Quang Binh is one of the few localities that converge many famous landscapes with diverse natural landscapes including mountains, seas, rivers, and forests. In particular, the values of the World Natural Heritage Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park have turned Quang Binh into a paradise for tourists to explore and experience.
Quang Binh - Kingdom of caves
With the largest cave system in the country, Phong Nha in Quang Binh is known as the "kingdom of caves". More than 350 caves have been discovered in the past 25 years. Of these, more than 30 caves have been put into tourism exploitation. In addition to Son Doong, other famous names such as En Cave and Tu Lan Cave system have contributed to creating the world's top geological values for this land.
Son Doong Cave
In April 2009, the British Royal Cave Association delegation led by Howard Limbert announced the discovery of Son Doong Cave. With a length of 7.3 km, a height of 150 m, and a width of 200 m, Son Doong is considered the largest cave in the world. Currently, Son Doong cave exploration tours are truly the dream, desire, and conquest of millions of people.
Son Doong was formed on a fault in the Truong Son mountain range and was eroded by the Rao Thuong river over millions of years, creating a giant tunnel under the limestone mountain.
Son Doong Expedition is considered an adventure tour.
Massive stalactites when going deep inside Son Doong Cave
Swallow Cave
The third largest cave in the world, the gateway to Son Doong Cave. This place was once the filming location of the movie "Pan in Neverland", the live broadcast location of the program "Good morning America" - ABC TV channel (USA). Together with Rao Thuong stream, the Rao Thuong - En cave nature discovery tour is like a lyrical symphony inviting visitors.
Swallow Cave
Swallow Cave is the gateway to Son Doong Cave.
Phong Nha Cave
According to cave explorers, Phong Nha is the most typical cave in terms of aesthetic value and uniqueness in Phong Nha - Ke Bang Heritage, voted by the British Royal Cave Association as one of the most beautiful caves in the world. This is the only cave in Vietnam that meets 7 criteria: the cave has the most beautiful underground river, has a high and wide cave entrance, has a beautiful sandbank and reef, has a beautiful underground lake, has a wide and narrow dry cave, has a magical and magnificent stalactite system, is the longest water cave. With these unique features, Phong Nha Cave is known by many people as the "First Wonder".
Entrance to Phong Nha Cave
Tu Lan Cave System
Located 70 km northwest of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, in Tan Hoa commune, Minh Hoa district, Tu Lan cave system includes more than 10 caves, all connected by underground rivers and small valleys.
With its wild beauty, contained within a magnificent stalactite system, this place is considered a unique and different tourist route, suitable for tourists who love nature and exploration.
Paradise Cave
Thien Duong Cave is a dry cave with a record length in Asia with a total length of 31.4 km. A wooden bridge 3.5 m wide and over 1,000 m long was built to serve visitors. This road currently holds the national record as the "longest wooden road". Adventurous visitors can trek another 7 km inside the cave, row a boat across a 60 - 100 m long underground stream, wade through cool streams to reach Gieng Troi to watch the magical rays of sunlight shining through.
The magical space inside Thien Duong Cave
Blue sea, yellow sunshine in Quang Binh
Not only has a massive cave system, Quang Binh has a 116.04 km long coastline from Deo Ngang to Ha Co with many beautiful beaches, white sand dunes, and green casuarina forests. The wildness but richness that nature has bestowed on this place is very valuable for developing high-class beach resorts.
Nhat Le Beach
Nhat Le Beach is located right in the center of Dong Hoi city, Quang Binh province, right at the mouth of Nhat Le river flowing into the East Sea. Nhat Le possesses the quintessential, poetic beauty and uniqueness of a beach worth conquering.
Nhat Le beach is gently sloping, deep and very safe, the cool breeze blowing in harmony with the sound of the waves creates a symphony of nature with many melodious tones. Walking on the smooth and clean white sand, the exciting feeling when each wave washes ashore are romantic things that visitors can experience when coming here.
Bao Ninh Beach
From the center of Dong Hoi city, go over Nhat Le bridge to reach Bao Ninh beach. Bao Ninh has a smooth white sand beach that stretches endlessly. Bao Ninh beach is still pristine and not crowded like other major beaches.
