Paradise Cave (Dong Thien Duong or Thien Duong Cave) is a beautiful place in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam.
I discovered it three times with my guests and family. I admire its beauty, which is considered the most magnificent and fanciful wonder in the world.
The cave’s stalactites are highly diverse and rich in geological value and form. They have images similar to cultural symbols: Buddha, Lady Buddha, Roong House on stilts, or terraced fields.
To support you in having a wonderful journey to “the heaven in the land,” I would like to share with you my experience exploring Paradise Cave.
- Where is Paradise Cave?
- When is the best time to visit Paradise Cave?
- How to get to the Paradise Cave in Quang Binh
- Explore Thien Duong cave
- Ticket price for discovering Paradise Cave
- What and where to eat when exploring Dong Thien Duong
- Accommodation to stay when visiting Thien Duong Cave
- Items to bring
Where is Paradise Cave on the map?
The amazing Paradise Cave is located in Son Trach Commune, Bo Trach District, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam. It is a wonder and the most magnificent masterpiece in the world.
Thien Duong Cave, with a length of over 31km, an average width of 30-100m, the widest point up to 150m, and a height of about 60-80m, has been rated as the longest dry cave in Asia.
This cave is a must-see when traveling to Dong Hoi City, Quang Binh Province.
When is the best time to visit Paradise Cave?
The first thing to learn is that Quang Binh province, where the cave is located, has two distinct seasons: rainy and dry.
The dry season starts from March to September. March and April are the best times to visit the Paradise Cave. At this time, the temperature is quite cool and pleasant; it is not flooded in the cave. The cave’s temperature is only about 18-22 degrees Celsius, which is lower than outside.
The rainy season begins in October and ends in February next year. It often rains, creating a wet environment that makes exploring the caves challenging. However, the discovery activities at Thien Duong Cave are usual unless the government announces when it gets flooded or if there are storms.
>> You may like to check an itinerary to explore attractions in Quang Binh, including Paradise Cave.
How to get to Paradise Cave in Quang Binh
To visit Thien Duong Cave, most guests come to Dong Hoi City, Quang Binh Province, and then transfer to the cave. This is the most convenient way to explore the cave.
Dong Hoi City has a train station and Dong Hoi Airport, where flights from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City come daily. Thus, using trains or flights is optional for your favorite travel style.
The distance from Dong Hoi to Paradise Cave is around 60 km, and it is easy to get there. The most convenient option is to use a private car or taxi. However, international tourists are not recommended to drive a motorbike by themselves here or in Vietnam.
Exploring Paradise Cave
Starting from the parking lot
When going to the parking, you will see many coffee and souvenir shops around the parking lot, which are good places to rest and sip a cup of coffee to revive energy before the expedition.
You can see beautiful scenery, blue sky, clouds drifting away, primitive trees, pleasant fresh air, and chirping birds here.
Next, you will come to the ticketing area, where you can buy tickets to enter the limited location on your way to Thien Duong.
After checking tickets and going through the gate, you will have two choices:
- Using an electric car to move for a distance
- Walking along the path through the forest to see nature and enjoy the fresh air
Please note that this distance is around 1.5km and takes 20 minutes to walk. The scenery along the way is good, but it’s hard to walk in the high temperature. After this, you must climb up the steps to the mouth of Paradise Cave.
Vietnamdrive suggests buying tickets for electric cars to move easier and faster.
When traveling to the bottom of the mountain, we start going up. There are two ways to come up: the road with steps on the left is shorter but more complicated, and the path without steps on the right is more prolonged and zigzag. We like to choose the long, snaky one to move up but go back on the way with steps.
Resting stop at the door of Thien Duong Cave
There is a resting stop before entering the Paradise Cave. We strongly advise you to relax for around 10 minutes to help your body reduce the hot temperature after walking up. The temperature inside the cave is very different; it is much colder than outside on hot days.
Ice cream is terrific here to make you fresh and give you a little energy to visit the cave.
Doorway to Thien Duong Cave
The narrow entrance only has a couple of people to go through. A nearly vertical slit leads you into another world with countless incredible stalactites and stalagmites.
Inside the Paradise Cave
The cool air inside the cave will make you feel extremely comfortable. Walking along the 1 km wooden staircase system will allow you to admire the magnificent beauty that appears thanks to the colorful lights. All of these make you feel like you are in a fairyland and a real paradise on earth.
Right from the entrance, go down a narrow slope about 15 m in length; there is an ample space covered with a system of highly spectacular stalagmites and stalactites that nature presents.
