Ho Khanh Homestay – Phong Nha, Vietnam

by Mike Still
Ho Khanh Homestay – Phong Nha, Vietnam

Phong Nha is home to the world’s largest caves and the Ho Khanh homestay is the perfect place to stay during your visit.  The village of Phong Nha was put on the map back in 2008 with the discovery of Hang Son Doong, the world’s largest cave, inside of Phong Nha- Ke Bang National Park and is now a source of pride for Vietnam.  Even if you can’t afford to explore Son Doong you are sure to enjoy the beautiful landscapes and other caves that this majestic national park offers.   In the spirit of full disclosure we worked with Ho Khanh Homestay for 4 nights; you can find out more about that at the bottom of this post but for now lets talk about Phong Nha and the national park!

Where to stay in Phong Nha

When you come to Phong Nha you’ll have lots of hotels to choose from staying in and it can be hard to decide which one is right for you.  I recommend finding a place to stay right next to the Son River, this way you’ll have a beautiful view from your hotel room.  The Ho Khanh homestay’s backyard empties into the Son River and is perfectly located far enough from town to give you peace and quiet but close enough that you can walk to a number of bars or restaurants.

 

Ho Khanh homestay has 7 rooms right next the the beautiful river with limestone mountains behind it.  Their garden patio is perfect to enjoy a delicious breakfast, cup of coffee or a cold beer.  Get up early to watch the village come alive and spend a relaxing day reading in the shade here at Ho Khanh’s homestay.  You’ll love their new bungalows, soft bed and fluffy pillow while you stay in Phong Nha.

Budget travel tip –  If you’re on a tight budget then you can look for hostels and guesthouses that are away from the river and the national park.  Ho Khanh’s Homestay is a great place for travelers in Phong Nha who aren’t on a tight budget.  Its perfect for couples and midrange travelers!

What to do in Phong Nha

Phong Nha is famous for its caves and the Ho Khanh homestay can help you book a tour into them but plenty much more to do than organized tours in Phong Nha.  The village is small and easily explored by bicycle or motorbike.  Head down to the farmland on the east side of town for an authentic Vietnamese experience or to take some scenic photos.  Simply driving through the entrance and Phong Nha sign is magnificent with rice paddies all around before you are engulfed by the mountains.

Ho Khanh Homestay offers FREE bicycles for their guests to enjoy!

Phong Nha village has grown since I first visited in 2014 but it still has a quaint atmosphere.  The market is full of delicious sights and smells and a great place for guests to explore.  There are countless restaurants to pick from for a local, delicious Vietnamese food .  Don’t forget to take a swim in the river or head to the stream near Pub with Cold Beer for a day of tubing.


Things to do in Phong Nha

  1. Bike ride to the farms and nearby Khuong Ha
  2. Visit the public caves (Dark Cave, Phong Nha Cave & Paradise Cave)
  3. Take an overnight adventure trek into the world’s largest caves (Hang Son Doong, Hang En, Tu Lan)
  4. Enjoy a boat ride down the river!
  5. Eat local chicken with peanut sauce at Pub with Cold Beer
  6. Rent a motorbike and take a scenic drive
  7. Relax with a good book by the river
  8. Explore Phong Nha Town and the local market
  9. See the beautiful botanic gardens and waterfall

There are plenty of adventure tours to help you explore Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park.  You’ll find day trips to the 3 public caves in Phong Nha with everything from kayaking, zip lining and swimming through the Dark Cave to smaller treks or a boat ride to Phong Nha Cave or Paradise Cave.  For those with a larger budget the Ho Khanh homestay can help arrange overnight excursions into Tu Lan, Hang En, Son Doong caves and more!

If you’re heading off on an adventure tour then you should protect yourself with travel insurance!  I used World Nomad’s travel insurance while traveling throughout Vietnam and you can get a quick quote by using the widget below.

 


Who is Ho Khanh?

Ho Khanh is a Phong Nha native who loves the jungle and helping visitors experience the magic of this wonderful region.  He is famous throughout the village and Vietnam for discovering Hang Son Doong, the world’s largest cave.  In 1992 when Phong Nha was unknown to the outside world he worked as a logger in the jungle.  One day he was forced to take shelter from a massive storm that rolled in and luckily found an overhang with cool air rushing out from behind him.  He slept the night here realizing there was a cave but paid it no attention since he was concerned about the storm.  When the storm passed he returned home to Phong Nha with little thought of the cave that he’d taken shelter in until years later when British explorers Howard and Deb Limbert came asking about caves in the area.  Ho Khanh met the Limberts and they put an exploration team together which quickly realized the gravity of this new natural wonder.  They were the first people to set foot into the world’s largest cave!


 Rooms in Phong Nha’s Ho Khanh Homestay

Ho Khahn’s Homestay offers two types of room with 2 or 3 person bungalows on the ground floor and more romantic double rooms above the cafe.  All rooms feature comfortable beds and a full bathroom with hot water, air conditioning a mini fridge and a free breakfast!  They have 3 beautiful bungalows and 4 of the double rooms but can easily sell out during high season so make sure you reserve ahead of time online!

Banana Pancakes for Breakfast!

Booking.com

Phong Nha is a beautiful place to stay and should be on every traveler’s bucketlist.  Even if you can’t make it into Son Doong make sure you check out this beautiful national park before it gets too touristy!  While you’re at it take a look at the Ho Khanh homestay to help you have the best experience possible in this lovely Vietnamese village.

If you enjoyed this post please share it by clicking the buttons on the left.  You can always pin the image below on Pinterest too!

Looking for other places to see in Vietnam?

Hoi An is a MUST-SEE destination in Vietnam.  Don’t miss it!
Are you in Northern Vietnam?  Don’t miss trekking in Sapa!
Love Waterfalls?  Then be sure to visit Dalat in the south and Ban Gioc Waterfall in the north!

More photos from this adventure and others can be found on the @LiveTravelTeach Instagram Account and don’t forget to follow www.LiveTravelTeach.com by adding your email at the top of this page to make sure you don’t miss any of these amazing adventures!

Disclaimer:  This is the internet and It is safe to assume that links and content contained on a webpage provides compensation to t website’s owner.  This particular post was created as part of a partnership between LiveTravelTeach and the Ho Khanh Homestay.  Free rooms were exchanged for creating the video you saw above, creation of this post and sharing it on social media.

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Mike Still
Mike is a travel enthusiast, photographer and teacher. He loves adventure travel, meeting the locals and exploring new culture. As an outdoor enthusiast you can often find him hiking mountains or exploring forests trying to capture the beauty of mother nature. In 2013 he founded www.LiveTravelTeach.com as he left his home in America and has been teaching or traveling around the world ever since!

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