Ninh Binh to Phong Nha
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What to expect when visiting Phong Nha
Phong Nha is a haven for adventure seekers. Its location in central Vietnam requires more time and effort to reach, probably why fewer travellers make their way to this town. That means you can enjoy a mostly unspoiled bit of paradise when you visit Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.
This UNESCO World Heritage site is known for its enormous cave system — which includes the world’s largest cave (Hang Son Doong) and the longest dry cave in Asia (Paradise Cave). Outdoor lovers will also enjoy the lush hiking trails, karst mountains, and amazing wildlife in Phong Nha.
3 ways to get from Ninh Binh to Phong Nha
There are three ways to travel the distance of 400 km (249 miles) from Ninh Binh to Phong Nha: by bus (8h 30m - 11h), private transfer (8 hours) and train (8h 32m - 9h 31m). The journey takes between 8h - 11h and the quickest way is by private transfer. The lowest priced tickets start from 428,000 VND ($17.30) for the bus.Where to stay in Phong Nha?
Still looking for accommodation? Don't forget to check out our favourite places to stay in Phong Nha at the bottom of this page.
Ninh Binh to Phong Nha by Bus
There are 2 main bus companies operating from Ninh Binh to Phong Nha. These are Queen Cafe and Grouptour.
Ticket prices start from 428,000 VND ($17.30). Depending on which company you travel with, the bus journey from Ninh Binh to Phong Nha takes around 8h 30m - 11h.
Own experience: I travelled this route with Queen Bus and had a very comfortable ride. However, the last two passengers who entered the bus had to sleep in the walkway, even though they booked their tickets from their accommodation. Travelling by bus in Vietnam is not as safe as in Western countries. Taking the train is safer, but for this route, it comes with more hassle.
Departure & Arrival station
The Queen Cafe bus departs from Ninh Binh Central Hotel in the city centre. Grouptour departs from Tam Coc Central Hostel.
Both bus companies arrive at the Central Backpackers Hostel along the main street in Phong Nha.
Bus Schedule from Ninh Binh to Phong Nha
TIP: Let your accommodation know when you expect to arrive and which bus company you booked with. When luck is on your side, you can check in early and enjoy your room straight away!
Ninh Binh to Phong Nha by Train
Do you want to travel by train from Ninh Binh to Phong Nha? You can only take the train to Dong Hoi (not Dong Ha!), which you can find 40 km southeast of Phong Nha.
From Dong Hoi Railway Station, you can take a bus or taxi to Phong Nha.
Step 1: Ninh Binh to Dong Hoi by Train
There are 4 trains operating daily from Ninh Binh to Dong Hoi. But because this train journey takes roughly 7h 32m - 8h 01m, it’s best to catch one of the two overnight trains (you can see their schedules below).
With an overnight train, you won’t lose a day of travelling. You can also save a night on accommodation.
We recommend getting a bunk in a 4-berth cabin so you’ll have enough space as well as a comfortable bed to get a good night’s sleep. Rates start from 684,000 VND ($28).
Alternatively, you can get a cheaper yet less spacious bunk in a 6-berth cabin. Soft seats are also available, but we think they’ll be uncomfortable for this long journey. In that case, you might be better off taking a sleeper bus.
PRO TIP: Use the free N26 debit card to avoid the extra fees charged by your bank. This N26 debit card is becoming very popular among travellers, because they don’t charge any fees on payments in foreign currencies (most banks charge 3%-5%). New members can order one for free on the N26 website
Step 2: Dong Hoi to Phong Nha by Bus/Taxi
There are 2 ways you can get from Dong Hoi Railway Station to Phong Nha: by bus for 50,000 VND ($2) or by taxi with fares from 400,000 VND ($16.10).
See our guide on how to get from Dong Hoi to Phong Nha for the bus schedule and more details.
Ninh Binh to Phong Nha by Private Transfer
If you have the budget for it, it’s also possible to travel from Ninh Binh to Phong Nha by private transfer. The journey takes 8 hours so this option doesn’t come cheap.
Rates start from 6,300,000 VND ($255) for a 3-seater car. Bigger vehicles are also available for larger groups.
We recommend booking your ride via BookAway so that you can expect a spacious car with a professional driver.
