Tu Lan Experience 1 Day • Oxalis Adventure

Highlights

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.

Key Information

One day exploring
Not available in October due to annual floods. Available throughout the rest of the year.
Tours depart every day except Thursday.
Group size: 12 people maximum.
Age: 16 years and above. 15 year olds with experience will be considered.
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: Secret & Hung Ton Cave

07:30 - 08:00 AM Pick up and one-hour drive on Day 1 to the Oxalis Adventure office in Tan Hoa, located 70km from Phong Nha. Briefing and tour preparations are here.

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 Secret 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 06:30 PM and 07:30 PM.

Adventure Level 2 · Moderate

2-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

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I am a solo traveler, can I join a group?

Solo travelers are most welcome and make up a large percentage of most groups.
Why do I have to sign your Release Form?

We require customers to sign our Release Form to confirm they accept this is an adventure tour and they have to follow our guide’s instructions and safety rules. Customers also accept they have some responsibilities for their own safety.
Which months of the year do you run this tour, and which are the best months to go?

You can book the tour which departs from February to August. That is also the best time to join in the discovery and enjoy it at its best.

See More FAQs

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 and purifier (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 to book your tour with us.

This tour is operated from mid-Nov to mid-Sep (closed from mid-Sep to mid-Nov).
The days in bold are still available

1 day tour

Phong Nha National Park

This tour is ideal for everyone, especially families with children from 12 years old. With only one day, you still have the chance to experience most must-do activities in the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park.

VND 1,650,000/person

Hang Tien Discovery

With only one day, you can still enjoy a challenging trek, a natural swimming pool and see a spectacular cave.Hang Tien, also known as Fairy Cave has an enormous entrance, large calcite formations and unusual rock features.

VND 2,000,000/person

Tu Lan experience

An action-packed day trek to explore the marvelous jungle and caves of the Tu Lan System - home of the Hollywood blockbuster Kong: Skull Island (2017) by Jordan Vogt-Roberts

VND 1,800,000/person

2 day tour

Hang Tien endeavor

This is a challenging trek to visit Hang Tien 1 & 2 - two biggest caves of Tu Lan cave system. Hang Tien means Fairy Cave in Vietnamese as it looks otherworldly with an enormous entrance, calcite formations and rock features.

VND 6,500,000/person

Tu Lan Cave Encounter

This tour offers a glimpse into the amazing beauty of the Tu Lan area: caves, karst mountains, jungle, and waterfalls. It is an opportunity to escape civilization and go deep into the rugged and untouched nature of Vietnam.

VND 5,500,000/person

Hang En cave adventure

One of the best camping trekking tours to Hang En - the world’s 3rd largest cave and a must-see natural wonders in Vietnam.

VND 7,600,000/person

Hang Va Expedition

A true underground adventure to visit two spectacular river caves of the National Park. Nuoc Nut Cave is a large cave with both dry and river passages with clear blue pools.

VND 8,000,000/person

3 day tour

Hang Tien Exploration

The perfect journey to explore both most fascinating wet caves and dry caves, especially Hang Tien 1 and Hang Tien 2. They are the biggest dry caves of the system with enormous entrances, large calcite formations and unusual rock features.

VND 8,500,000/person

Wild Tu Lan cave explorer

This exciting journey has some challenging sections, but with the help of the team you will explore six amazing caves. River caves where you can swim or raft and dry caves covered in outstanding calcite formations.

VND 8,000,000/person

4 day tour

Tu Lan Expedition

This level 5 expedition is one of our most challenging treks. Throughout the four days you will explore numerous caves, both river caves and dry caves; abseil inside Tu Lan Cave down to the underground river

VND 15,000,000/person

Son Doong Cave Expedition

This four day expedition will explore Son Doong Cave the world’s largest cave passage. Trek through vast underground spaces and marvel at the continually changing display of stalactites and stalagmites.

VND 69,800,000/person