9 Free & Cheap Things To Do In Phong Nha

Phong Nha National Park is Vietnam’s answer to Jurassic Park with lush jungles, secret rivers, and caves that’ll make your jaw drop. But here’s the kicker: you don’t need to splurge on pricey tours to fall in love with this place. Here’s a no-BS guide to experiencing Phong Nha without a guide or spending a dime.

1. Free Phong Nha Village Tour on your own

Forget the tourist hustle and start your day in Phong Nha Village (town?), it is a pretty small town where most of the shops/atms/restaurants you can find while just walking around. This sleepy riverside town is where farmers, expats, and backpackers collide. Stroll along the Son River at sunrise, watch fishermen cast nets, and snap photos of water buffalo chilling in rice fields.

• Free pitstop: Pop into the Phong Nha Bamboo Cafe (no purchase needed) to use their Wi-Fi and admire their epic mural of the town’s caves.

• Local tip: The best sunset spot is the little dock behind Easy Tiger Hostel (it has permanently closed but you can still find the spot on this map location). Grab a 10k VND ($0.40) beer from a roadside shop and join the crowd.

2. Cruise the Ho Chi Minh Highway West (No Tour Required)

Rent a motorbike (~120k VND/$4 a day) and hit the Ho Chi Minh Highway West Branch, a 40 km stretch of empty roads flanked by karst mountains. Phong Nha Loop is a free self-guided tour route.
I have added a map of the loop I followed to cover Ho Chi Minh trail from Phong nha which is a mix of smooth roads and some rough terrain on the way back which will take you through local villages.

• Free viewpoints: Pull over at KM 12 for a panorama of the Rao An River winding through valleys.
  
  

• Secret stop: Not many people know that there used to be an airfield near Phong Nha (Khe Gat airbase). I would highly recommend you to cover this 2 km stretch on your bike, you are gonna love driving on this runway which is turned into a super wide highway now. Just watch your speedometer as you might not realise overspeeding here haha!
  Here is the google map location of this secret spot of Phong Nha.

3. Pay Respects at the Eight Ladies Cave & Memorial

History buffs, this one’s free and powerful. The Eight Ladies Cave commemorates eight women who hid here during the Vietnam War, tragically trapped by a landslide. The site includes a shrine, cave entrance, and stories etched in Vietnamese.

• Getting there: It’s a 10-minute bike ride from town. Look for the sign on the road to Paradise Cave.

• Reminder: It’s quiet and humbling so bring tissues. I would suggest you to read a bit of history of this place beforehand.

(Image source - Phong Nha Farmstay)

4. Swim in the Son River (It’s Safe but depends!)

Locals swim in the Son River daily, and you can too! The water’s clean, jade-green, and refreshing after a sweaty day. Except during rainy weather when it gets muddy and water level increases, avoid it during that time.

• Best spot: Head to the riverbank near Phong Nha Farmstay. There’s a sandy stretch perfect for dipping.

• Safety check: Avoid swimming after heavy rain (currents get strong), and stick to shallow areas.

5. Hunt for Hidden Street Art

Phong Nha’s murals are Instagram gold and 100% free. A community project in 2020 transformed dull walls into vibrant scenes of rural life, caves, and folklore.

• Top finds: The “Cave Woman” mural near Oxalis Adventure and the psychedelic buffalo painting behind Vung Hue Restaurant.

6. Hike the (almost Free) Trails of Phong Nha Ke Bang

Skip the $30 cave tours and trek these free trails instead:

• Botanical Garden Trail: Though the garden itself charges 40k VND, the road leading to it has jungle paths and streams. Some people I talked with reported spotting monkeys here even though I could not find them!

• Nuoc Mooc Riverside Walk: Technically part of the paid eco-trail, but the first 500m (bamboo forests and turquoise water) are accessible for free.

7. Explore Rural Life in Bong Lai Valley

The Bong Lai Valley is a bucolic paradise of peanut fields and stilt houses. While some farms charge for activities, simply biking through is free.

• Route: From town, follow the dirt road past the Buffalo Bar. You’ll pass duck farms, cornfields, and kids yelling “Hello!”

• Pro tip: Stop at The Duck Stop to play with ducks (even though it's not free we added it because it's that good. You gotta pay 100k VND for playing with ducks and a glass of beer with snacks).

8. Join a (Kinda) Free Community Event

Keep an eye on hostel noticeboards, you might find free movie nights at Pepperhouse Homestay or community clean-up days (with free lunch!) around town.

9. Market Hop Like a Pro

• Phong Nha Morning Market: Practice your Vietnamese with grannies selling dragon fruit and banh mi (15k VND/$0.60). Open from 5 AM to 9 AM.
  
  Tip: The evening market near the bus station has free samples of peanut brittle and coconut candy at times, so you can try your luck! The bus stop is right in front of Backpackers hostel.

Bonus: Free Accommodation (Yes, Really!)

Work for your bed! Hostels like Gecko offer free stays in exchange for 2 to 3 hours of daily help (reception, gardening). But there is no guarantee as its offered only sometimes and will depend on the hostel owner, so always ask before you plan to stay there.

Budget Traveler Cheat Sheet

• Transport: Rent a bike as it’s the only way to explore freely. Should cost around 120k VND and if you are asked for 150k VND, you can always bargain a bit to lower it.

• Food: Eat at Laugh Cafe (35k VND/$1.3 chicken rice) which is among the cheapest restaurants in Phong Nha I found and yet delicious food or pack a baguette from the market.

• Avoid: “Free” tours that pressure you into tipping excessively.

Phong Nha doesn’t need to cost a fortune. Whether you’re swimming in rivers, hiking hidden trails, or bonding with farmers, this place proves the best adventures are free. Now, go chase those caves (and sunsets)!

But if you really need a cheap guided tour in Phong nha which is still not too crowded, then try the Tra Ang tour or Mada lake tour for a day.