Phong NHA, Sơn Trạch, Bố Trạch District, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam
+43 699 131 88 770
tour@travel-with-henry.com
+43 699 131 88 770
tour@travel-with-henry.com +43 699 131 88 770
tour@travel-with-henry.comThe Phong Nha Khe Bang National Park is located in the west of Central Vietnam and forms a cross-border nature reserve with the Hin Namno Bio Diversity Area in Laos. In addition to a number of predators, e.g. Wild tigers, there are hundreds of other rare species – insects, birds, mammals – domiciled untouched by man. The Karst Mountains of Phong Nha are among the oldest in Asia and have been created more than 400 million years ago. Natural jungles, almost inaccessible deep canyons and rivers, as well as extensive cave systems make this area a popular destination for many thrill-seeking adventurous tourists from all over the world.
Also the Hang Son Doong Cave, the largest cave in the world is there. It is considered as one of the most spectacular natural attractions of South-East Asia. The main cave is 200 m high, 150 m wide and over 5 km long. Unfortunately, this is not an excursion destination for a day trip – to get to this cave you have to register more than a year before. Then you can join a 7-day expedition with 20 carriers – if you are willing to pay about 3,000 USD for it.
There are a number of caves that can be visited – the Phong Nha cave for example. It can only be reached by a river and must take a boat to get into the cave system.
I did’nt visit the Phong Nha Cave, therfore I called on the paradise cave. This cave is really huge and a unique natural phenomenon. To get to the entrance, you first have to climb the mountain for about 20 min – this can be very sweaty at high temperatures and high humidity. But when you in the cave you will be cool down pretty soon again. The climb should not discourage you from visiting this site. I in particular, had only once again the bad luck that immediately before me a bus full of Chinese came in. So I had to wait for the first drive – but then I could explore the cave almost alone.
But also off the caves – this area is beautiful. Riding a motorbike, crossing jungle sections or deep valleys is a wonderful experience – therfore it is worth to put sufficient time on your schedule.
In Phong Nha I had a bad series – with regard to flat tires. Within 2 days i had caught 3 punctures. The first as I arrived. This was not a big deal, because the rear wheel was repaired in the next workshop within an hour. The next morning I came exactly 3 km and I could push the bike again. Since I was on the outskirts of the town of Phong Nha, a local resident helped me to fix the tube on his estate, while a beekeeper went on to work 3 meters away.
The third puncture was a bit more unpleasant. On a small road in the national park towards the Laotian border, the rear tyre decided again to be flat. 30 km from the main road in the wilderness there are more comfortable experiences imaginable. I knew there was a village to come somewhere, so I pushed further towards Laos when a motorcycle was stopping next to me. The two boys had no pump with them, but confirmed with their hands and feet that the village was soon to appear. The next passing biker while I was pushing had a pump, but wanted money for it. I had found this somehow shabby and relatively inexplicably, so I sent him away. Again 10 minutes later – the village was still not yet in sight – 2 mopeds with 6 young Vietnamese appeared and I started first time to feel slightly uneasy – they told me that it was 10 km to the next village. Simultaneously with them a car with an electric pump appeared – all attempts to get air in the tire failed.
The boys were very nice – while the car continued, they offered me to push the motorcycle together with me to the village. One after the other alternating, we approached the village slowly. At this speed, it would probably take another three hours to get there. So I asked one of the young men if it would be possible to ride to the village with one of their motorcycles and bring the mechanic and tools along with. It took about 5 minutes until they understood what I wanted and another 1 1/2 hours until the mechanic was here. With the simplest means we needed another hour, until my little Honda was ready to set off again. When I asked them what I’ve to pay for their effort, I got the answer: Nothing, it was a pleasure to help me. Then I wanted to go with them to the village and buy one or two rounds of beer for the group – they also refused. I should go back to Phong Nha as soon as possible – who knows how long the tire would last. They should finally be right. After an involuntary several-hour stay, I came back to the hotel shortly before dark.
When I headed north again the next morning, I had again to less air in the tire . After no spare tube was available in Phong Nha, I let the tire pump up fully in the hope, that I would at least get so far until I could change the tube at the first opportunity – so it happened.
