Overview
While the Qu=ng Bình province boasts historical importance as a focal point of the American War, ·ng Høi provides peace for those looking to escape the noise and tumult of most of Vietnam’s other major cities. Though its sleepy streets have little to offer, local beaches to the northeast and the town’s friendly, laid-back atmosphere lure visitors to lounge on nearby shores and relax in local coffee shops. It’s an ideal rest stop before the requisite trip to Vietnam’s famed Phong Nha Caves or to the head of the H· Chí Minh Trail—the path that kept provisions flowing to hidden armies in the mountains and caves of the Kë Bàng National Park.
The easiest way to head north or south is to flag down one of the buses on Hwy. 1 heading north to Hà Nÿi (60,000-80,000), south to Hu\ (40,000-50,000), or to one of the many smaller cities in between. The rarely used and out-of-the-way ·ng Høi bus station (☎825 254) lies 1km west of the center of town, at the corner of Tr<n H™ng åo and Nguy[n H™u Canh. Buses leave irregularly every 15-45 minutes daily for: à N{ng (7hr.; 50,000-60,0000); Hà Nÿi (12hr.; 60,000-80,000); HCMC (15hr.; 120,000); Hu\ (4hr.; 40,000-50,000). Open-tour bus tickets are available at the few tourist offices in town, and go to: à Låt (260,000); Hà Nÿi (100,000); Hi An (110,000); Hu\ (75,000); M´i Né (280,000); Nha Trang (210,000); Savannakhet, Laos (220,000). The train station lies 3km west of town, 1km past the market. (☎836 789. Open daily 7:30am-5pm.) Continue 2km past the bus station on Tr<n H™ng åo and take the first right after the bridge onto Hoáng Di_u, turning right again 700m later into the path that leads to the station’s steps. Five northbound trains leave daily very early in the morning; five southbound trains leave in the afternoon. To: Hà Nÿi (9-13hr.; 122,000-177,000); HCMC (23-30hr.; 280,000-408,000); Hu\ (3-4hr.; 40,000-57,000); Vinh (4hr.; 48,000-70,000). To hail a taxi, try Qu=ng Bình Taxi (☎828 282) or Taxi ·ng Høi (☎841 841).
Though it is a relatively small town, ·ng Høi is spread out along Hwy. 1, which enters from the north as L• Th™ng Ki_t and turns into Quang Tr™ng at its intersection with Tr<n H™ng åo, which in turn heads west toward the bus and train stations and east toward the NhÆt L_ river. There are very few English-speaking tourist offices in ·ng Høi, as the city does not presently receive many foreign tourists. Small offices selling open-tour bus tickets to Hà Nÿi line L• Th™ng Ki_t. Most large hotels can set up private cars with a driver for a daytrip to Phong Nha (350,000-400,000).
Your best bet if you want to find information about the province and its sights, or if you want to book an open-tour bus ticket, is Nhà Nghi Du Lich tourist office, 102 L• Th™ng Ki_t. Though a 1km hike north of the post office, the tour agent speaks decent English and is very helpful. (☎828 228. Open daily 7am-4pm.) Exchange dollars for Œ·ng at one of the best rates in town at Vietinde Bank, 3 Nguy[n Trãi. (Open M-F summer 7:30-11:30am and 1:30-4:30pm, winter 7-11:30am and 1-4pm.) To reach the bank, turn left onto Nguy[n Trãi, a small road intersecting Quang Tr™ng 800m south of the post office. You can purchase medication or first-aid needs at pharmacy stalls found inside Ch Ga, the major town market on the western outskirts of town. The town hospital (☎822 443) lies just off H™u Nghi on Tràn Quang Kh=i, about 2km northwest of the post office. From the bus station, head west on Tr<n H™ng åo and keep right as the road splits off and becomes H™u Nghi. Continue down this road for 1km and take a left on Tràn Quang Kh=i. Check out the new-ish computers at the Internet cafe at 1 Lˆ Trc, on a small road off Quang Tr™ng, one block south of Nguy[n Trãi. (☎824 694. Open daily 7am-11pm. 3000 per hr.) Alternatively, pop into one of the Internet shops along inh Ti_n Hoàng, a small alley on your left 100m north of the post office. (Open 7am-10:30pm.) The post office, 1 Tr<n H™ng åo, marks the center of town, standing at the intersection where L• Th™ng Ki_t transforms into Quang Tr™ng. (☎822 579. Open daily 6:30am-10pm.) There’s a Vietcombank ATM inside.
There are numerous hotels scattered all over town, most of which offer comfortable doubles at affordable prices. For the most part, the hotels with the best value in the city are the smaller, family-owned establishments, offering good rooms for slightly lower prices than the larger hotels.
For an inexpensive, delicious bite to eat, explore the popular shops and cafes that crowd the market area on MSu#t near the river, 300m east of the Qu=ng Bình Gate on Quang Tr™ng. For delicious fruit smoothies (sinh tò), settle down at one of the street cafes across from the province’s prized gate. There is one stall across from 2 MSu#t that serves a fantastic blend of fresh mango and banana with ice (8000). Just say “sinh tò” and point to your fruits of choice.
