The Ban Gioc Falls are located on the border of Vietnam with China. They are one of the most important natural wonders in the country, although due to their location they are also the least visited by tourists.
They are an amazing place, where not only the beauty of the falls overshadows you, but also its environment of lush jungles, paths and trails that lead to small waterfalls and streams, and remote villages that have not been affected by mass travelers.
BAN GIOC WATERFALLS, A WONDER OF NATURE IN NORTHERN VIETNAM
The Ban Gioc Falls (belong to the Quay Son River) are considered the largest in all of Southeast Asia. They have a height of more than 50 meters, different levels and 2 main falls.
They are very close to the city of Cao Bang, in the north of Vietnam. It is a small, non-touristy city where remains of the colonial period can still be seen.
Cao Bang city in northern Vietnam
During the colonial period in Vietnam, Cao Bang was one of the resorts and mountain destinations for the French community who lived in Hanoi and enjoyed this area on their "vacation" or free time.
Due to the magnificent situation, Cao Bang was one of the most important border posts in northern Vietnam.
After the fall of the French colony during the Indochina War, Cao Bang was one of the most important rearguard posts for the People's Army of North Vietnam in the Vietnam War and during the Chinese invasion of the year 74 one of the battles more cruel.
This area not only hides wonders such as the Ban Gioc Falls (95 kilometers from the city) but also other incredible places such as The Thang Hen Lakes, the Nyuom Ngao Cave, the Cao Bang Memorial War and the Pac Bao Memorial.
How to go to Ban Gioc Falls
The best option is to arrive at the city of Cao Bang about 95 kilometers away and about 2 hours away. If you have arrived in Cao Bang by rental motorcycle, you can make the journey to the falls in the same way. The roads are not very well paved and there are areas that are dirt.
If you have reached Cao Bang by bus, to get to the falls you can go by public bus (Cao Bang – Ban Gioc) and it costs 120,000 VND.
How to get to Cao Bang
The best option is to go from Sapa. Once you know all this area you can take a bus from Sapa to Bao Lam. And here you will have to change the bus to Cao Bang.
For many it is more comfortable to go from Hanoi. Although it is a long journey, it has more options of schedules. You will need to go to the Hanoi public bus station (My Dinh station). The journey is direct (with rest stops) but without having to change buses. They are between 8 and 9 hours of travel.
Is it worth visiting Cao Bang Falls?
The Falls are far away from the most essential places to see in Vietnam. Therefore, they are very rarely visited by foreign tourists. Virtually all the tourism in this area are prominent travelers from Vietnam and China.
Having little tourism makes this place a very authentic area. And the best thing to do is to rent a motorcycle to get to know the whole of northern Vietnam. (We is what we did to get here). For this you will need at least 7 days to get to know Sapa, its surroundings and the Cao Bang area.
If you have little time to visit Vietnam, it is better that you spend two days getting to know Sapa and its surroundings and leave aside this option of visiting the Ban Gioc waterfalls since you lose a lot of time.
If you dare to get to know the place, you can do many treks around the area of the falls. Along the river there are small waterfalls, jungle trails... It is best to hire a local guide to go trekking and not get lost. Here the coverage is very bad.
There is not much variety of accommodation in the area. Many options are bed and breakfast style or dorms in private homes. Although in Cao Bang you can find some small hotels.
We stayed in Cao Bang at the 3-star Max Boutique Hotel. A simple but very cozy hotel. You can find accommodation for about 15 euros per night in a double room.
PLAN YOUR TRIP STEP BY STEP
I hope you enjoy your trip to Vietnam very much and that this article has been useful to you. You can continue reading many more related articles on the blog.
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A hug and see you soon!