Standing in the cave and looking back at the slope, you can admire its sophisticated structure, with many big stalactite nuts. The two sides have many traces of collapsed slopes and sprawling stalactite columns that seem to be undergoing a huge tectonic process.
Going inside the cave, stalactites with many different shapes make us think of images such as a rabbit, prey-catching a lion, Lady Buddha, “Happiness – Good Luck – Longevity” – three typical gods in Vietnamese culture, the imperial garden, and the galaxy.
The system of stalactites and stalagmites with monochromatic light enhances the cave’s magical natural beauty more and more.
There are stalactites and stalagmites with images symbolizing the cultures of Vietnam’s regions, such as the Highlands communal house (Rong House), the northwest terraced field, small ponds, and the Cham temple.
Deeply in the cave, the stalactites hang down from the top, sparkling like the curtain in a fairy room or heaven garden. They sprout iridescent ridges like the galaxy or chasms and fuzzy like converging Fairies Palace.
To form these masterpieces, each stalactite results from the precipitation of raindrops after absorbing them through rock clefts for millions of years. Tiny raindrops, along with iron and limestone, hang silently from the top to the floor, creating small stalagmites that look brittle, fresh, and colorful.
A place you should not miss when visiting Paradise Cave is the masterpiece “A Sleeping Pillow-hugging Girl” at the last destination. This masterpiece is naturally drawn with a rock ridge and highly lies on the cave’s wall.
Thien Duong Cave was named “Royal Palace in the Earth” with records:
- The longest dry cave in Asia
- The cave has the longest wooden staircase in Asia
- The cave has the most unique stalactite and stalagmite system
Ticket price for Thien Duong
The admission ticket price to visit the cave:
- 250,000VND a ticket for adults
- 125,000 VND a ticket for children from 1.1m to 1.3m
- For children with a height below 1.1m: Free sightseeing tickets
Price of electric vehicles transported at Thien Duong tourist area:
- 4-seat car: One-way ticket price: 60,000VND, Round trip ticket price: VND 100,000VND.
- 6-seat car: ticket price for one way: 90,000VND, round trip: 150,000VND.
- 8-seat car: one-way 120,000VND, two-way 200,000VND
- 14-seat car: One-way price 210,000VND, two-way ticket 350,000VND.
- Notices: Sold tickets are not refundable and are valid within a day.
- Opening time: Summer: 7:00 am to 4:30 pm; Winter: 7:30 am to 4:00 pm.
Extra tips: Traveling to Thien Duong Cave should be combined with one of the two places to save time, but you get more experience:
- Mooc Spring
- Chay River and Dark Cave
Each site has its beauty, so you choose one to spend your time. These are well-known tourist sites close to the Paradise Cave on the way back. Here, you will enjoy the fresh blue water and the water games. That’s fun.
What & where to eat when traveling to Thien Duong cave
After visiting the Paradise Cave, you can enjoy the local food. It would be best if you stopped at the Dark Cave or Mooc Spring to have lunch because there are no restaurants in the tourist area of Thien Duong Cave.
Some specialties include grilled hill chickens (ga doi), sticky rice, fried spring fish, and grilled meats. The price is acceptable compared to the other tourist areas.
Resting place when visiting Thien Duong Cave
The tourist area of Thien Duong has no accommodations, so the first choice is to stay at the hotels and homestay in Phong Nha tourist place, including:
- Heritage by Night Hotel
- Saigon Phong Nha
- Chay Lap Farmstay
- Phong Nha Lake House
- Also, you can choose some homestay such as Thao Nguyen, Ho Khanh Homestay, or Son River House
A second option is to spend overnight in Dong Hoi City. The hotels and resorts have a higher standard and more to choose from, checking these:
- Gold Coast Hotel Resort & Spa
- Royal Quang Binh Hotel
- Muong Thanh Luxury Nhat Le Hotel
- Vinpearl Hotel Quang Binh
- Vinh Hoang Hotel
What items to bring
- When traveling to the Paradise Cave, you should bring snacks and drinks that are available in your backpack.
- Wear a comfortable outfit and sporty shoes for your convenience.
- Remember to bring sun cream and sunglasses because of the hot weather.
- Bring swimwear and towels to swim at the Chay River, Hang Dark, or Mooc Spring after discovering the Paradise Cave.
The information above will help you feel more confident about exploring the Paradise Cave. An exciting journey with rich emotions awaits you.
What are you waiting for? Take your bags and go now! I wish you an exciting trip!