Our favourite places to stay in Phong Nha
Thao Nguyen Homestay - Budget Friendly
Thanks to the great hospitality of the family, Thao Nguyen Homestay will feel like your home. After a day of trekking, you can take a dive in the pool or sit back and relax with a Netflix movie.
The homestay is located right in front of the bus stop in the centre of Phong Nha. The rooms are bright and spacious, with some of them offering spectacular views of the mountains.
- Mountain views
- Outdoor swimming pool
- Bright and spacious rooms
- Delicious free breakfast
Private rooms start from $16 per night.
Phong Nha Dawn House - Budget Friendly
You’ll probably find it slightly hard to believe that rooms also start at $16 at Phong Nha Dawn House. This place has an almost perfect rating for a reason.
Tu Tu and her family make you feel right at home in their beautiful homestay where you can enjoy a refreshing swimming pool, delicious restaurant and comfortable rooms.
- Great value for money
- Outdoor swimming pool
- Delicious restaurant
- Free breakfast
Private rooms start from $16 per night.
Karst Villas Phong Nha - Mid Range
Floating in an infinity pool overlooking endless rice fields, can you think of anything better? How about if on top of that, there are mountains in the background and you’re staying with a beautiful Vietnamese family?
Karst Villas offer all of that plus modern room and unique bathrooms. A very memorable stay!
- Infinity pool
- Incredible views
- Amazing family
- Delicious free breakfast
Private rooms start from $38 per night.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ninh Binh to Phong Nha
What is the distance from Ninh Binh to Phong Nha?
The distance from Ninh Binh to Phong Nha is 400 km (249 miles).
What is the fastest way to get from Ninh Binh to Phong Nha?
The fastest way to get from Ninh Binh to Phong Nha is by private transfer and takes 8 hours.
What is the cheapest way to get from Ninh Binh to Phong Nha?
The cheapest way to get from Ninh Binh to Phong Nha is by bus with ticket costs starting from 428,000 VND ($17.30).
Rounding it up
We hope this guide was helpful in planning how to get from Ninh Binh to Phong Nha. If there's anything else you're wondering about, drop us a comment and we'll do our best to answer you within a few days.
PS: If you've recently travelled this route, share your experience with fellow travellers and help us improve this post. Thanks for helping out our travel community!
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Ela is a storyteller, content producer, solo traveller and a mermaid-in-training. When she’s not in front of her laptop, you will find her barefoot and living her best tan on some island in the Philippines… Or exploring the depths of its seas as a budding freediver. An island girl at heart, she’ll be happy anywhere there is sea, sand, sun and coffee.
Based in Bali, Maarten’s passion for travel is undeniable. In 2016, he decided to quit his job as a stock analyst and started doing what he always dreamed of: travelling through South East Asia and helping other people plan their trips. When he is not working on Gecko Routes, you’ll find him surfing in the ocean or exploring the best gems of Indonesia.
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From the accommodation that you suggested, how easy was it to get to the dark cave? Just wondering about logistics?
Hi Abbey! From Thao Nguyen Homestay, it takes about 30min by motorbike. If your rent a bike, I recommend you to make a full loop and visit Paradise cave on the same day. From Phong Nha Rustic Home, it is about the same distance. Thanks their free bicycle rental, you can also decide to cycle to this cave, which should take a bit less than 1,5 hour.
Before you go: Keep in mind that you cannot go into this cave on your own. You need to be with a large group or wait till another group arrives who you can join. When we got there early morning with 3 people, we needed to wait for a tour bus so we could join another group.
Hello Maarten. I was wondering if you can also travel during the day from Ninh Binh to Phong Nha? I have foreseen a whole day but now I read that you only can travel during the night?
Hi Lisa, there are no night buses on this route. If you want to travel during the day, you can take train SE7 or SE5 to Dong Hoi and from there a bus or taxi to Phong Nha. However I would recommend to travel by night and enjoy an extra day in tam coc/ninh binh instead. Have a safe trip!
Hi Marteen,
I found out about the sleeper bus from Ninh Binh to Phong Nha thanks to you! You said it cant be booked online, but I found tickets on a website (https://www.bookaway.com/s/vietnam/ninh-binh-to-phong-nha-ke-bang-national-park?departuredate=2018-12-30&passengers=2). Still, I didn’t know this website and haven’t use it before: is it safe? Do you know it?
Thank you a lot for all your travel tips!
