The Second Half of My Vietnam Backpacking Adventure
The second half of my Vietnam backpacking adventure was wild and largely unplanned. It went something like this: upsetting the locals at a fishing village near Đồng Hới; slumber party in the 4th largest cave in the world; dance party to celebrate the Year of the Rat; badminton with our feet; and, an epic Hoi An motorbike adventure with travel mates.
If you ever have the opportunity to go on your own Vietnam backpacking journey, I recommend not making many plans and letting the adventures find you. Vietnam is a chaotic country but it will reveal its beauty, especially when you aren’t desperately searching for it.
Đồng Hới – Next Stop
From the rice fields of Sapa, located at Vietnam’s northern border with China, I bused to Hanoi, and then took a short flight south to Đồng Hới. Đồng Hới is a coastal city located halfway down Vietnam’s eastern border.
The city was completely destroyed by bombs during the Vietnam War. It has since been rebuilt so that little evidence of its devastation remains. Đồng Hới isn’t often chatted about by backpackers and the city was not originally on my radar. I visited Đồng Hới, because it is the closest major city to Phong Nha, a city I planned to visit next, and home to some of the largest caves in the world.
I enjoyed my short stop-over in Đồng Hới, especially because I only encountered locals. While in Đồng Hới: I slept in a funny little homestead that was located above a convenient store that only sold water bottles and chips; I visited the local food market and slurped down unfamiliar gooey local dishes, like Bánh Bột Lọc (some sort of dumpling?); and, I went on a memorable bike ride to a local fishing village where I was almost skewered alive fried for trespassing. I may be exaggerating a bit here…
Pay the 8 Cent Toll Fee or Make Enemies with the Locals
My favorite Đồng Hới adventure was a ten-mile bike ride to a tiny fishing village on the outskirts of the city. On this excursion I mustered up the courage to bike across a 1 meter wide bridge. The bridge consisted of overlapping plywood slabs loosely fastened to empty plastic barrels, which floated on the water. I was half-way across this precarious bridge, when I started to hear angry shouting coming from behind, near the start of the bridge. I had the unsettling feeling that I had broken some rule and had trespassed onto a sacred bridge. Without investigating the source of the commotion, I continued to pedal across, pretending I had done nothing wrong.
On my return trip across the bridge, I became aware of the reason for the uproar. Apparently, I had crossed the bridge without paying the 8 cent (0.08 USD or 2,000 Vietnamese Dong) toll. Not to worry! I immediately paid my fee and made amends. I’d be surprised if your Vietnam backpacking journey takes you to this obscure fishing village. But, if it does, don’t forget to pay the price before crossing!
The Local Bus Side-Hustle Witnessed on My Journey to Phong Nha
Before I get into my cave slumber party, I first want to acknowledge the impressive local Vietnamese bus side-hustle I became aware of while on my bus trip from Đồng Hới to Phong Nha. During the ride, the driver constantly veered off to the side of the road, not to load or offload passengers, but instead to pick up or deliver packages. On one occasion we stopped to pick up a computer modem that looked like it was from the mid-90’s… seriously? One time, we even delivered lunch…. Uber Eats Vietnam style!
During each exchange, the driver would collect some cash and then we would be on our way. There was no menu of prices or table outlining the time and location of stops and there certainly was no mobile app (business idea?). But, like everything else in Southeast Asia, every package ended up exactly where it needed to in the nick of time. I went on a few more local bus trips during my Vietnam backpacking adventure and I noticed that this side hustle was commonplace.
Phong Nha – Vietnam Cave Adventures
In my mind, Phong Nha is Vietnam’s version of Argentina’s Patagonian town of El Chaltén (visit my El Chaltén post). I make this comparison, because it is a town for nature lovers and explorers. Instead of spotting glaciers and hiking in the mountains of Patagonia, in Phong Nha, visitors explore caves and hike through the dense jungle in Phong Nha – Kẻ Bàng National Park.
A travel mate piqued my interest in Phong Nha, when he alerted me that here it is possible to camp overnight in two of the largest caves in the world. In advance of my arrival, I booked a cave tour with Jungle Boss, one of two tour outfits in Phong Nha (the other being Oxalis). It my understanding that these companies were the first to “discover” these caves. Unfortunately, and to the disappointment of parsimonious Vietnam backpackers like me, travelers are prohibited from visiting these caves without booking a tour. But, it’s definitely worth it! Don’t let the cost or effort to plan prevent you from missing out on this Vietnam backpacking gem.
