I’m flying into Dong Hoi and need to get to Phong Nha but want to use local buses rather than tourist shuttles to save money and have a more authentic experience. Has anyone taken the local bus route recently? Where exactly does the bus depart from in Dong Hoi and how often do they run? I don’t mind a less comfortable journey if it means supporting local transport and saving some cash for activities. My main concern is language barriers since I don’t speak much Vietnamese, but I’m hoping bus travel is straightforward enough to figure out. Are there any particular challenges I should be prepared for or is it pretty straightforward? Also wondering about luggage storage on local buses since I have a large backpack. Any recent experiences or practical tips would be really helpful.
I was also in same boat and used a bus to come from dong hoi airport to phong nha town.
cheapest option there is.
it comes almost every hour if am not wrong and will drop you at central backpacker hostel in phong nha. don’t worry about language issue, just say phong nha hostel and the driver will understand
read this guide for getting to Phong Nha from Dong Hoi.
if you are not familiar, Vietnam’s uber is basically Grab app. You can find it at dong hoi airport arrival. might cost you a bit around 400k VND and the driver may insist on paying by cash (personal experience). Avoid private company taxis as they overcharge most of the times.
I would just take the bus if I have time and do not mind public buses. would be a nice journey through green fields of central Vietnam