Phong Nha Backpacker Hostel

The smoothie was the worst part: it was full of thin bits of plastic. At first I thought they were mango or peel, but I pulled one from my mouth and saw what it was. Before that, the service had already been frustrating. My partner asked for a menu and was met with a bad attitude and a phone pushed toward her so she could translate while the staff member was on a call. A 35k smoothie was only half a cup, and when we asked for ice we were told there was none, despite iced coffee being on the menu. Only after we pointed to the freezer did she get some, scooping it out by hand and dropping it in. This wasn’t a language problem: once her call ended, we used Google Translate the whole time. I hope nobody else has an experience like this.

A popular place for tourists and solo travelers, with a nice group activity.

We were glad we stayed here. The family are lovely and found us a night bus much cheaper than the online price. Our room was inexpensive, and breakfast came with it: delicious banh mi and bananas. We also rented a bike for 120k a day. It’s a quiet spot, and if nobody nearby speaks fluent English, they call their daughter to help. It was a bit cold in Phong Nha during our visit, so they gave us extra blankets. From what I’ve heard about other hostels, heating in rooms may not be common here, so bear that in mind. The boat for Phong Nha Cave is only a six-minute walk away, and Paradise Cave is about a 40-minute motorbike ride if you want to visit the caves without a tour.

We asked for a specific VIP bus to Ninh Binh and showed them the operator and bus we wanted. The woman said she could book it, then put someone on the phone who claimed to be from Camel Tours. Our pickup was an hour late, and the bus turned out to be from another company. It was a much worse bus than the one we’d booked and paid for. Don’t book your ticket here.