Vinh to Dong Hoi

By train the journey from Vinh to Dong Hoi is scheduled to take from 4 to 5 hours depending upon which train you take.

Train Times from Vinh to Dong Hoi

There are currently 8 trains a day from Vinh to Dong Hoi.

• The fastest train service from Vinh to Dong Hoi is Train #SE3 departing from Vinh at 01:00 and scheduled to arrive in Da Nang 3 hours 45 minutes later at 04:45.

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Location of Vinh Train Station

Location of Dong Hoi Train Station

About Travel to Dong Hoi

The majority of leisure travellers arriving into Dong Hoi Railway Station are on route to the village of Phong Nha, which is adjacent to the entrance to the Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park. Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park is the major tourist attraction in Quảng Bình Province.

Dong Hoi City

Few tourists choose to visit Dong Hoi, and most who do are in transit to or from Phong Nha. Dong Hoi is a relatively small city which was almost entirely destroyed by the United States Air Force in 1965. Part of a church, and part of a once impressive citadel, are all that remains. These few old buildings, along with the 2 beaches close to the city, are Dong Hoi’s only tourist attractions.

Dong Hoi City does, however, have several good hotels in the riverside area and a small number of restaurants in the same area serving international cuisine, such as 7th Heaven Restaurant and Oregano’s Pizza. The city is easily accessible for travellers arriving late in the evening wanting a hotel and a meal before continuing their journey the next day.

Travel from Dong Hoi to Phong Nha

By road it’s 44 km from Dong Hoi Railway Station to Phong Nha Village. The easiest and fastest way to complete the journey is to take one of the many taxis (formal and informal) which wait outside the front of the train station for business. There are no fixed prices and we aren’t aware of any taxis which use a reliable meter to calculate fares so travellers need to negotiate with the driver what the trip will cost before setting off. Currently, the going rate ranges from 600,00 to 1,000,000 VND ($25 to 40 USD) for a journey that takes 40 minutes.

Bus services from Dong Hoi to Phong Nha depart from Nam Ly Bus Station, 1.3 km from the train station, until around 17:00. The journey by bus normally takes about 90 minutes.

Phong Nha Village

Phong Nha is a tourist centre in the same way as Tam Coc in Ninh Binh Province. Visitors don’t, however, need to stay right in the busy centre of the village. Accommodation is also available in quieter areas nearby, such as the excellent Phong Nha Lake House Resort.

Phong Nha Village stretches about 5 km along a road which runs parallel to the Son River. The best views and scenery in the village are from the riverside and riverside hotels and guesthouses are popular as a consequence. Budget accommodation, and some nightlife, can be found in the centre of the village away from the picturesque river in an area close to Central Backpackers Hostel – Phong Nha,

Activities in Phong Nha

Kayaking on the river, and walks in the surrounding countryside, are popular activities. The most popular activities, however, are all within the nearby Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park.

Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park

Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park is one of Vietnam’s most popular national parks. The park covers a wilderness area of more than 800 square kilometres, only a fraction of which is accessible by road. The three most interesting features of the park are:

• The variety of animals which live within the park, including 154 species of mammals and 314 types of birds.
• Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park is mountainous, with 12 peaks rising to 1,000 metres above sea level.
• There are also more than 300 caves in the park, including the largest cave in the world, Son Doong Cave.

The most popular activity for visitors to the Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park is exploring the caves. To reach just the entrance to the very large caves involves a day-long walk along jungle trails and at least 1 night camping. Visitors wanting to explore the larger caves need to join an organised tour which will cost at least $300 USD per person for a basic overnight trip.

There are, however, other caves in the park which are much easier to get to. The most accessible of the caves is Phong Nha Caves which you can reach by taking a boat tour from a river pier in the centre of Phong Nha Village. Boat tours take visitors about 1.5 km by river into the cave where passengers can continue on foot to explore some large chambers with impressive stalactites and stalagmites.