Walking Through Rice Fields in the Dark and My Encounter with Wild Dogs
The bus arrived in Phong Nha at twilight, just as the sun was touching down below the horizon. I spent the majority of the bus ride in an awkward and uncomfortable position. I didn’t want to shift in the slightest, because a little Vietnamese girl had fallen asleep on my shoulder. No, it wasn’t that cute. I jumped off the bus and decided that, although the hostel appeared to be far away, I needed to stretch my stiff limbs. I was in the mood for another Vietnam backpacking adventure.
It wasn’t the best decision to walk to the hostel, instead of simply hiring an rickshaw for 7 USD. I ended up walking, with my 50 pound pack in the pitch dark through rice fields for nearly 45 minutes until I finally made my way to the Phong Nha Eco Resort. On my sweaty stroll, I ran into a pack of wild dogs and it was probably one of my top 5 scariest travel moments of all time. No joke, it was almost scarier than that one time I thought I was being abducted on a pub crawl in Croatia.
Upon arriving at the hostel, my receptionist greeted me and disconcertedly asked how I had made my way to the hostel. My red face, scratched arms, mosquito bumps, and sweat-stained shirt must have given me away. When I relayed that I may have walked a few miles through rice fields, she looked back in astonishment and declared “No one walks here from town! Why did you do that!?” All I could do was shrug my shoulders and grin like it was no big deal.
Note: The Phong Nha Eco Resort was great, but I heard incredible reviews about the Easy Tiger Hostel. Unfortunately, the hostel was completely booked at the time of my visit. Try to book this hostel in advance!
Slipping and Sliding Like Drunks in Hang Over Cave
I signed up with Jungle Boss for the two-day, one-night Hang Pygmy Exploration tour in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. The tour cost just under 300 USD and included lots of good stuff: the park entrance fee (50 USD), transportation to and from my hostel, meals, snacks, tour guide and porters, camping gear and equipment, and one unforgettable cave slumber party. A pretty damn good deal if I do say so myself, and a must-do on your Vietnam backpacking adventure.
We bused for one hour and then hiked for a 3-4 hours through the Vietnamese jungle to Hang Over Cave. The cave is called Hang Over Cave because it so muddy and slippery in the cave that everyone can’t walk without falling, appearing drunk. The cave held true to its name as nearly every member in our group wiped out in the mud at least once.
The hike through the cave is 3.5 kilometers. This is a surprisingly long distance when you are hiking in complete and utter blackness. It is an endless maze of stalagmites, stalactites, and beautiful shallow pools of water. And, it definitely makes sense that they don’t allow backpackers to explore the caves without a guide. Unguided, I don’t think I could have discovered the cave’s exit even if given a full week’s time.
Abseiling into Hang Pygmy Cave
After over one hour in Hang Over Cave, we exited into a large basin where the cave ceiling had once collapsed. On the other side of the basin was an opening that led into Hang Pygmy Cave (“Pygmy Cave“), our hostel for the evening. Before the collapse, the two caves had once been one enormous cave. We strapped on harnesses and abseiled into the bottom of Hang Pymgy. I thought the decent was going to be child’s play but instead it was a deceivingly harrowing decent.
Having spent many years living in New York City, a city that no matter what time of day or night is always illuminated by millions of shiny lights, I sometimes forget what it feels like to be in complete and absolute darkness. When our crew decided to momentarily turn off our headlamps in unison, we were enveloped in a blackness that was so bold and overwhelming, I felt as though I had been swallowed whole.
Half-way through the cave, we stopped to change into our bathing suits for a quick swim. Our swimming pool was located deep within the cave’s recesses and as I plunged into its dark and icy depths I had a strange but exciting feeling that I didn’t really know where I was or what I was doing. What lay below? Was anything above? Which way was down and which up?
Including our swimming break it took just over one hour to traverse this beast of a cave. In terms of volume Pygmy cave is significantly larger than Hang Over Cave, but it takes much longer to cross Hang Over cave from one end to the other. The word pygmy is often used to describe an usually small person. The reason it is called “Pygmy” Cave, is because it is so large, that you feel dwarfed by its enormity.
Sleep-Over in Hang Pygmy Cave, the 4th Largest Cave in the World
Hands-down, the best part of the expedition was spending the evening and morning at the main entrance of Pygmy Cave. The cave’s cathedral-like entrance lets in enough sunlight to support the growth of small ferns. The sun’s rays light up the plants and their leaves give off an ethereal and vibrant glow, each leaf like a miniature neon light.