Visitors can come here at dawn to catch the brilliant sunrise on the sea, when the first rays of the day begin to appear in the distance. Or they can also come to walk barefoot on the beach in the late afternoon, when the sunset falls to close the day and watch the scene of fishing boats returning after a day at sea.
Jumping Rock Beach
Located right next to National Highway 1A, winding at the foot of Ly Hoa Pass, Da Nhay beach stands out with its majestic scenery of the sea, sky and mountains. From above, Da Nhay beach looks like a unique natural painting with countless strangely shaped rocks.
The sea here is quite flat, the water is clear and the sand is smooth white. In the summer, visitors can cool off, feel the wind blowing from the sea, walk on the flat sand and listen to the waves lapping against the cliffs.
Spiritual lands in Quang Binh
Not only does Quang Binh have wild and rich nature favorable for eco-tourism and resorts, it also has spiritual tourist attractions that bring visitors a sense of peace and serenity in their souls.
Hoang Phuc Pagoda
Hoang Phuc Pagoda, formerly known as Kinh Thien Pagoda, is located in My Thuy Commune, Le Thuy District. The pagoda is one of the oldest historical sites in Quang Binh, dating back over 750 years. According to historical records, the pagoda once welcomed Buddhist Emperor Tran Nhan Tong to preach and pray for peace for all people.
Hoang Phuc Pagoda not only worships Buddha but is also associated with typical historical events of the homeland and country, bearing the traditional cultural values of local residents. With its cultural and historical values, in December 2015, Hoang Phuc Pagoda was recognized as a National Historical Relic.
Vung Chua - Yen Island
Located about 4 km south of Deo Ngang, Vung Chua - Yen Island is the resting place of General Vo Nguyen Giap - the legendary general of the Vietnamese people. In the future, this will be a valuable destination, connecting with the scenic Deo Ngang, the temple of Holy Mother Lieu Hanh, the mural village of Canh Duong, ... creating an attractive cultural and historical tourist route with not only beautiful scenery but also a sacred destination.
Quang Binh cuisine
Talking about Quang Binh cuisine, first of all, we must mention fresh and delicious seafood such as dried squid, steamed squid, crab, stingray, sea urchin,... Besides, Quang Binh cuisine also has specialties with strong local flavors.
Banh loc, Banh Nam
Banh loc and banh nam are rustic dishes that visitors should not miss when coming to this land. If banh loc is made from fresh tapioca flour, banh nam is wrapped in a layer of pure white rice flour. The common point of these two types of cakes is that the filling includes many ingredients such as shrimp, meat, wood ear, green beans and is wrapped in banana leaves or green dong leaves. All create a rich, salty and sweet flavor that makes diners linger.
Banh loc
Banh nam
To enjoy banh loc and banh nam, visitors can visit famous culinary addresses in Quang Binh such as Me Xuan restaurant, Huong Hoai restaurant on Le Thanh Dong street or Tu Quy restaurant on Co Tam street.
Rice porridge
The name of this dish has made many diners curious because it is difficult to imagine. In fact, this dish is just rice noodles, but the locals are used to adding the word "porridge" in front. To make rice noodle porridge, the wheat flour or rice flour strands are rolled out, boiled and mixed with sweet, fragrant broth made from snakehead fish, shrimp, and field crab. When eating rice noodle porridge, Quang Binh people often eat it with ram - a typical cake of the Central region made from finely ground sticky rice flour. Visitors can enjoy this dish with a strong local flavor at addresses such as Son Thu restaurant on Phan Boi Chau street, Suong Hong restaurant on Nguyen Huu Canh street,...
Banh canh porridge must be combined with Ba Don spring rolls to fully bring out the typical flavor of Quang Binh cuisine.
It can be affirmed that there are few localities on the S-shaped strip of land that converge many beautiful, unique, strange landscapes and diverse terrains like Quang Binh. With the advantages it has, Quang Binh is currently trying to become one of the attractive destinations for domestic and international tourists.
