Cao Bang - North Vietnam’s Best Kept Secret
Nestled in far northeastern Vietnam is the city of Cao Bang. Surrounded by mountains, rivers and waterfalls, Cao Bang was a stunning surprise on our Vietnamese trip. From the breathtakingly enormous Ban Gioc waterfalls on the border with China to the incredible Angel Eye Mountain and the blue waters of Lenin’s Stream, Cao Bang was full of little known gems.
Far from the crowds of Hanoi, the tourists of Sapa or the streams of motorbikes on the Ha Giang Loop, Cao Bang’s incredible scenery and winding mountain roads enchanted and bewitched us. Cao Bang is not ‘touristy’ and is, for now, a genuinely magical place to escape to in Northern Vietnam.
If you are looking for somewhere ‘off the beaten path’ in Vietnam, if you want to see beyond the traditional tourist stops in the north, then follow us to Cao Bang. The city is welcoming and fun with cheap and comfy accommodation as well as great food and amazing sights. The surrounding countryside is absolutely stunning and perfect for motorbike exploration.
This guide will give you all you need to know to make your own adventure in Cao Bang.
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In this guide to Cao Bang:
Motorbiking from Ha Giang - route map
Getting around Cao Bang and the mountains
How long should you stay in Cao Bang?
When should you visit Cao Bang?
What is there to do in Cao Bang?
Blacksmithing villages and craft towns
The Tiger Cave - Dong Nguom Ngao
Motorbike route for northern Cao Bang
Relic Tomb of Kim Dong and mountain road viewpoints
Angel Eye Mountain - Nui Maat Than
Nightlife in Cao Bang - Bia Hoi
Tours and organised trips to Ban Gioc and the Angel Eye Mountain - from Cao Bang or Hanoi
So, where is Cao Bang?
Cao Bang is far up in northeastern Vietnam, close to the border with China and about 280 kilometres (175 miles) from the capital of Hanoi. Cao Bang is the region's major city but still keeps a small mountain town feel. You can find Cao Bang on a map here.
The town itself is set across both banks of the Song Bang River. At one point, the Song Bang river splits and this creates a large ‘island’, joined to the mainland only by a small bud of land - This ‘island’ is home to most of the accommodation, food, markets and shops.
Welcome to Cao Bang!
How to get to Cao Bang
Travelling to Cao Bang from Hanoi
There are many daily buses and minivans that depart Hanoi’s Old Quarter for Cao Bang. It takes between six and nine hours to reach Cao Bang depending on the bus and road conditions.
Book your bus ticket here:
If you have a motorbike and want to ride yourself it is around 5-6 hours by road on Google. Just be aware that this may be inaccurate as it is winding mountain roads all the way!
Getting to Cao Bang from Ha Giang
There are direct buses from Ha Giang to Cao Bang, you can either ask at the local bus companies or book through 12go here:
If you are booking through 12GO’s website, make sure you enter “Ha Giang City” not Ha Giang. For some reason it won’t show you the buses otherwise!
Ha Giang to Cao Bang by motorbike
If you are doing an epic northern road trip then the route between Ha Giang and Cao Bang would be a stunning addition to your travel plans. Google states it is between 5 and 6 hours but it will almost certainly take longer. The route will take you through some incredible mountain roads including the Khau Coc Cha Mountain Pass and the Đèo Nà Tềnh viewpoint .
Check out this map for the Google suggested route:
Getting to Ha Giang from Sapa, Ninh Binh or elsewhere
If you are travelling from further afield you will need to transfer back through Hanoi then get a bus onwards to Cao Bang. This is not difficult and you can easily book it through 12Go, just make sure you give yourself enough time to change buses and remember that up in the mountains, there can be unexpected delays!
Where to go after Cao Bang
After you have finished exploring the hills, mountains and waterfalls of Cao Bang you can either go on to Ha Giang or back down to Hanoi.
There are not many buses you can book online other than for the Cao Bang - > Hanoi route but, if you ask around, there are lots of bus companies serving other northern locations and further afield.
If you get the bus back down to Hanoi you can then connect to pretty much anywhere in Vietnam. We came to Cao bang from Ha Giang so returned to Hanoi before connecting to a bus to take us south to Ninh Binh.
Getting around Cao Bang - Transport in the Mountains
Scooter and Motorbike Rental
The best way to see all the sights of Cao Bang independently is with a motorbike. A scooter or motorbike gives you complete freedom to come and go as you wish and is a cheap, fun way to get out and explore. Our guesthouse, DH homestay (more on them later) charged 180,000 VND for a semi-automatic bike and 250,000 VND for an automatic scooter (£5.49/£7.63 or $7.21/$10.01).
If you are only going to Ban Gioc waterfalls then you can probably make do with an automatic scooter (although it will be slow going and not brilliant on the busier roads). If you want to get properly out into the mountains, explore Lenin’s stream and the Angel Eye Mountain (more on these later) you will need at least a semi-automatic 125cc to get up the steep winding roads.
