Hanoi: Ban Gioc Waterfall & Angel Mountain 2D/1N Tour

A two-day drive from Hanoi to where the waterfall meets the border

You're picked up before sunrise in Hanoi and driven to Cao Bang Province, where a local guide takes you through mountain villages and border routes to Angel Mountain and a riverside homestay. The next morning includes Ngao Cave, a boat ride to Ban Gioc Waterfall, and a monastery viewpoint before the drive back to Hanoi. Meals, lodging, entry fees and transport are all covered.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Hanoi to Ban Gioc via Angel Mountain

• Pick up at Hanoi hotel early morning
• Arrive Cao Bang City and have lunch
• Rest briefly after lunch
• Travel by car through Global Geopark
• See ethnic villages and stilt houses
• Visit Angel Mountain and valley
• Drive along border belt and villages
• Check in homestay by Quay Son river
• Swim in Quay Son river
• Dinner with local specialties
• Free time or rest at homestay

Day 2: Ban Gioc Waterfall and return to Hanoi

• Visit Ngao Cave in the morning
• Explore Ban Gioc Waterfall by boat
• Visit Truc Lam Zen Monastery
• Return to Cao Bang via scenic route
• Lunch at local food store in Cao Bang
• Depart Cao Bang for Hanoi by limousine

The experience

A van pulls up to your hotel in Hanoi's Old Quarter before dawn (5:50am, to be exact), and that's the moment the 240-kilometer journey to Ban Gioc Waterfall begins. The road north takes you through Cao Bang Province, a region most tourists skip, which is partly why the local guide knows the routes that loop through ethnic villages and mountain passes without the usual truck traffic. You'll arrive in Cao Bang by early afternoon, eat lunch there, and then move into the real landscape: the drive to Angel Mountain happens on roads that wind through a UNESCO Global Geopark, past old stilt houses and the kind of green valleys that don't photograph the way they look in person.

Angel Mountain itself sits at the edge of a stream, surrounded by forest and limestone cliffs: the kind of place that feels less like a tourist stop and more like somewhere locals know exists. From there, the tour follows the border belt route, a quieter road where you'll pass through Tay, Nung, and Dao villages before checking into a homestay along the Quay Son river. The evening includes a swim in that river and dinner with local specialties, nothing fancy but everything fresh. You sleep there that night, which means you're already positioned for the next morning's visit to Ban Gioc Waterfall itself.

Day two starts at 7:30am with Ngao Cave, also called Tiger Cave. A limestone cavern with stalactites shaped over millions of years into forms locals name after tigers, lotus flowers, and jellyfish. Then comes the boat ride to Ban Gioc Waterfall, where water drops from above and you get close enough to feel the spray. Truc Lam Zen Monastery sits on a hill nearby with a view of the whole waterfall and the rice fields below. After that, the route back to Cao Bang takes a different road so the landscape doesn't repeat, and you'll have lunch at a local spot known for duck noodle soup before the limousine van drives you back to Hanoi, arriving around 9pm or 10pm depending on traffic.

The whole thing (transport from Hanoi, the local guide, all entrance fees, meals, one night's accommodation, and travel insurance) is included. You bring yourself and a willingness to wake up early. The tour handles the rest.

What’s included

Your two days include limousine van pickup from your Hanoi hotel at 5:50am and return transport to Hanoi around 9–10pm on day two, a local English-speaking guide for all stops, entrance fees to Ngao Cave, Ban Gioc Waterfall, and Truc Lam Zen Monastery, one night's accommodation in a homestay along the Quay Son river with complimentary drinks, dinner on day one and breakfast on day two at local restaurants, a boat ride to the waterfall, swimming time in the river, and travel insurance covering up to VND 100,000,000 per person. All transport between attractions in Cao Bang Province is by comfortable van.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 06:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (10 to 70 years) · Child (4 to 9 years) · Infant (under 4)

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish

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.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 29

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Vietnam Northern Travel

Is this one for you?Right for travelers leaving Hanoi who want to see Ban Gioc Waterfall and the mountain villages around it without arranging their own transport, guide, or lodging: the fixed itinerary and early pickup mean you don't have to navigate the 240-kilometer drive yourself or figure out where to sleep in Cao Bang.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 9 years); Infant (under 4).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long is the drive from Hanoi to Cao Bang?

About 240 kilometers, taking roughly 5–6 hours depending on traffic and road conditions.

What time does the pickup happen in Hanoi?

Between 5:50am and 6:00am from your hotel in the Old Quarter.

Is the guide English-speaking?

Yes, the tour includes a local English-speaking guide.

What's included in the price?

Round-trip transport by limousine van, local guide, all entrance fees, two meals (dinner on day one, breakfast on day two), one night's accommodation in a homestay, and travel insurance covering up to VND 100,000,000 per person.

Can I swim in the river?

Yes, swimming in the Quay Son river is part of the itinerary on the evening of day one.

What type of accommodation is provided?

A homestay or small hotel along the Quay Son river in Ban Gioc Commune, with complimentary drinks in the room.

Is there a boat ride to the waterfall?

Yes, you take a boat closer to Ban Gioc Waterfall to see it from the water.

When do I return to Hanoi?

The van departs Cao Bang around 2:00pm on day two and arrives back in Hanoi between 9:00pm and 10:00pm.

Do I need to be very fit for this tour?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. Most of the travel is by vehicle, though there is walking at each stop and climbing to the pagoda viewpoint.