Da Nang is the biggest city in central Vietnam with beautiful beaches, mountains and a 45 mins drive from the UNESCO world-heritage town of Hoi An. It is a 7 hour train/bus journey between Da Nang and Phong Nha.
Bus Travel
Unfortunately at this time (fall 2015), there are no reliable bus companies running consistent buses between Phong Nha and Da Nang/Hoi An. It is possible that in the future, the Phong Phu bus company will restart their transits from Phong Nha to Da Nang/Hoi An, and we also hope that in the future, the Camel Travel bus company will have consistent buses running from Hoi An to Phong Nha.
To travel from Hoi An to Phong Nha by bus, the easiest way is to get to Da Nang first, either by local bus or taxi. From Da Nang, you can then take the local Phong Phu Bus departing for Phong Nha from the Da Nang Central Bus Station at 11:30 AM, and arriving in Phong Nha at 5:30 PM. It is a comfortable sleeper-style bus that usually has WiFi. Some local agents in Hoi An and Da Nang will be able to sell you tickets for this bus service, or you can go directly to the ticket booth in the Da Nang Central Bus Station. Ask for the Phong Phu Sleeper Bus ticket, which should cost around VND 220,000 – 300,000 per person. Please note that you will need to buy a ticket for Da Nang – Quy Dat, but be sure to let the agent and bus driver know you will actually be stopping in Phong Nha.
To travel from Phong Nha to Hoi An by bus, we also recommend the Phong Phu Bus, which departs at 9:00 PM from Easy Tiger and arrives into Da Nang between 5:00 – 6:00 AM (for 300,000 VND). Notify the bus company at the start of your trip that you would like to go to Hoi An and upon arrival at the Da Nang Bus Station, they will put you on a local bus to Hoi An free of charge.
Train Travel
We recommend arriving the day before your tour if you are taking the train from Da Nang to ensure you get a good nights sleep and not arriving too early in the morning. Do not forget if you are travelling on the train to Dong Hoi, you will need to book an additional transfer between Dong Hoi and Phong Nha (VND 660,000 each way).
• SE2 – departs Da Nang at 12:46 PM and arrives in Dong Hoi at 6:30 PM (18:30)
• SE4 – departs Da Nang at 2:13 PM (14:13) and arrives in Dong Hoi at 7:37 PM (19:37)
If you are travelling from Dong Hoi to Da Nang after your tour then we would advise against the evening train which arrives in Da Nang closer to 1:30 AM. We recommend spending an additional night in Phong Nha and taking the following morning train:
• SE3 – departs Dong Hoi at 7:40 AM and arrives in Da Nang at 1:00 PM (13:00)
You can see a full list of all train departure times on the Vietnam Railways website: Danang to Dong Hoi Train Schedule or Dong Hoi to Danang Train Schedule.
Private Transfer
We are happy to offer you with a private transfer between Da Nang or Hoi An and Phong Nha. To and from Da Nang it costs VND 3,300,000 and to/from Hoi An VND 3,900,000 each way in a comfortable 4 – 7 seater car. Please indicate the number of passengers when booking a private transfer with us.
