Vietnam is a country of diversity: Mountains and beaches, palm trees and pines, chaotic cities and sleepy rural villages, and the breathtakingly beautiful jungles. If you have a month in Vietnam, you can experience both the south and the north of the country, eat amazing food, and get off the beaten path.
I am now nearly at the end of my 2-week adventure through Vietnam, and making it simple; we just had the most spectacular time here! It has been a breakneck, to say the least, and we ticked off so many unforgettable and breathtaking experiences by opting for the best jungle tour Vietnam. Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is Vietnam’s breathtaking part featuring eco-trail, waterfalls, local villages, and botanical gardens. Loads of travelers make their way to see the stunning cave systems in the area, but there is more to this remote area that meets the eye. Jungles, rivers, lakes, mountains, caves, and exotic wildlife fill the area, and I am sure everyone exploring this hidden gem of Vietnam is sure to create some epic memories when visiting this part of the country. “Don’t jump, you could crumple the caves!” I ceased, composed to hop off the rock where I had been positioning myself to get a better photo of Kim Cave’s main chamber. Suddenly the ground seemed to be less solid than it was just a few moments ago. Then I realized that nothing could seem more permanent in this jungle rather than the massive rocky caves (however, they are still continuously growing and changing as the old caves collapse and the river course through solid rock form new ones). Heading Down…. The Paradise Cave in Phong Nha National Park is one of the largest caves the region and easily the most impressive which is 31 km long and caverns up to 100 m tall. Beneath the Phong Nha’s forests lurks the biggest cave in the world: Son Doong. The cavern is so huge that it has its own climate and ecosystem, sheltering a jungle of trees up to 30 m in height. Sadly, access to Son Doong is restricted to a few visitors per year, but luckily I was soon able to find out some of the most beautiful and largest caves in Quang Binh Province that are much more accessible as long as you don’t mind a bit of hiking. One small step… We started our trek to the Tu Lan cave system from the village of Tan Hoa. The scenery was mesmerizing from the beginning. Green valleys, glittering rivers, and jungle-clad mountains soared all around us. After walking for 30 minutes along the flat valley floor we began to ascend into the mountains where the going got tougher. We climbed steadily upwards squeezing between boulders and scrambling over fallen trees, constantly surrounded by close jungle vegetation. These forests contain a dizzying catalog of flora and fauna and have 500-year-old trees with buttress roots that are even taller than me. During lunchtime, we paused for our lunch in a cave overlooking a plateau that is surrounded by wooded peaks on all sides. Wet and Wild Post lunch, the trek to Tu Lan even became more challenging. We scrambled upward climbing up rocky stretches and slipping on slick muddy paths until we arrived at our campsite. That evening, I fell upon my night meal with gusto. I don’t know whether it was the food or mild exhaustion, food really does taste better out there. The descent The Tu Lan cave is hidden deep inside Quang Binh’s dense rainforest. No wooden walkways, no stone-carved steps, or artful lighting are there to make your journey easier. Kitted up with waterproof rucksacks, headlamps, helmets, and lifejackets, we climbed to the top of the waterfall and took the first glimpse of the gaping mouth of Ken Cave. As we launched ourselves into the river and started swimming into the darkness, a thrill of excitement went down my veins. No chattering crowds, no tour buses, this felt like the beginning of a real adventure. After diving deeper into the cave system, we climbed out of the water and started making our way on foot. We moved from cave to cave, going from small to vast caverns, as the air temperature dipped from warm to cold and then back again. At the end of the cave system we emerged via a wide opening into the jungle and made our way out and this brought an end to one of our most desired adventures of jungle tour Vietnam. The mysteries of the small but dramatic section of the caves were now uncovered for me and thinking that made me smile. Hope this post does what I intended it to do. Now plan your trip – Vietnam adventure awaits! See you next time! If you like this post, don’t forget sharing it!!
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AuthorCat Tien Jungle Lodge is located next to the Cat Tien National Park – one of six biosphere reserves recognized by UNESCO in Vietnam. It is about 150 km North-East (about 2½ hours drive) from Ho Chi Minh City. ArchivesCategories |