Short answer: on our 2-day, 1-night camping tour you trek about 8 km through Abandoned Valley, sleep in a tent on the sand beside the entrance of E Cave, eat hot pot by the water, and paddle 1.2 to 1.5 km into the cave the next morning before anyone else arrives. To be clear from the start: you camp at the mouth of the cave, not inside it. It costs $156 per person, takes ages 10 to 60, and there is no phone signal and no electricity at the campsite. Below is how the two days run, hour by hour, and what the night is really like.

Camping at E Cave at a glance

Length	2 days, 1 night. Pickup 8:00 to 8:30 on day 1, back in Phong Nha around 4:00 pm on day 2
Price	$156 per person, with all meals, park fees, gear, transport from Phong Nha and travel insurance
Walking	About 8 km of jungle trail over the two days, with wooden ladders and steep sections over sharp limestone
In the cave	1.2 to 1.5 km in by stand-up paddleboard and back, in a life jacket. No swimming needed
Where you sleep	In a tent on the sand beside the E Cave pool. Tent, sleeping bag, mattress and pillow are provided
Who can join	Ages 10 to 60, in small groups of 2 to 10 guests. Suits people who exercise two to four times a week
At the campsite	No phone signal, no electricity. Bring a power bank

Day 1: from the road to the campsite

8:00 to 8:30: pickup from your accommodation in Phong Nha.
9:00: briefing at our operations house, where you get your helmet, headlamp and gloves.
9:15: start walking from Km 17. The first 4.5 km climbs over a ridge and drops into Abandoned Valley, through bamboo forest and past Dracontomelon trees so wide it takes 8 to 10 people to reach around them. Some sections use wooden ladders and steep slopes over sharp limestone.
11:00: arrive at the back entrance of Dark Cave, a huge opening above a field of moss-covered boulders. Picnic lunch here: baguettes with meat or omelette, and bananas.
12:30: follow the Tre stream upstream to E Cave. Expect wet feet.
2:00: arrive at the campsite, where the team has already set up your tent.
2:30: free time. Swim in the turquoise pool at the cave mouth, float on a paddleboard, snorkel among stream fish and freshwater prawns, or let the small fish nibble your feet.
5:00: hot pot dinner by the water: a mushroom hot pot and a sour, spicy one with beef, shrimp and vegetables.
6:30 to 8:00: look for wildlife with a headlamp, then stargazing when the sky is clear, which is most often in summer. Lights out around 8:00.

Day 2: E Cave before anyone else

6:30: wake up to the forest. If you are lucky you hear white-cheeked gibbons calling from the ridges.
7:10 to 7:30: breakfast: fruit, cereal, eggs and pho or noodles.
8:00: paddle into E Cave, 1.2 to 1.5 km in and back. In the early morning the air inside is cooler than outside, and mist hangs over the water. Day tours do not reach the cave until late morning, so you have it to yourselves.
9:30: volleyball and games on the sand, then free time in the water.
11:30: pack up, with tea and coffee.
12:00: lunch: grilled chicken and pork, vegetables, soup, rice and fruit.
1:15: walk about 2.5 km out to Km 19.
3:00 to 4:00: a cold drink, a souvenir, and the bus back to Phong Nha.

What the night is really like

It is quiet and dark. There is no phone signal anywhere in Abandoned Valley and no electricity at the campsite, so the evening is headlamps, the sound of the stream and conversation. Charge a power bank before you come.

It is simple, not luxury. You sleep in a tent with a sleeping bag, mattress and pillow. A toilet is set up in a separate area of the campsite. Bring a set of dry, comfortable clothes for the evening, your toothbrush and a small towel, and insect repellent.

The sky depends on the season. On clear summer nights the stars are bright because there is no light for kilometres. In the rainy season, from September to December, the tour still runs; we postpone only for storms or floods, and you can then move to another date for free or take a full refund.

Who it suits, and who it does not

It suits people who are reasonably fit, exercising two to four times a week, and who are happy with a tent and simple facilities for a night. You do not need camping experience: the team brings the gear, sets up your tent before you arrive and cooks. Non-swimmers can join, because the cave section is on a paddleboard and you wear a life jacket in the water.

It does not suit children under 10, anyone over 60, or anyone who needs a bed and a socket. Day 1 has steep ladders and sharp rock, and you carry your own day pack. If you want the cave without the night, our E Cave day tour from $68 covers the same cave in one day.

Camping inside a cave, or beside one?

Many people searching for cave camping in Vietnam or Phong Nha camping picture a tent inside a giant cave. A few multi-day expeditions in Phong Nha-Ke Bang do camp on beaches inside large caves; they cost several times more and ask for more fitness and more days. Our camp is at the mouth of E Cave, on open sand under the trees, which means fresh air, a pool to swim in and the night sky. Choose by what you want from the night, not by the word “cave”.

If you want more caves on your overnight trip, the 2-day tour through Dark Cave Exit, E Cave and Golden Cave from $226 also spends the night in Abandoned Valley. We compare the two in our Phong Nha overnight tour comparison.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need camping experience?
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No. Our team brings the camping gear, sets up your tent before you arrive and cooks all the meals, and we provide the tent, sleeping bag, mattress and pillow. You carry a small day pack with your clothes, swimwear, toiletries and a power bank. What you do need is the fitness to walk about 8 km of rough jungle trail over two days.

Can non-swimmers join the camping tour?
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Yes. You go into E Cave on a stand-up paddleboard, so there is no swimming, and you wear a life jacket whenever you are in the water. Safety assistants stay close throughout. Swimming at the cave mouth in the afternoon is optional. More in our guide to Phong Nha caves for non-swimmers.

Does the camping tour run in the rainy season?
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Yes, it runs all year. Rain alone does not cancel it; we postpone only when a storm or flood makes the route unsafe, and we tell you on WhatsApp as early as we can. You can then move to another date for free or take a full refund. See our best time to visit Phong Nha.

Can you cater for vegetarians?
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Yes. Tell us about vegetarian requests, other dietary needs or food allergies at least one day before the tour, and the chef will plan the hot pot and other meals around them. Filtered drinking water is provided throughout both days.

Plan your trip

Book the E Cave camping tour from $156 per person. Pack with our cave trek packing list, and see what guests say in our reviews.

Cave Camping in Vietnam: A Night at E Cave, Hour by Hour