Chiara
Hi Chiara,
Thanks for sharing this link! BookAway has a great user interface and is a trustworthy website. The only problem is that their tickets are sometimes a few dollar higher than Balao or when you buy them at location.
When I traveled this route from Ninh Binh to Phong Nha last year, I bought a ticket in Tam Coc with Queen VIP Bus. The bus drive was alright for us, but there were also people who needed to sleep on the floor because there were not enough available seats for all passengers. So always good to be there early!
Let me know your experiences and if I can find some more trustworthy confirmations, I will add this option to this page as well!
Hi there,
very useful information, thanks!
Do you know, or have you seen, if the buses/trains from Tam Coc or Ninh Binh take Motorbikes to Phong Nha?
Thank you,
Roxanne
Hi Roxanne! Good question!
It would be very convenient if a company would offer this, but unfortunately it is not possible.
For buses there is no way this will fit. They already struggle to get all backpacks on board.
With the train, you could send your bike with a freight train, but this will take several days and you cannot travel with the same train. I heard some stories that travellers who managed to get their bike on a train on some routes by paying some extra dongs to the staff. Obviously, this is not an official way and you need some strong negotiating skills. I wouldn’t recommend to place your bet on this very rare possibility.
Summing up, I think there is only one thing I can tell you: Enjoy the 8 hour motorbike ride!
Hi Maarten, I checked out the Hung Thanh bus company you mentioned in your post. Seems like they have some really bad reviews though… What was your personal experience?
First of all, when travelling by bus in Vietnam take in mind that bus drivers don’t always drive safe. Also staff can be rude, busses get overbooked, they tell you there is a toilet while there is none etc. However, for this route it saves you 3 hours and you don’t have the hassle with changing to bus/train. You can read more about the differences between busses or train on this page: https://www.geckoroutes.com/vietnam/transportation-guide-vietnam/.
For Hung Thanh bus in specific, there are indeed several bad reviews, but this is not much different than other bus companies. I travelled myself with Queen Cafe VIP Bus, which I booked at our guesthouse in Tam Coc. We luckily got our seats, but some people had to sleep on the floor/walkway of the bus because the bus was overbooked. I think it helped that we booked via our guesthouse which doesn’t want to get a bad reputation and makes sure you get the seat you paid for.
For me, the bus drive went very smoothly. Comfortable seats and I slept almost all the ride. About 10min before you arrive in Phong Nha they will wake you up so you can get ready to put your stuff together. When we arrived, the hotel manager was even waiting on us at the bus stop when we arrived! She know we would come by bus because we let her know on booking.com that we would arrive in the night between 4:00-5:00.
So its really up to you what you choose. Personally, I wouldn’t worry too much about the bad reviews. Most of the times everything is allright and it will be very convenient, but remember that you take an extra risk by travelling by bus and taking the train will be safer!
We booked the bus to Phong Nha at the long hotel in Tam Coc for 300.000, you even get a free night at the backpackers hostel of Phong Nha with this ticket. It left around 20.30 and arrived around 04.30.
What do people do when they arrive so early in the morning via bus? We want to book, but are unsure as to how we could possibly check-in to a hotel that early in the morning.
Hi Lindsay, I advise you to book an accommodation in advance and contact them. With a bit of luck you can already check-in and otherwise wait in the Lobby. We booked with booking.com and we set the arrival time at 4:00. When we got out of the bus, the lady from our hotel was already waiting and let us already into our rooms. However, better contact them advance to make sure the hotel will be open when you arrive.
Very useful information! Thanks. We took the bus from Tam Coc and arrived around 4:30 in Phong Nha. Fortunately, we could already enter our room when we arrived.
Is it also possible to fly from Ninh Binh to Phong Nha?
If you want to tavel by plane from Ninh Binh to Phong Nha, you will first have to go back to Hanoi (2-3hrs), go to Hanoi airport (1 hr). To travel from Hanoi to Phong Nha, you will have to fly from Hanoi to Dong Hoi (1hr) and then take a bus or taxi to Phong Nha (6 hr).
If you don’t like to travel by bus because, we would advise taking the train instead of flying. From Ninh Binh, you can travel directly to Dong Hoi and take a bus/taxi from Dong Hoi to Phong Nha. This will save you the trip to Hanoi and will therefore be be much easier.