GETTING THERE:
It is most convenient and time-saving
to take a 3.5 hour flight to Hanoi first,
before transferring to a domestic flight
of about an hour to Dong Hoi Airport.
Then, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National
Park is only an hour’s drive away.Phong Nha
From the front verandah, the stunning
view of the sunset is unparalleled.
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park,
just off the famed Ho Chi Minh Trail, is
just a pedal away and the cornerstone of
this rising adventure capital of Vietnam.Bike the countryside: Bong Lai Valley
Along the dirt road, along the river’s
edge, is the rurality of Bong Lai Valley.
First introduced to travellers using
a hand-drawn map by Phong Nha
Farmstay, the cycling trail around the
valley is still fairly undiscovered.
Weave through vast farms, sprawling
rice fields and little indigenous villages,
backdropped by the looming karst
mountains.
In the dry season, Wild Boar Eco Farm
makes for a scenic stopover, offering
freshly cooked pork and swinging
hammocks from which to enjoy it,
overlooking the river and endless
wilderness beyond.
After a day of winding country roads,
kick up your feet and enjoy the surreality
of the serene landscape with a cold beer
at one of the rustic watering holes you
come across. In fact, there is one with a
quirkily literal, telling moniker: ‘The Pub
with Cold Beer’.Rural simplicity of Phong Nha
Farmstay
Built in the midst of peaceful farmland,
Phong Nha Farmstay is truly an escape,
for its many city-dwelling guests -
away from the buzz of downtown
Saigon where the zoom of zig-zagging
motorcycles is the constant soundtrack.
Surrounded by rolling paddy fields,
experience the magic of country life. The
tranquil rurality does not compromise
the indulgent comfort of the boutique
guesthouse, rife with a blend of local
Vietnamese and French Colonial style.Photo: Edgardo W. Olivera