As the capital of the country, the city of Hanoi is a good starting point for a tour of Vietnam. Visit the bustling Old Quarter and enjoy French, Chinese and Southeastern influences in both architecture and culture. Stroll through parks and monuments to discover beautiful pagodas or learn more about the city at its museums. After this introduction to Vietnam, discover the amazing nature of the country. Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park has lush nature and caves accessible by boat, as well as karst formations and paths for hiking and biking. It is a spectacular place inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Read on to find out the best way to get from Hanoi to Phong Nha.
Travel options from Hanoi to Phong Nha
The shortest distance from Hanoi to Phong Nha is about 500 kilometers. If you are traveling by bus, you must be prepared for a very long journey. You can also take a train from Hanoi to Phong Nha, but it’s also a long journey with a cumbersome commute from the train station to Phong Nha. The fastest way to reach Phong Nha is by plane. The flight shortens the route very much, but you also need to think about the transfer from the airport to Phong Nha.
Hanoi to Phong Nha by bus
The bus ride from Hanoi to Phong Nha takes some time, but this option has several advantages. Apart from the taxi, which is very expensive and which we do not recommend in this case, the bus is the only means of transport that reaches Phong Nha. Although it is not a door-to-door service, it is quite convenient. The buses depart from downtown Hanoi and arrive at Phong Nha Main Street, where accommodation facilities and park services are located. This means that the walk to your booked hotel will likely be quite short.
Another big advantage of taking the bus from Hanoi to Phong Nha is its low price. Buses are usually the cheapest means of transport and there is no doubt that this is also the case. You can find a train ticket at a price similar to the bus (depending on the ticket class), but you have to take into account the additional cost of changing. For this reason, the bus is the cheapest alternative on this route.
As you can see, buses are cheap and practical, but they also have their disadvantages. And the bus journey from Hanoi to Phong Nha is quite long. There are several companies operating this route, and their timetables indicate that the journey can take anywhere from 9 to 10.5 hours. Times vary as some companies make more stops along the way than others or make longer stops. It’s always nice to be able to get off the bus to stretch your legs, go to the bathroom or eat something, but however you look at it, you will spend many hours on the asphalt.
You can book Grouptour tickets online 12Go.asia. It offers only one departure per day from Hanoi to Phong Nha and is scheduled for 6:30 PM, so it runs overnight. The bus arrives in Phong Nha around 5:00 AM. It is a semi-sleeper bus, so it has reclining seats, thanks to which passengers can travel almost lying down. There is another company that also runs this route once a day. If the Grouptour bus is full, please check Camel Travel, Queen Café or Hung Thanh options. All have overnight sleeper buses.
Hanoi to Phong Nha flights
Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport is the second busiest airport in Vietnam © charnsitr / Shutterstock.com
Traveling by plane from Hanoi to Phong Nha is a big time saver, but it is also much more expensive. Fortunately, there are two airlines that operate this route with direct flights, so you can compare different deals. Keep in mind that you may find cheaper places by booking in advance, but check all prices carefully to see if there are any special discounts. Vietnam Airlines and Bamboo Airways operate this service. You can easily book your Vietnam Airlines tickets through 12Go.
While flying seems much faster than the other options to get from Hanoi to Phong Nha, don’t forget the extra time. Noi Bai International Airport is an hour from downtown Hanoi, so you’ll have to count on this transfer. Upon arrival at Dong Hoi Airport, you will also have a 1-hour transfer to Phong Nha. If we add to this the waiting time at the airport, the final journey lasts from 5 to 6 hours. As you can see, you don’t save much time compared to the bus either. You’ll have to decide if it’s worth spending more to fly.
From Hanoi to Phong Nha by train
As with the plane, the train does not go to the park in Phong Nha itself, but rather to Minh Le or Dong Hoi, cities from which you would need to take a bus or taxi to reach the park. The advantage of the train is that it departs from downtown Hanoi, so you don’t have to travel far to start your journey. Trains also have the advantage of being cheaper than flights and can be more comfortable than buses for such long distances.
If you add the train journey time and the transfer to Phong Nha, you won’t necessarily get there faster than by bus. But even if it is more expensive than the bus, the journey from Hanoi to Phong Nha is an experience worth experiencing. If you travel during the day, you can enjoy fantastic landscapes. If you prefer to travel at night, it is best to choose a ticket for a compartment with a bed so that you can sleep on the way. Traveling at night is a good option to avoid wasting hours during the day traveling. In addition, this way you can save on accommodation costs.
Train, bus and plane tickets can be booked online through 12Go. Here you can compare prices, ticket types and timetables on the same page, so you have all the information you need and can easily choose the solution that suits you best.