Enjoying majestic paradise in Quang Binh

As the COVID-19 pandemic in Quang Binh has been put under control and life has returned to new normal, the provincial Tourism Department has partnered with Oxalis Adventure to hold the first tour to reboot its tourism stimulation programme. Quang Binh is also the first province in Vietnam to hold sightseeing and adventure tours, starting from November. In this special context, first runner-up of Miss Vietnam 2010 Hoang My, together with five well-known travel bloggers Quy Coc Tu (Ngo Tran Hai An), Tran Dang Dang Khoa, Huy Hay Di, Huy Cung and Thanh Cuong, was the first to set foot in Quang Binh in this ‘door-opening’ tour. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

In the photo are the first runner-up of the Miss Vietnam 2010 beauty pageant Hoang My (third from right) and five well-known travel bloggers: Quy Coc Tu (Ngo Tran Hai An), Tran Dang Dang Khoa, Huy Hay Di, Huy Cung and Thanh Cuong. The group of six, arriving by air from Ho Chi Minh City, are visiting Quang Binh in a package tour permitted by the provincial People’s Committee. Quang Binh is now opened to travellers from COVID-19-free zones (green zones) and those applying the Prime Minister’s Directive 15/CT-TTg on pandemic prevention and control (yellow zones). Those from ‘yellow zones’ can only take part in ‘sandbox’ package tours or certain services on small scale to ensure safety. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Following a long social distancing period, Hoang My and the five travel bloggers took the first special trip in response to Quang Binh province’s tourism stimulation scheme. Not only having memorable moments, she also had exciting experiences in this paradise. Quang Binh is dubbed the ‘Kingdom of caves’ with hundreds of caves of various sizes as well as incredible mountain scenery and sprawling beaches. It is home to Son Doong Cave, accredited as the world’s largest and most beautiful natural cave by the World Records Union and the World Records Association, as well as the UNESCO-recognised world heritage site Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

As Quang Binh is in the flooding season, Hoang My has had interesting experience. When coming to Hung Trau, she immediately took standup paddleboarding (SUP). It is a water sport born from surfing with modern roots in Hawaii. It is a fun activity you can do on oceans, lakes, rivers, and bays. It’s a great full body core workout and way to experience the beauty of the outdoors. Best of all, it’s perfect for people of all ages, body types and skill levels. There’s even enough room to paddle with a dog, friend, child or significant other. Over the years, paddle boarding has continued to grow in popularity because it gives you the freedom to explore the beautiful waters the surround our planet. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Though confident, Hoang My still fell into water twice, shivering, and had to borrow a friend’s shirt to wear. SUP boating here is really an unforgettable experience for her. Despite flooding, the water is still clear because it flows down from the limestone mountains. Nguyen Ngoc Quy, Director of the provincial Tourism Department, said Quang Binh has been ready to welcome travellers back, describing the welcoming of the first tourist group as an important event marking the resumption and gradual recovery of the local tourism industry.  To enter the province, visitors must have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and undergone rapid testing with negative result before their flight’s departure and after arrival. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The six-strong team took a four-day and three-night trip to have full experience of things on offer in Quang Binh, such as discovering the Son River that flows through the Phong Nha-Ke Bang park and Tien cave in the rainy season with a clear blue lake and a waterfall pouring down the rock tower, exploring the Hung Trau low-lying area and other unexpected experiences that can only be known by visiting the place. Quang Binh is dubbed the ‘Kingdom of caves’ with hundreds of caves of various sizes as well as incredible mountain scenery and sprawling beaches. It is home to Son Doong Cave, accredited as the world’s largest and most beautiful natural cave by the World Records Union and the World Records Association, as well as the UNESCO-recognised world heritage site Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

