An action-packed day to discover the wet and dry caves of the Tu Lan cave system, including swimming, climbing and picnic lunch by a waterfall. This tour is for travelers who are short on time or don’t want to sleep in the jungle – but still want to explore the caves.
- Discover the Tu Lan caves in just one day!
- Swim and wade through underground rivers.
- Trek over jungle hills and mountains.
- Picnic lunch next to a natural swimming pool and waterfall.
- Marvel at beautiful and unusual cave formations.
- One day exploring
- Not available in October due to annual floods. Available throughout the rest of the year.
- Tours depart every day except Friday.
- Group size: 12 people maximum.
- Age: 16 years and above.
- Distance: 8km trekking, 500m caving, 150m swimming in the caves, 150m elevation gain, 10m ladder climb.
- Difficulty: Level 2 • moderate.
- Itinerary (below) is subject to change with the weather. Paths can be slippery and muddy after rain.
Itinerary
Due to the weather conditions the itinerary may need to be changed at short notice. The paths can be muddy and slippery after rain. Lifejackets must be worn when swimming in the caves.
Morning: Rat Cave & Hung Ton Cave
07:00 - 07:30 Pick up and one-hour drive on Day 1 to the Oxalis Adventure office in Tan Hoa, located 70km from Phong Nha. Here you will have a tour safety briefing, sign the release form and receive the required equipment for the tour.
The trek starts after the briefing with a flat path past peanut fields and grazing buffalo and cows. A river crossing leads to a short but steep and rocky uphill section. Here you will visit Rat Cave, a small but beautiful cave. Drop downhill into the next valley. Cross the valley on a flat path to reach the entrance of Hung Ton Cave. Pass through the dry passage to the 10m ladder, which you will climb down with an additional safety rope attached to you. At the bottom of the climb you will wear a lifejacket ready for the swim out of Ton Cave Exit.
Afternoon: To Mo Valley
The cave exits into a beautiful jungle valley where you will have lunch, and lots of time to swim. After lunch the trek passes over a short but steep hill to re-cross the flat valley. Up and over a short hill leads you back to the river crossing, then back over the buffalo fields to the office where a cold drink awaits. Transfer to Phong Nha arriving between 18:30 and 19:30.
Note
1.Guests are required to arrive in Phong Nha no later than 06:00 on the day of the booked tour departure and also recommended not to participate in any activities that might cause a delay.
2. For those planning their travel by train; to reach Phong Nha at a good time from the North, we recommend catching the SE3 train from Hanoi/Ninh Binh to Dong Hoi. If you’re down South, it is recommended to catch the SE8 train from Da Nang/Hue to Dong Hoi (You are expected to arrange your own travel from Dong Hoi to Phong Nha).
3. A complimentary 6-bed dorm room at Oxalis Home is offered for our adventurers who arrive in Phong Nha early in the morning, few hours ahead of their booked tour departure. You can rest here before your tour departs. Please inform us in advance if you request to stay in this room!

Adventure Level 2 · Moderate
- 1-day tour
- Easy to moderate trekking
- 8km of trekking including up to 500m of caving
- Total elevation gain: 150m
- 150m swimming in the caves
- River crossings
- 10m ladder climb with safety rope
- How do I get to Phong Nha?
- What is the weather like?
- My child (under 16 y/o) is accompanying me. Can they join the tour?
- What benefits will I enjoy if I book multiple tours and services with The Oxalis Group?
- Where would the excess luggage be kept and how much luggage would the porters carry on tour?
- What if I am a solo traveler, can I join a group?
- Why do I have to sign your Release Form?
- Which months of the year do you run this tour, and which are the best months to go?
Preparations
Please visit our FAQ general page to read our specific What to Bring list before departing for Vietnam and your cave expedition.
WE WILL PROVIDE
- Caving & safety gear: caving helmet, caving headlight, life jacket, gloves
- Basic canvas trekking boots (only if you do not have your own pair) sizes 36 – 46
- Meals: picnic lunch
- Professional English-speaking tour guide and safety assistants
- Porter to prepare meals and pump water
- Shared dry box for phones and small cameras (limited availability for larger cameras)
- Water filter (used only by guide and porters)
- Eco-friendly compost toilet using western toilet seat at lunch site.
- First Aid Kit and Medical Rescue Equipment (application by guides and porters only)
- Secure Storage Facility at Oxalis Headquarters to store all luggage you will not be taking on the trek
YOU WILL NEED TO BRING
- 1 long (easy to dry) pants and 1 long sleeved shirt to wear during the trek (quick dry)
- 1 pair of trekking boots/shoes – difficult terrain, good footwear necessary. Gore-Tex/waterproof boots are NOT recommended as they do not drain well (if you prefer your own comfortable pair)
- 1 change of clothes for after the tour
- 1 pair of calf length densely woven socks (not ankle socks!)
- Personal items: mosquito repellent, sunglasses, hat, camera
Pricing and availability
Please choose your departure date using the calendar below.
- This tour is operated from mid-Nov to mid-Sep (closed from mid-Sep to mid-Nov).
- The days in bold are still available
- 2020 and 2021 tours are available for booking, please check calendar box belownew_releases
- 10% off for Xiều.
Whether you prefer long treks, camping in a cave, sleeping under the stars in the jungle, swimming underground in river caves, explore the huge dry caves or just taking an exploratory day trip, Oxalis Adventure Tours can provide the right amount of adventure just for you.