3-day Cao Bang tour: Ban Gioc waterfall and Ba Be Lake

Three days exploring Cao Bang's waterfalls, caves and mountain lake with a local guide

A 3-day tour of Cao Bang and Ba Be Lake in Northern Vietnam with a local English or Vietnamese-speaking guide, including all entrance tickets, boat trip on Ba Be Lake, motorbike or car transport, and accommodation near the lake. The tour visits Ban Gioc waterfall (the world's 4th largest), Nguom Ngao Cave, Truc Lam Pagoda, Fairy Pond, An Ma Temple and Ba Goa Island. You can ride a motorbike yourself with an International Driver's license, hire a private rider, or travel by car. The price quoted is for the motorbike option.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Cao Bang city and Ban Gioc waterfall

• Pick up from hotel in Cao Bang
• Visit traditional Nung An craft village
• See Ban Gioc waterfall and take boat
• Explore Nguom Ngao cave
• Visit Angel Eye Mountain by motorbike

Day 2: Travel to Ba Be Lake and boat trip

• Travel to Ba Be Lake after breakfast
• Have lunch near Ba Be Lake
• Boat trip to Fairy Pond, An Ma Temple, Ba Goa Island

Day 3: Hua Ma cave and return to Hanoi

• Breakfast and coffee
• Explore Hua Ma Cave
• Visit Na Man Tay ethnic village
• Lunch with local cuisine
• Return to Hanoi by bus

The experience

The tour starts in Cao Bang city at 8:00 am with hotel pickup, or you can arrive on a sleeper bus the night before and rest in a dormitory bed until 7:00 am. Day one takes you to a traditional paper-making village of the Nung An ethnic group, then by boat closer to Ban Gioc waterfall on the Vietnam-China border. The spray reaches you as you approach. Afterward, you explore Nguom Ngao Cave, where natural stone columns and stalactites carved over millions of years form shapes the guides point out: tigers, lotus flowers, jellyfish. The day ends at Angel Eye Mountain, a viewpoint reached by motorbike with views across green lawns and forest.

Day two is a 3- to 4-hour drive from Cao Bang to Ba Be Lake, where you have lunch before a boat trip visiting Fairy Pond (a small lake within the larger complex ringed by mountains), An Ma Temple (built during the Mac dynasty), and Ba Goa Island. You sleep at a homestay near the lake. On day three, you explore Hua Ma Cave in the morning, visit Na Man, a Tay ethnic village surrounded by terraced rice fields, have lunch with local food, then take the bus back to Hanoi.

The tour runs with small groups at a relaxed pace. A local guide fluent in English or Vietnamese travels with you throughout. All entrance tickets, a bottle of water each day, and the boat trip on Ba Be Lake are included. If you ride your own motorbike, gasoline is provided. If you prefer not to ride, you can hire a private rider for 20 USD per day, or book a private car for 50 USD per day. Accommodation is a private room for two people per night. The tour requires at least two people to run. If you are traveling alone, contact the operator directly.

What’s included

• All entrance tickets to attractions.
• motorbike with gasoline included (or private rider hire, or private car rental as options).
• local guide in English or Vietnamese.
• boat trip on Ba Be Lake.
• private room accommodation for two people.
• one bottle of water per day.
• hotel pickup in Cao Bang city.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesUp to age 70

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish and Vietnamese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by LV Travel

Is this one for you?The tour picks you up from your Cao Bang hotel or meets you at the sleeper bus arrival, so you don't need a car or prior knowledge of the region. If you have an International Driver's license and want to ride a motorbike yourself, you can. Otherwise, hire a rider or book the car option at checkout.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Vietnamese.

Can I ride a motorbike on this tour if I don't have an International Driver's license?

You can hire a private rider to drive the motorbike for you at 20 USD per day, or book a private car for 50 USD per day instead. The motorbike option requires a valid International Driver's license.

What is Ban Gioc waterfall like when you get there?

Ban Gioc is the world's 4th largest waterfall, located on the Vietnam-China border. You take a boat closer to it and feel the water spray hitting you as you approach. The guide explains that the river itself marks the border between the two countries.

How long does it take to drive from Cao Bang to Ba Be Lake?

The drive takes 3 to 4 hours. You stop for lunch before the boat trip on Ba Be Lake in the afternoon.

What is Nguom Ngao Cave known for?

Nguom Ngao Cave retains its natural beauty with stone columns and stalactites formed over hundreds of millions of years. The formations resemble different shapes (tigers, lotus flowers, boats, cacti, jellyfish) that the guide points out as you walk through.

Where do you sleep on this tour?

Night one is in Cao Bang city (or a dormitory bed if you arrive on the sleeper bus). Night two is at a homestay near Ba Be Lake. Accommodation is a private room for two people per night.

What does the boat trip on Ba Be Lake include?

The boat trip visits Fairy Pond (a small sparkling lake within Ba Be Lake surrounded by mountains), An Ma Temple (an ancient temple with traces from the Mac dynasty), and Ba Goa Island (a small island with rocks and greenery).