After paddle boarding, Hoang My and her team travelled to Mooc stream. The path to this place is wet, muddy and full of leeches so that they had made careful preparations, such as wearing high socks and using insecticide. Located in Phuc Trach commune in Bo Trach district, the Mooc Stream connects with Chay River which is about 10 kilometers long and flows through Phong – Nha Ke Bang National Park. The stream winds around a dense limestone forest. The tropical limestone forest is home to many species of birds, insects and animals and a rich biodiversity with seasoned trees, orchids, ferns and lianas. Tourists should prepare suitable clothes to stroll through the dense groves to discover the wildlife and wallow in the cool water. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Hoang My rode a bicycle to enjoy the landscape in Chay Lap village. Quang Binh is one of the first localities nationwide to open its door to visitors from other localities. Daily flights from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi to the province have been resumed. Travel agents, hotels and homestay services have received priority in vaccination against COVID-19 so that they can serve guests again. Additionally, residents in tourist areas like Doong hamlet are also getting vaccinated to ensure their safety when tours to En and Son Doong cave tours resume. Quang Binh is now opened to travellers from COVID-19-free zones (green zones) and those applying the Prime Minister’s Directive 15/CT-TTg on pandemic prevention and control (yellow zones). Those from ‘yellow zones’ can only take part in ‘sandbox’ package tours or certain services on small scale to ensure safety. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Hoang My also experienced the feeling of relaxation with soak service using local traditional herbs such as Piper sarmentosum, gingers and salt, which can help reduce muscle fatigue. Travel companies and those operating tourist attractions can serve a maximum of 20 visitors per group, and groups must keep distance from one another during their stay in the province. The tours offered to travellers must be licensed by the provincial People’s Committee. The tourist reception process must also comply with regulations of the Health Ministry and the Government. Accordingly, visitors must have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and undergone rapid testing with negative result before their flight’s departure and after arrival. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Hoang My’s trip to Quang Binh was rather smooth with little difficulty. After flying from Ho Chi Minh City to the central city of Da Nang, the group continued to move 300km by car to Quang Binh. Quang Binh province offered all possible support for them to fully enjoy their trip. ‘Coming here, there is no need for quarantine or testing. I felt very comfortable’, My shared. Travellers from COVID-19-free zones (green zones) and those applying the Prime Minister’s Directive 15/CT-TTg on pandemic prevention and control (yellow zones) can easily go to Quang Binh. Those from ‘yellow zones’ can only take part in ‘sandbox’ package tours or certain services on small scale to ensure safety. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Visiting Quang Binh in the flooding season is a novel experience, and the scenery of Quang Binh is still beautiful and charming. The 50-percent entry fee reduction will be applied to popular cave tours, including Phong Nha, Tu Lan and Son Doong. Currently, entry fees to Son Doong cost 660 USD per person, according to major tour operator Oxalis Adventure, while entry tickets to Phong Nha Cave cost 5.24 USD per person and Hamada Valley-Tra Ang Cave, 8.8 USD. The central province’s authorities also decided to reduce by 20 percent entry tickets to popular tourist destinations like Phong Nha-Tien Son, Mooc Stream eco-tourism site, Thien Duong Cave, and Chay River-Dark Cave tourist site. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Not only admiring the green scenery of mountains and forests and breathing fresh air, Hoang My also had a chance to experience fascinating activities. Quang Binh is dubbed the ‘Kingdom of caves’ with hundreds of caves of various sizes as well as incredible mountain scenery and sprawling beaches. It is home to Son Doong Cave, accredited as the world’s largest and most beautiful natural cave by the World Records Union and the World Records Association, as well as the UNESCO-recognised world heritage site Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park. Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in the central province of Quang Binh leads the nation in terms of the most hospitable destinations, according to the annual Traveler Review Awards announced by travel website Booking.com. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Hoang My is on her way to Tien Cave, a little-known destination. Quang Binh is well-known for a system of spectacular caves with layers of multi-shaped stalactites. One of the most popular is Tien Cave in Cao Quang commune, Tuyen Hoa district. Possessing stalactites that resemble terraced fields, Tien Cave is considered by many as ‘unknown paradise’ in the central coastal province. It is the last and the largest of its kind in the Tu Lan cave system with amazing stalactites resembling terraced fields. Sun rays shining through the cave create an environment suitable for plants to grow, hence an abundance of plants, making Tien Cave truly a unique and majestic picture of nature. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Hoang My said she joined the tour with the hope to promote Quang Binh tourism. Quang Binh is one of the first localities nationwide to open to door to visitors from other localities. The central province is now opened to travellers from COVID-19-free zones (green zones) and those applying the Prime Minister’s Directive 15/CT-TTg on pandemic prevention and control (yellow zones). Those from ‘yellow zones’ can only take part in ‘sandbox’ package tours or certain services on small scale to ensure safety. Hoang My and the five famous travel bloggers were also the first to come to the province. This is one of the package tours offered by the Oxalis Adventure company and attracting much interest from travellers from HCM City, Hanoi, and many other localities. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Hoang My is in front of Tien Cave’s gate. Tien Cave was explored and measured by the British Cave Research Association for the first time in 1994, and was officially opened for visitors in 2015. It is a dry spiral cave connected to Tu Lan cave and lies about 100km from Phong Nha cave. Its name stems from local myths. Legend has it that fairies from the heaven descended to this land, and were so busy sightseeing they forgot their way back and had to stay in the cave. Cao Quang people discovered this place centuries ago and made it a sacred place to carry out important rituals in their life, including praying for rain and peace. The sacred and mysterious factors help retain this scenic beauty’s ancient and wild characteristics. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

