Is there a Grab in Phong Nha?

How do I get to Phong Nha National Park?

Alright, gettin’ to Phong Nha, eh? It’s like trying to herd cats, but doable.

• Bus: Forget stagecoaches! Buses are your new best friend. Most buses these days, bless their cotton socks, go straight to Phong Nha. Like, boom, you’re there. I once rode one with a goat onboard. True story!

• Train: Train? More like “traaaain,” get it? Slow, but hey, scenery! Dong Hoi is your closest train station. Then it’s a taxi, which ain’t cheap. Unless you haggle like my grandma at a farmers market.

• Plane: Flyin’? Dong Hoi airport is the bomb, relatively speakin’. Then taxi to Phong Nha, same deal as the train. Remember the hagglin’, folks! I paid like, 500,000 dong once, total ripoff.

• Motorbike: Brave soul, are ya? Motorbike’s the most…intense. Views! Freedom! Bugs in your teeth! Make sure you have a valid license, and insurance is like, actually a good idea for ONCE. I saw a dude eating a banh mi with one hand while driving. Respect.

Bonus Round: Stuff to know.

• Buses get crowded, especially on holidays. Like sardines in a tin can kinda crowded. Book ahead.
• Dong Hoi ain’t Phong Nha. Factor in that taxi fare. Budget it. Seriously.
• Bring snacks. All the snacks. Trust me.
• Learning some basic Vietnamese is like, actually useful. Xin chao, please.
• Don’t trust street food too much. I mean, maybe trust it a little.
• ALWAYS haggle. Like, always always.
• Enjoy the caves! They’re the whole point.
• Sunscreen is your religion. Embrace it.
• If someone tries to sell you something, just say “khong cam on” (no thank you). It works…sometimes.
• Vietnam is humid. Prepare for the stickiness.
• Don’t drink the tap water!
• And for the love of all that is holy, watch out for the scooters! I nearly got run over like, six times.

Does Grab work in Phong Nha?

Grab? In Phong Nha? Ha! Like finding a unicorn riding a bicycle made of cheese. Nope. Zilch. Nada. Forget it.

Dong Hoi’s your best bet. Think of it as Phong Nha’s slightly less charming, but infinitely more connected, older sibling. Airports and train stations? Dong Hoi’s got ’em. Grab works there, though I once had a driver who insisted on singing karaoke the whole way—true story.

Other options are out there, though. Prepare for adventure!

• Bus: Think sardine can, but with less hygiene and more questionable smells. Expect delays. It’s an experience.

• Private car: Luxury! Unless your driver’s a maniac. My cousin nearly had a heart attack on one of these.

• Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An: These places are lovely but are, let’s be honest, a solid three-hour drive away. Pack snacks, you’ll need them. Seriously. My uncle’s wife’s second cousin once got lost for six hours.

Bottom line: Phong Nha’s charming, but getting there is a journey—a somewhat ridiculous one. Embrace the chaos. You’ll tell stories. My Aunt Susan swears she saw a monkey driving a motorbike once. Probably not true, but hey, anything’s possible in Vietnam.

How do I get to Phong Nha from Da Nang?

Da Nang to Phong Nha. Fly or bus. Fly to Dong Hoi, then taxi. Faster. Bus direct to Phong Nha now. Six, seven hours. Traffic. Check VX. My last trip, Sinh Tourist. Booked online. Left at 7 AM, there by 2. No stops. Straight shot. Hot.

• Flights: Dong Hoi (VDH). Taxis wait. Grab works there. Did that in ’23.
• Buses: Direct. Skip Dong Hoi. Sinh Tourist. Check their site. Other companies, but…meh.
• VX: Their app. Bus schedules, prices. Everything Vietnam travel. Download. Now.
• Traffic: Variable. Rain. Tet. Expect delays.
• Dong Hoi: Worth a look. If time. Separate trip. Beach. Food.
• 2023 Trip: July. Scorching. AC on bus, thank god. Book in advance. Full buses.
• Sinh Tourist: Comfy. WiFi. Okay bathroom. Not great, but… you know.