We did a tour of Phong Nha Cave & Paradise Cave yesterday, Tuesday. We arranged this tour via our hotel the Sunshine Hotel in Dong Hoi. We had breakfast at 7.15am and we were collected around 8.15am having checked out of the hotel.
First stop was Paradise Cave, and it was spectacular! One of the best caves I’ve seen for sure. The entrance, as generally with caves, is a small opening beneath a large rock. You then descend down a wooden staircase to the depths of the cave. The tour continues for about 1km only, however, as far as I know you can arrange alternative tours that explore deeper in to the cave. The magnitude of the interior is just breath-taking, you could easily play an All-Ireland Final there; it is HUGE! As you enter you’re met with a pretty spectacular stalagmite (or was it a column, not sure if they connected!) at about half its height. The staircase winds right around it and as you walk down you realise the sheer scale of this spectacular feature. I really can’t explain how big it was, it was monstrous!
Spectacular eh? Like a giant foot!
We’re soon coming to realise we’ve decided to explore Asia at its quietest time, therefore the tourists along the way are far and few between, which is great. The walk through Paradise Cave would not have been anywhere near the same had it been bustling with fellow travellers. At any one time, I reckon there was a maximum of 20 people in the cave! In fact, our tour guide mentioned at the next cave that at the busy times, even with 300 boats (that can hold 14 people) cannot keep up with the tourists flocking to view the cave, imagine that?!
Next stop, lunch, and then on to Phong Nha Cave. Phong Nha is a river cave therefore we took a boat trip down a river and finally in to the cave. Really lovely trip and like something out of a movie; we felt like we were on set! You travel for approximately 1km in the boat, then turn around, and hop off the boat near the entrance and walk the remainder on foot via a sandy section of the cave.
Our boat that we rode through the cave
Me in Phong Nha Cave
We were impressed by both caves; however, I can easily say Paradise Cave was something else. We finished up our tour about 4pm and made our way back to our hotel in Dong Hoi and arrived at 5pm.
We arranged train tickets with our hotel to Hue and this was booked for 7.40pm and arriving in to Hue last night at 11pm.
All the best :)