Overview
Things to Know
What Makes Hang En Cave Special
Hang En - 'Swallow Cave' in Vietnamese - takes its name from the hundreds of thousands of swifts that nest in its ceiling and fill the air each dawn and dusk in sweeping black clouds. Discovered by British explorer Howard Limbert in 1994, it was later confirmed as the third largest natural cave in the world, behind Hang Sơn Đoòng and Deer Cave in Malaysia. The cave is 1.6km long with three entrances, a ceiling reaching 145 metres at its highest and passages up to 200 metres wide. A clear river runs through its floor, eventually connecting underground to Sơn Đoòng. What makes Hang En different from every other major cave in Vietnam is how you reach it: there is no road, no ticket booth, and no boardwalk. Getting there requires a full day of trekking through jungle and river valleys, passing through Bản Đoòng - a remote village of the Bru-Vân Kiều ethnic minority - and crossing the same river at least a dozen times before the cave mouth opens in front of you.
Gallery
How to Get There
🚗 Getting There
Hang En is located in Tân Trạch commune, Bố Trạch district, about 65km west of Đồng Hới city. The cave cannot be visited independently - all access is through Oxalis Adventure, which operates out of Sơn Trạch village near Phong Nha town. Tours depart from the Oxalis base each morning, with transport arranged from Phong Nha accommodation. The trek begins at the edge of the national park and covers approximately 11km each way through primary rainforest, river valleys, and the Bản Đoòng village. To reach Phong Nha from Đồng Hới: motorbike or taxi takes about 45 minutes on the Ho Chi Minh Highway West.
What to Expect
👀 On the Ground
Day one covers the full 11km trek to the cave, passing through jungle canopy, multiple river crossings, and a lunch stop in Bản Đoòng village with the Bru-Vân Kiều community. The cave entrance appears as an enormous arch in the limestone cliff face - the mouth alone is 110 metres high. Inside, a white sandbar stretches along the river, and this is where camp is set up. The evening light from the western entrance, combined with the swallow columns returning to roost, is extraordinary. Day two involves exploring deeper into the cave in the morning - including a swim across the underground river to reach sections with the densest formations - before the return trek back out.
Travel Tips
🧳 Tips
Hang En sits in an interesting position: more accessible than Sơn Đoòng (which requires weeks of preparation and costs several thousand dollars) but significantly more demanding than Paradise Cave or Phong Nha Cave. It's the right choice for travellers who want a genuine multi-day adventure - sleeping inside one of the world's largest caves, trekking through remote jungle, and engaging with an ethnic minority community - without the extreme cost or preparation of Sơn Đoòng. The tour price covers everything: guides, porters, meals, camping equipment, and caving gear. Book well in advance, especially for peak months February to April, as group sizes are strictly limited by the national park.
Insider Tips
Based on real traveler experiences and commonly mentioned advice from multiple visitors.
FAQ
Common questions from travelers who've visited this place.
Can you visit independently or must you book with Oxalis?›
What is the physical fitness requirement?›
How far in advance should you book?›
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