Dong Hoi Travel

Best time to visit

The weather is cooler from December to February and some of the nearby caves are inaccessible due to higher river levels. From March to June, the weather is fine and the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is alive with butterflies. From July to October the temperatures are hotter.During the Tet festival (Lunar New Year), the city almost closes down for over a week as people take holiday to spend time visiting family members and pagodas. Accommodation and restaurants will also be thin on the ground in Phong Nha at this time of year. Tet falls within the first three months of the year acceding to the lunar calendar.

Check the below table for the general idea of Dong Hoi weather throughout the year.

Dong Hoi’s current weather and 7-day forecast

DONG HOI WEATHER

For many years the capital of Quang Binh province, Dong Hoi, flew completely under the tourist radar. However, that has all changed in the last few years with the discovery of one of the world's largest caves, Son Doong, in the nearby Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. The city of Dong Hoi itself is a small, sleepy place and the main draw is the fine, white sand beach that lies just 2km away.

Here are top things to do in Dong Hoi:

Enjoy stunning and spectacular in Nhat Le Beach

Nhat Le Beach is wildly beautiful with shaggy poplar trees, the sandy beach full of sea ropes along with purple and yellow flowers, forming beautiful pictures. Coming to Nhat Le Beach, tourists will get lost in a white sand color and the clean of the water, attracts a lot of tourists. The sand is very smooth and soft so that visitors can bike or play football on it comfortably.

Discover Phong Nha Cave

Among the number of scenic spots of Vietnam, Phong Nha cave is distinguished by its magical beauty. Phong Nha cave is acknowledged one of the cultural heritage sites of the world with an unsurpassed wonder of nature. It takes you only 40 minutes by boat on the Son river to Phong Nha entrance.

Phong Nha has been voted as one of the most wonderful caves in the world for a number of reasons: its longest underground river, beautiful underground lake, incredibly wide dry cave as well as for its most spectacular stalactites, stalagmites and long water grottos.

Visit Paradise Cave

Described as “the underground palace”, Paradise Cave is one of the most magnificent and magical wonders in Vietnam. The cave is deeply nestled in the well-known World Natural Heritage – Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park – which belongs to Son Trach Commune, Bo Trach District, Quang Binh Province. Paradise Cave is about 70km to the northwest of Dong Hoi and 25km from Phong Nha Cave.

Quang Phu Sand Dunes

The vast white sand dunes which we refer to is located in Quang Phu commune, the center of Dong Hoi city about 8km, bordering commune Nhan Trach, Bo Trach district, a land of rich culture Sea fishermen village.

Unlike the dunes in Phan Thiet and some areas of Quang Binh dunes converge many unique elements to make an ideal tourist landscape. White sand dunes with crystal shine sunny sandy grassland stretching coast to watch green, clean has never affected the landscape and environment. Sand hills with elevations reasonable to design the adventure game. One is walking on the sand, conquer challenges and sand would be an impressive holiday for those who join the tour experience Quang Binh sand.

Budget options

Windy Hotel Quang Binh 

Add: 6 Lý Nam Đế , Dong Hoi, Vietnam

Situated in Dong Hoi and with Nhat Le Beach reachable within 1.3 km, Windy Hotel Quang Binh features a bar, allergy-free rooms, free WiFi and a garden. Boasting family rooms, this property also provides guests with a terrace. The accommodation provides a 24-hour front desk, room service and luggage storage for guests.

All rooms are fitted with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV with cable channels, a fridge, a kettle, a bidet, a hairdryer and a desk. Featuring a private bathroom with a shower and free toiletries, rooms at the hotel also feature a lake view. At Windy Hotel Quang Binh the rooms are fitted with a seating area.

Anh Linh 1 Hotel 

Add: 38 Duong Van An, Dong Hoi, Vietnam

Anh Linh 1 Hotel enjoys a great location just 50 m from Nhat Le river and Dong Hoi park. It features comfortable, air-conditioned rooms with en suite bathrooms and free Wi-Fi.

The hotel is located about 150 m from Dong Hoi Citadel and 900 m from Bao Ninh Beach. Dong Hoi Train Station is about 3 km away, while Dong Hoi Airport is about 6 km from the hotel.

The rooms at Hotel Anh Linh are fully air conditioned and equipped with an electric kettle, a cable TV and a wardrobe. A hairdryer, room slippers and free toiletries are provided for guests’ convenience.

