Day 1: Dong Hoi - Phong Nha - Dong Hoi
Meet you Dong Hoi Train Station and private transfer to your hotel. Early check-in if available and breakfast.
Leaving your hotel by around 8.30am, we’ll drive around 50km to Phong Nha Cave. First discovered under French rule in the late 19th century and subsequently fully surveyed in 1990. Soon after cave was given the title of the world’s longest river cave with a length of almost 14km. The first 1.200 meters of the cave was opened up for public viewing. It is only accessible by boat and features an underground river.
The caverns that are open to visitors are quite close to the mouth of the cave. Just as you enter, to the right, disembark your boat on to a landing and a set of stairs that lead to two caverns, or grottos.
At 400 million years of age, these are some of the oldest limestone formations in the world. The curiosities produced when water seeps slowly through limestone for eons are visible everywhere. Intricate stalactites, stalagmites and ground formations are on display everywhere — it’s truly an underground wonderland.
Leaving the cave, we’ll continue by road to Thien Duong (Paradise) Cave. Local lunch (included) will be taken along the way.
Discovered only in 2005, Thien Duong “Paradise” Cave took the title of longest cave in Vietnam away from the name star of the park, Phong Nha Cave.
At 31km (19 miles) in length Paradise Cave is more than four times longer than its nearby sister and has perhaps more impressive stalactite and stalagmite formations
Take a deep breath before you go further to prepare yourself for what is ahead, or you will think you have stepped into a primitive forest that aged into stone mineral. Stalactites that look like temples, cranes with their arched necks looking up to the sky and a pine tree with hundreds of branches are dotted throughout this underground world.
With a little imagination, there is no end to the shapes to be found in the cave. Also around Thien Duong Cave are dozens of stalactite mounds 30-50 centimeters tall, resembling Buddha statues, some of them with diameters of more than a meter. One stalactite structure looks like the communal house of the Central Highlands people.
The British Caving Association have stated that Thien Duong Cave is probably the longest dry cave in Asia.
During the afternoon, drive back through the National Park to your hotel in Dong Hoi. The remainder of the day is at your leisure.
Day 2: Dong Hoi to Hue (SOUTH ACROSS THE DMZ TO HUE) (if required)
We recommend an early breakfast and depart your hotel for the drive south to Hue.
This drive passes through some of the most historic areas in Vietnam.
During the 1960’s / 70’s war, some of the most fierce fighting was in the area south of Dong Hoi at the Ben Hai River / 17th parallel division of former North and South Vietnam – ironically known as the DMZ or Demilitarized Zone.
Nowadays this peaceful area is a complete contrast the former battlegrounds. You may be able to cross the old wooden footbridge the over Ben Hai River and also visit the small war museum situated on the north side.
Continuing south, pass by the totally destroyed Long Hung Church, now just a shell of the building remains. The exterior is riddled with bullet marks, giving some idea of the fighting that took place here.
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Traveling with us in the meaning of “CONNECT and SHARE”, you will see how life becomes special to catholic communities and it is a great chance to understand more about Vietnamese culture and catholic stories through the real local catholics.
Ho Thi Suong Lan
0161000885230
Vietcombank – Hue
Viet Orchid Travel Co., Ltd.
16 Doan Huu Trung, Phuoc Vinh Ward, Hue City,
Thua Thien Hue Province, Vietnam.
(+84) 914 544 660 – 234 3623 896
Fax: 0234 3935 621
