Paradise Caves in Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park, Viet Nam, stretches 31km inside, however, only 1 km of it is accessible. It was discovered by chance in 2005 by a local person then further explored and opened to the public in 2010. It was a nice break from the busy cities we visited on our “Middle of Viet Nam Tour”  and as cliche as it may sound, it was nice to connect with nature and take in all its beauty.

To go to the caves we climbed up 1km worth of stairs. My cousin and I took a different route away from the tour group and it was great to finally catch up with her.

View after climbing the stairs to reach the entrance of the cave

See all those wooden stairs? At points I questioned their strength. I remember it was incredibly hot that day so once we entered the cave, it was so cool and refreshing. I was worried the caves would make me feel claustrophobic, however, the immense amount of space was breath taking. I tried my best to remember the difference between stalagmites and stalactites- to be honest, I still don’t know the difference…

We visited two caves that day and to go to the second cave, we took a boat which was about a 30 minute ride. Let me tell you from my experience and this might be TMI, but if you have the slightest feeling that you need to go to the washroom- go BEFORE the boat ride. Trust me. Once you’re at the second cave there are no restrooms and you’re out of luck. On that note, if you are travelling to Viet Nam or any where really, it’s always a good idea to pack hand sanitizer and those little kleenex packets because sometimes, just sometimes, there is no toilet paper or soap. Just a hole in the ground.

The boat we took

Lots of cattle just doing their thing.

My momma being all cute!

I really enjoyed this day.  Depending on your tour, you may be able to explore more of the caves and go swimming, and they also offer zip lining! I’ve provided a link with tours, you might find interesting! I’ve read on Trip Advisor that so many people recommend checking out these caves, and I completely agree with them!

Also, there are photographers at most tourist destinations in Viet Nam. If you want, they will take your photo during your tour and have the images printed and lamenated by the time you exit your tour. Incredibly fast service, fairly cheap, and we got a couple photos as souvenirs!

The sun setting on our way back to the dock

Safe travels everyone! Let me know if you decide to check out Paradise Caves!

Julia