There is a business centre and a tour desk on site. Guests can also request for an airport shuttle and laundry services. For meals, there are many restaurants around the hotel.

Nam Long Plus Hotel 

Add: 28A Phan Chu Trinh, Dong Hoi, Vietnam

Nam Long Plus Hotel is a clean and comfortable property located in Dong Hoi, 100 m from Nhat Le River and 300 m from Nhat Le Beach. It operates a 24-hour front desk and provides free Wi-Fi access at all areas.

Rooms here will provide you with air conditioning, seating area, wardrobe and cable TV. Featuring hot shower facilities and free bath towels, bathroom facilities are either shared or en suite.

At Nam Long Plus, guests will find ironing/laundry services and shared computers near the front desk. Travel arrangements can be made at the tour desk.

Mid-range options

Anh Linh 2 Hotel 

Add: 55 Truong Phap, Dong Hoi, Quang Binh, Dong Hoi, Vietnam

Set in Dong Hoi, 300 m from Nhat Le Beach, Anh Linh 2 Hotel offers air-conditioned rooms and a bar. Among the facilities of this property are a restaurant, a 24-hour front desk and a shared kitchen, along with free WiFi. The accommodation provides room service, a concierge service and organising tours for guests.

The units in the hotel are equipped with a kettle. At Anh Linh 2 Hotel every room includes a desk and a private bathroom.
The accommodation offers a terrace. The area is popular for cycling, and bike hire and car hire are available at Anh Linh 2 Hotel.

CKC Thien Duong Hotel 

Add: 76 Dong Hai, Hai Thanh, Dong Hoi, Dong Hoi, Vietnam

Situated in Dong Hoi, 600 m from Nhat Le Beach, CKC Thien Duong Hotel features accommodation with a restaurant, free private parking, an outdoor swimming pool and a bar. Boasting family rooms, this property also provides guests with a children's playground. The accommodation offers a 24-hour front desk, room service and currency exchange for guests.

All rooms are fitted with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a kettle, a bidet, a hairdryer and a desk.

The units have a wardrobe.

Guests at the hotel can enjoy a buffet breakfast.

CKC Thien Duong Hotel offers a terrace. Bike hire and car hire are available at the accommodation and the area is popular for hiking and cycling.

Amanda Hotel 

Add: Tran Hung Dao, Bao Ninh, Dong Hoi, Quang Binh, Dong Hoi, Vietnam

Set in Dong Hoi, 650 m from Nhat Le Beach, Amanda Hotel offers accommodation with a restaurant, free private parking, a bar and a shared lounge. With a garden, the property also features a terrace. The accommodation features a 24-hour front desk, room service and currency exchange for guests.

The units come with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV with cable channels, a kettle, a bidet, a hairdryer and a desk. With a private bathroom equipped with a shower and free toiletries, rooms at the hotel also provide guests with free WiFi. At Amanda Hotel, every room includes a seating area.

The accommodation offers an American or Asian breakfast.

Deluxe options

Riverside Hotel - Quang Binh 

Add: 15 Truong Phap, Dong Hoi, Quang Binh, Dong Hoi, Vietnam

Situated in Dong Hoi, 600 m from Nhat Le Beach, Riverside Hotel - Quang Binh features accommodation with a restaurant, free private parking, a bar and a shared lounge. Featuring a terrace, the 4-star hotel has air-conditioned rooms with free WiFi. The accommodation provides a 24-hour front desk, room service and currency exchange for guests.

All rooms at the hotel are fitted with a seating area, a flat-screen TV with cable channels and a private bathroom with a hairdryer and a shower. The rooms will provide guests with a fridge.

Guests at Riverside Hotel - Quang Binh can enjoy a continental or a buffet breakfast.

The area is popular for cycling, and bike hire and car hire are available at the accommodation.

Vinh Hoang Hotel 

Add: 125 Truong Phap, Dong Hoi, Quang Binh, Dong Hoi, Vietnam

Set in Dong Hoi, a few steps from Nhat Le Beach, Vinh Hoang Hotel offers accommodation with a restaurant, free private parking, an outdoor swimming pool and a fitness centre. Each accommodation at the 4-star hotel has lake views, and guests can enjoy access to a bar and to a shared lounge. The accommodation provides a 24-hour front desk, room service and currency exchange for guests.

The units come with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a kettle, a bidet, a hairdryer and a desk. Featuring a private bathroom with a shower and free toiletries, rooms at the hotel also have pool view. All guest rooms feature a wardrobe.