During the flooding season in Quang Binh, most of the caves here are submerged. But Tien Cave is at a high place, so it is still possible to visit. In addition, the rain also creates an amazing sight that cannot be seen in other seasons, which are waterfalls in this cave. With a total length of nearly 3 km, Tien Cave consists of two chambers, Tien 1 and Tien 2, separated by a primeval forest with many ancient trees. Due to the geological structure, both chambers are divided into sections. The ceiling of the cave ranges from 30-100 metres high. On the ceiling and the walls of the cave there are colourful and unique shapes. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Hoang My is amazed at the beauty of Tien Cave. The entrance to Tien 1 chamber is very wide, dome-shaped with a height of nearly 70 metres and a width of 50 metres. The most impressive feature of Tien 1 cave is stalactites lying on top of one another like terraced fields. The floor looks like undulating waves and on rainy days it appears to be covered with a layer of fine sand stretching beside the stalactites. Particularly, thanks to the sunlight shining inside, the flora in Tien 1 cave grows quite well, contributing to the creation of a colorful picture of nature. Meanwhile, the most striking feature of Tien 2 cave is the strange stone fringe pattern on the ceiling.  (Photo: VietnamPlus)

First runner-up of the Miss Vietnam 2010 beauty pageant Hoang My and five well-known travel bloggers: Quy Coc Tu (Ngo Tran Hai An), Tran Dang Dang Khoa, Huy Hay Di, Huy Cung and Thanh Cuong began their exploration of Tien Cave. This is the last and the largest of its kind in the Tu Lan cave system with amazing stalactites resembling terraced fields. Sun rays shining through the cave help plants grow well, making Tien Cave truly a unique and majestic masterpiece of nature. Tien Cave was explored and measured by the British Cave Research Association for the first time in 1994, and officially put into service in 2015. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Home to beautiful stalactites that are arranged like terraced fields, Tien Cave is considered by many as an ‘unknown paradise’ in the central coastal province. It is the last and the largest of its kind in the Tu Lan cave system with amazing stalactites resembling terraced fields. Sun rays shining through the cave help plants grow well, making Tien Cave truly a unique and majestic picture of nature. With a total length of nearly 3 km, Tien Cave consists of two chambers, Tien 1 and Tien 2, separated by a primeval forest with many ancient trees. Due to the geological structure, both chambers are divided into sections. The ceiling of the cave is 30-100 metres high. On the ceiling and the walls of the cave there are stones of colourful and unique shapes. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

On the last day of the trip, the team went on a cruise to see the peaceful scenery on the Chay and Son rivers, and tried the local speciality snack made from sweet potato. The central province of Quang Binh boasts rich tourism resources for Vietnam and Southeast Asia. It is home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park and the world’s largest cave Son Doong. The province also has the longest coastline in Vietnam, with beautiful beaches and special seafood. With hundreds of large and small caves along with beautiful beaches, Quang Binh was an attractive destination for both domestic and foreign tourists before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The cruise then brought them to Phong Nha Cave. Phong Nha Cave is the most famous site of the Phong Nha – Ke Bang complex in Quang Binh province. Phong Nha has been voted as one of the most wonderful caves in the world for a number of reasons: its longest underground river, beautiful underground lake, incredibly wide dry cave as well as for its most spectacular stalactites, stalagmites and long water grottos. The cave is located in Son Trach commune, Bo Trach district, 45 kilometres to the northwest of Dong Hoi city. It is more than 7,730 metres long, and its mouth is 20-25m wide and 10m high. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The cave is famous for being home to its rock formations which are given names such as the ‘Lion’, the ‘Qilin’, the ‘Royal Court’, and the ‘Buddha’. Phong Nha has been voted as one of the most wonderful caves in the world for a number of reasons: its longest underground river, beautiful underground lake, incredibly wide dry cave as well as for its most spectacular stalactites, stalagmites and long water grottos. ‘Kingdom of cave’ is the name used to refer to the Phong Nha land in Quang Binh around the early 2010s. In 2014, it gradually became more and more popular when the images of Son Doong cave were covered by popular newspapers such as National Geographic, CNN, Huffington Post and Business Insider. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Hoang My has posted numerous photos of her trip to Quang Binh on her personal Facebook page to help the province promote its tourism and recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. With hundreds of large and small caves along with beautiful beaches, Quang Binh was an attractive destination for both domestic and foreign tourists before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. The central province boasts rich tourism resources for Vietnam and Southeast Asia. It is home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park and the world’s largest cave Son Doong. The province also has the longest coastline in Vietnam, with beautiful beaches and special seafood. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Hoang My expressed her hope that her trip will help encourage domestic tourists to rekindle their passion in travelling, thus contributing to reviving tourism of Quang Binh in particular and Vietnam at large. Quang Binh is one of the first localities nationwide to open to its door to visitors from other localities. The central province is now opened to travellers from COVID-19-free zones (green zones) and those applying the Prime Minister’s Directive 15/CT-TTg on pandemic prevention and control (yellow zones). Those from ‘yellow zones’ can only take part in ‘sandbox’ package tours or certain services on small scale to ensure safety amidst the context of COVID-19. (Photo: VietnamPlus)