We amused ourselves for hours at the cave’s “foyer” trying our best to absorb the experience. No matter how many pictures we took, its seemed impossible to capture the magic. We sat down to enjoy a steamy and tasty phở feast concocted by our talented porters, told camp stories, and then settled down for a quiet evening of reflection in our tents. The next day we enjoyed a leisurely morning in the cave and then set off on a 9 kilometer hike through the wilderness. What an adventure!
Hoi An – Discovering the Best Travel Mates
Sleeping in Hang Pygmy Cave was an epic experience, but the Hoi An portion of my travels was my favorite chapter in my Vietnam backpacking journey. Hoi An is sometimes looked down upon for its touristy vibe. But, I think it is a beautiful city, especially at night, when it’s streets and stalls glow from colored light cast by hanging bulbs and lanterns. I know it’s cliché, but more memorable than the city and its sites, I met some incredible people while visiting Hoi An. These travelers made my time in the city unforgettable.
I stayed at the terrific Hoi An Love.Ly Hostel while visiting Hoi An. This hostel, which I rank as the 4th best hostel in the world, laid the foundation for my wonderful stay. Upon arriving at the hostel, I immediately signed up for the hostel family dinner that same evening. Within minutes I was chopping garlic in the kitchen while the hostel owner’s mom scowled, apparently unimpressed with my technique. One hour later, me and my 15 brand new mates, travelers from all over the globe, were laughing and sharing travel stories. We sat around a long table strewn with scattered empty plates and bowls that had once been filled with a smattering of tasty local Vietnamese delicacies. Shoutout to Ly, the hostel owner; she did a wonderful job with her hostel and it was the perfect place to make new friends. You can’t beat a good hostel family dinner!
Unforgettable Hoi An Adventures
My top moments in Hoi An were as follows: trying to “out-throw” the locals at a pottery village; playing Da Cau on the beach with Harry, swimming and foosball competitions with Harry and Robyn; dancing until 3am with the hostel crew to celebrate the lunar new year; and best of all, a full-day moped adventure with Harry, Robyn, and Charlie.
Robyn, Charlie, Harry, and I rented mopeds to visit the Mỹ Sơn Hindu temples and the Marble Mountain. Although the thousand year old temples and ancient marble monasteries were worthwhile stops, getting to chill with this incredible crew easily eclipsed the sites.
Da Nang – Last Stop on my Vietnam Backpacking Journey
Many Vietnam backpackers that I met on my journey recommended that I carve out time to motorcycle on the Ha-Giang Loop and visit Hạ Long Bay. Unfortunately, every time I checked, the weather forecast in these locations looked abysmal. Often, travelers returning from these places complained that their visit had been ruined by inclement weather. Instead of forcing it, I decided to pass on these hot-spot destinations and instead chose to spend a couple of nights in Da Nang. Sometimes you can’t force a destination; instead, its better to explore a place that is off the beaten path. Besides, if you can’t see it all in your first go around, it’s a great excuse to come back for round two.
I rested up in Da Nang for two evenings before catching a quick flight across Vietnam’s western border into Cambodia to visit the ancient city of Angkor. Da Nang re-energized me, because I felt totally immersed in the Vietnamese culture in this large non-touristy metropolis. My hostel offered free bicycles for hire, and I found it amusing to bike while swarmed by hundreds of motorbikes.
I visited a handful of restaurants, none of which had menus translated in English. Children at neighboring tables would stare at me with open mouths, making me feel as if I was a celebrity. Often, I would select my food by pointing at other customer’s dishes. On more than one occasion, the meal was nothing like I had anticipated. The waiters seemed so excited to have me at their establishment that I feigned delight with each gooey bite and gulped down the food with a smile. My mom would have been proud with my table manners.
Leaving Vietnam and My Conclusions on Southeast Asia: A Land of Beautiful Chaos
On my way to the airport to catch a flight to Cambodia I passed a severely burdened telephone pole, weighed down with, what looked to be, thousands of cables balled up and knotted in a comically disorganized fashion. It looked so absurd that I’d wager a three-year-old with a crayon could draw something cleaner. Yet, I was confident this telephone pole, with its mountain of wires, functioned adequately. Nothing seems to make sense in Southeast Asia, yet everything works. Grimy. Chaotic. Disorganized. I’m drawn to this place, because, against all odds, it works. It’s like no place I have ever been. A land of beautiful chaos.