Vinh Hoang Hotel offers a continental or buffet breakfast.

QB Casa Residence 

Add: Vincom Plaza Building, Quach Xuan Ky, Dong Hoi City, Quang Binh Province PG-01, PG-02, Tam Toa, Vietnam

QB Casa Residence features a restaurant, bar, a shared lounge and garden in Tam Tòa. Among the facilities at this property are a 24-hour front desk and a shared kitchen, along with free WiFi throughout the property. The accommodation provides room service and a business centre for guests.

At the hotel, every room includes a balcony. At QB Casa Residence, each room includes air conditioning and a flat-screen TV.

Guests at the accommodation can enjoy a à la carte breakfast.

QB Casa Residence offers a terrace.

When visiting a place, food is always attractive to visitors. Dong Hoi is not only famous for beaches, caves, it is also famous for delicious food.  Follow us to discover Dong Hoi cuisine!

1, Bánh bột lọc – Rice dumpling cake:

Thanks to the taste of tapioca flour and ground pork and the different way of processing shrimps, the cake leaves unforgettable feelings. Stuffed with sautéed shrimps and sliced pork belly, the cake of flat tube shape is wrapped in banana leaves and then steamed. After a few minutes, the flour cover turns pliant and translucent, so we can spot the eye-catching pink shrimp inside the cake. For the cake without banana leaves, so-called clear tapioca cake, the cake is boiled not steamed; therefore, the flavor is a little more chewy but less fragrant than the other. Scallion oil, rendered pork fat and fish sauce colored with green chilly are ideal complements.

2, Bánh bèo – steamed rice cakes with dried shrimp

If Hue is famous for Banh Beo cakes in a large bowl, this dish is different in Dong Hoi. Cakes are small slices are arranged on a plate. It looks so nice. The flour is tough and soft, shrimp is carefully selected. Fish sauce is savory, lightly sweet and salty tasting, and can be sour and spicy if lime and chili peppers are added.

3, Súp lươn – Eel noodle soup  

The eels aren’t deep fried, cookers leave pieces of eel intact, and although stir-fried, it is still soft and sweet. Just by looking at it can we be attracted by the yellow saffron mixed with green onion. When cooking eel soup, locals use delicious ordinary rice and add to it a little sticky rice so that eel soup looks more viscid. More specially, they let the rice remain as it is, then simmer without grinding it as people in other areas do.

4, Khoái cakes

Khoái Cakes is one of most Traditional Vietnamese Food in Middle Area. It looks like Bánh Xèo. However, their shapes are smaller and more filling inside. When serving, present with vegetables, sliced star fruit and sliced green banana fruit. Using salad to cover Khoái Cakes with other vegetables is my habit. Eating with dipping sauce in step 7 will bring a strange and interesting flavor in your mouth and I bet you will not stop eating.

5, Bún Thịt Nướng – Vietnamese Grilled Pork with Noodles 

Add a bit of the noodles to a bowl. Drizzle some of the chili sauce over the noodles. Add pork, bean sprouts, cilantro, mint, green onions, cucumber, pickled carrots, and crushed peanuts to the bowl. Drizzle more of the chili sauce.  Give it a good mix, and dig in. The dish is huge in flavortown. The sweetness of the mixture, along with the pickled carrots, and a mild heat from the chili sauce, this dish has everything you would ever want in a great Vietnamese dish. Hope you enjoy!

Getting to Dong Hoi

By bus

From Hue, local buses take about 3–4 hours, and cost 80,000 dong (Mar 2012), departing from the Northern Bus Station. Tourist buses cost 4-5x the price: i.e., Sinh Cafe (400,000 dong), Mandarin Travels (300,000 dong).

Most buses will drop you off on Hung Vung, which is closer to town than the bus station. You can easily walk to a hotel from Hung Vung.

We recommend you check the latest bus schedule and price via rome2rio.com

By train

The Reunification Express makes a stop in Dong Hoi. The train station is 3 km from the city centre.

By plane

Dong Hoi Airport (VDH IATA) (6 km north of Dong Hoi centre). Flights to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Jet Star started direct flights to Chiang Mai in August 2017.

Contact us for the latest flight schedule and price. Or you can check via some online platform such as SkyScanner.com or Kayak.com

Here you can find some tips to book the cheapest flight

Get around

By foot. However, motorbike drivers will hassle you like anywhere else in Vietnam. The bus station and train station are a little far away from town, so if you have any bags, you will be better off catching a ride into town.