The only real sight of interest in ·ng Høi town is the Qu=ng Bình Quan, a gate which stands in the southern part of town on Quang Tr™ng, 1km south of the post office. The tower-like structure was once part of a larger wall that marked the territory of the province; now it stands as a lonely reminder of Vietnam’s royal history. Quách Xuñn KÇ, which runs parallel to Hwy. 1 alongside the river, makes for a peaceful stroll, with a fantastic view of the nearby Xã B=o Ninh Island. Another 2km brings you to the simple and ever-popular Nhñt L_ beach, full of small stalls offering fresh fruit, soda, beer, and coconut milk (4000-8000). Another 3.5km past the beach, Quách Xuñn KÇ turns into a small red dirt road and leads to enormous sand dunes. The major town market (Ch Ga) lies on the western outskirts of town, about 400m before the train station. Inside this market (also known as Ch Nam Ly), you’ll find stalls filled with clothing, shoes, books, bags, pharmaceuticals, and food. Outside, more vendors crowd the market to sell fruits, vegetables, seafood, and slabs of meat. To reach the market, turn onto Tr<n H™ng åo at the post office and head west for about 2.5km. The second, slightly smaller market, Ch Cá, lies near the river bank at the end of MSu#t, facing the Qu=ng Bình Gate.
There is no public transportation to the caves. You can join an organized tour (400,000 car rental for up to 4 people from the Nhà Nghi Du Lich tourist office), take a taxi (300,000 one-way), or hire a xe ®m (125,000-175,000 round-trip). To reach the caves by motorbike, head north along Hwy. 15 until you reach one of the many highways (10, 12, 16, 18, or 20) that leads to the H· Chí Minh Trail. Turn right on the trail and continue north until it ends at Kë Bàng National Park. Follow the signs for less than 1km to the parking (1000). The tourist reception office to the left of the ticket counter offers 3-5hr. tours of the caves that include the boat trip to the entrance. (☎675 001; phongnhanp@dng.vnn.vn. Open 6:30am-4:30pm. One-person tours 50,000; cheaper for larger groups. Hu\ tourist agencies also offer combined tours of the caves and DMZ.
The caves in Kë Bàng National Park are some of Central Vietnam’s most interesting natural land formations. The park has 62 caves, of which only two are open to tourists. The first stop on the tour is the 1000m long ·ng Tiˆn S£n Cave, which was discovered by a local villager in 1935 but wasn’t opened to visitors until 1999. A 30min. boat trip brings you to the base of a small mountain. From there, it is a steep 45min. climb up stairs flooded with Vietnamese tourists and ice-cream vendors all the way to the mouth of the cave. Inside, colorful lights illuminate various stalactites and stalagmites to create an amazing scene filled with colors, shapes, and echoes. One of the more popular attractions of this spectacular rock formation is the Lovers’ Cave, a small nook with what looks like two stools, illuminated by green lights. Tourists tend to pose here for pictures.
To see the three chambers of the second and more famous Phong Nha Cave, visitors must head down the mountain and back along the river. As you enter the mouth of the cave in your boat, look up to see marks left by US bombs, whose impact enlarged the cave entrance. The 700m-long cave is bathed in natural light reflected by the water and the white stone walls. The center chamber has the most spectacular views: a tiny bridge carved in the rock leads to the Chamber of Fairytales, where one can marvel at what appears to be a fairy’s flowing hair, the bed of a sleeping king, and a solid waterfall flowing down majestic stairs.
Natural beauty aside, the caves are an important historical site for Vietnamese visitors. The abandoned houses along the river leading to the cave and the small, difficult-to-spot bomb marks all over the area remind visitors and inhabitants alike of the conflict waged a generation and a half ago. Many of these caves served as military bases, hospitals, and even banks during the country’s wars.
There are English-speaking officials at the Phong Nha Tourist Center, at the base of the mountain leading up to the first cave, providing visitors with information about the caves and the surrounding historical and natural sights. Snack and drink vendors crowd the cave entrances, and they are joined by restaurants and c£m shops around the parking lot and information and ticket booths.
(To travel down the trail, head from ·ng Høi onto road 15, turning west onto road 10, 12, 16, 18, or 20, all of which are branches the trail.)
This historically important road begins at Qu=ng Bình’s most popular tourist destination, the Phong Nha Caves, and runs south. During the war with the US—known to some here as “the war to fend off American imperialists”—the trail served as the main route of transportation for the NLF as well as the main supply line for the rebel Vi_t Cng in the south. As one of the primary ways to reach the caves, where provisions were stored, the road provides a view of the mountainous and forested inland that three decades ago was entrenched in war. Bomb pits, sometimes filled with water, are scattered along the road in the midst of forests or rice fields.
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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