (open tour)

Things to do and top attractions in Quang Binh

Son Doong Cave

Discovered in 2009, Son Doong Cave in Quang Binh, Vietnam, is currently the biggest cave known by mankind. It's marvelous trip if you have a chance to visit this cave and admire the stunning beauty of Vietnam natural resource.

Further reading: Son Doong Cave Travel Guide

Nhat Le Beach

Nha Le Beach has been selected as one of the top ten most attractive beaches in Vietnam by the Vietnam Records Organisation (VRO) with a romantic and untouched beauty, with clear water and a white sand bank will definitely bring for all travelers the memorable moment.

Tien Son Cave

Tien Son Cave lies in Phong Nha - Ke Bang tourist complex that comprises natural beauty-spots in Quang Binh province (central Vietnam). The site is now on the list to be recommended to UNESCO for recognition as a World Heritage Site.

Tien Son Cave was discovered in April 1935 in the limestone mountain of Ke Bang. It is about 400 meters away from the famous Phong Nha Grotto and at a height of 135 meters

Van La Underground Tunnel

This tunnel belongs to Luong Ninh, a village which is only 7km to the South of Dong Hoi City in Quang Binh Province. At some certain times, the tunnel was the sanctuary of more than 300 people.

Dong Hoi Citadel

Dong Hoi Citadel is located in Dong Hoi city, Quang Binh Province. It is a complex of high fences and towers, forming a fortress that protected the kings and the capital of the Nguyen dynasty since 1630. It is adjacent to Nhat Le River in the East side and the forest on the West side.

Dong Hoi citadel still stand vividly as an honorable symbol of the brave country, attracting visitors from many places around the country and the world.

Phong Nha Cavern

A part of the giant Ke Bang Mount, Phong Nha Cavern belongs to Bo Trach District in Quang Binh Province and far only 60km away from Dong Hoi City. Phong Nha Cavern has many sections, with a total length of up to 20km with more than 20 caves with a huge 1500m-long main hall as well as many supplement halls which are hundreds meter long. The outer caves have 10m high ceilings and the inner caves have 25-50m high ceilings

Entrance fee: VND 80,000/ per person/ Opening time: 7:00 -16:00

Festival

In Quang Binh, there are two main festivals which organize each year:

Fishermen Festival on Gianh River in Quang Binh

The beauty and the distinction of this festival are that only the members of the old village can participate. Besides, all the ceremonies are organized in the middle of the river. No one from the land can join the event, but many boats from adjacent regions come to watch the festival, making it like a huge meeting of all the boats and ships on Gianh River!

Drum Festival of the Ma Coong Ethnic Group

It starts when the moon rises on the 16th night of the year and taking place in Truong Trach village. This is a local festival in which the villagers wish that good luck, strength, the ability to overcome atrocities will come to people everywhere.

Local specialty

Quang Binh province is not only famous nationwide for Phong Nha Caves listed as the World Heritage Sites but for its delicious specialties also. Here is some popular name of dishes that you may try to eat when coming here:

Finest flour rice spaghetti (Bánh Canh Bột Lọc): Loc cake comes from Hue, Dong Ha and then spreads to Quang Binh. In Quang Binh, it is added new flavors and become a special dish of this province. This cake is covered in banana leaves. Its stuffing is shrimps and braised pork

Soup Porridge (Cháo canh): This dish is the most favorite breakfast for the local people. The ingredients are quite familiar included: Snakehead fish, shrimps, pork

Oyster soup: The province is well-known for various dishes made from oysters

Sea snakes: Sea snakes are notorious because of its venom. Moreover, it is considered as a high value in a food industry as well as a medical field. If travelers want to find a place to enjoy the best traditional food, please go to Phong Nha market. The price is only from 30.000VND.

Further reading: Quang Binh Cuisine

Have a nice trip in Vietnam! Please well noted that you have to check your visa requirement of Vietnam before having any plan visiting Vietnam