The roads are not as ‘extreme’ as those around the Ha Giang Loop (make sure you have read our article for everything you need to know about the loop here). The roads are all well paved and pretty wide with plenty. However, the roads are just as steep as those you find on the famous loop! If you are following the advice of this blog on visiting the Angel Eye Mountain viewpoint, you will need to be confident driving up a steep sloped pebble road - not the route for a total novice.
Cao Bang is very remote and the mountain roads are very quiet, not a place to have an accident if you can help it!
From our personal point of view; we had not, at the time, done much driving on scooters or motorbikes - we were not confident enough to rent a bike. However, hindsight is 20/20 and now we think we could have managed on the smooth roads around Cao Bang.
Our under-confidence meant that we needed…
Easy riders in Cao Bang
We knew we wanted to get out of the town and see the incredible landscapes around Cao Bang. If we weren't confident driving ourselves, we were going to need some help!
We did a little bit of research and reached out to Cao Bang Travel, Motorbike Tours and Rental (you can find them here on Google Maps) . We Whatsapp-ed with them and told them what we wanted to see, they suggested some additions and we agreed on a one day trip to Ban Gioc falls and the Tiger cave. They would supply the bikes, local easy riders and the helmets and we would be able to zoom off around the local landscape without worry.
We had such a good time with them that day we instantly booked another day to explore further into the mountains. They sent us suggestions and we came up with the itinerary you will see below.
There are advantages to being a passenger princess!
We were so glad we booked easy riders, they took us places we had never heard of and we had two fantastic days biking around the mountains. It would have been great to drive ourselves but, having easy riders meant we could sit back and enjoy the views without worrying about what was around the next bend.
Our easy riders were amazing, full of local knowledge, they really went out of their way to make sure we had a great time. We mentioned that we love proper, hole in the wall, Vietnamese food and for two days they took us to out of the way restaurants for cheap and delicious food - not another tourist in sight! On the last day they invited us out for food and drinks at an amazing bia hoi joint in town, but more on that later….
Even if you are confident on a bike it really helps to have a local to guide you around. Google Maps will give you what it thinks is the most direct route between A and B but you really need a local to show you the most stunning mountain roads! Make sure to read to the end of this article for our motorbike map and more tours and trips you can organise in Cao Bang.
There are so many stunning motorbike journeys to be had near Cao Bang.
How long should you stay in Cao Bang?
We would recommend spending at least two full days exploring the areas around Cao Bang so, three nights is a good start. You could condense your time in Cao Bang further, to two nights, if you skipped some of the furthest away stops on our suggested itinerary (see below) - You could get to Ban Gioc Waterfall, the Tiger Cave and the Angel Eye Mountain in a single day if you don't mind rushing around, but you would miss the amazing roads and views found further north. Ultimately it will be about how much time you have to spare;
Cao Bang is a long bus ride from Hanoi or Ha Giang so you should make the most of it!
When should you visit Cao Bang?
The best time to visit Cao Bang is during the dry season which runs from October to April. In the dry season you have the best chance of clear sunny days and less chance of landslides and being rained off. Just remember that northern Vietnam can get very cold in the winter months, stock up on coats and trousers in Hanoi if you are visiting November - February! If you can brave the cold, the mountains are meant to be stunning during the winter.
This road would have been a whole different story in the wet season!
We visited in late April and were lucky, there had been a dry spell and we got to explore on dry roads and under (mostly) blue skies. We did have a truly enormous thunderstorm on our last evening but we had luckily made it back to our guest house by then!
You can visit during the wet season and it should be quieter with less tourists around. Just be prepared to be flexible with your plans and know that some of the roads will get slippy!
What to do in and around Cao Bang
Cao Bang is set in the middle of some incredible landscapes. On all sides of the city rise the mountains of Northern Vietnam, crisscrossed with beautiful roads, small villages, towns and unique things to do and explore. To get the best out of Cao Bang’s amazing sights we would recommend hopping on a motorbike or scooter - We had our easy rider local guides to help us maximise our time.
Cao Bang is ringed with amazing things to go and see. Cao Bang’s attractions are spread out through the mountainous regions around the town so we have split them into two suggested days of sightseeing. This will (hopefully) let you get the most out of Cao Bang without doubling back on yourselves repeatedly.
Day 1
Phuc Sen -Blacksmithing Village
(location)
A short ride north from Cao Bang city and the landscape opens up into rice field carpeted valleys between the towering mountains. Studding the landscape are small towns and villages full of traditional wooden houses. On the roadside we started to see lots of shops selling Dao - hand forged knives.
We are not normally ones for ‘craft villages’. The name alone conjures images of tourists standing in queues around theme park villages, being overcharged for “handmade silks” and other mass produced tat. The craft villages of Cao bang are nothing like this.
The blacksmithing village of Phuc Sen is part of a government initiative to bring revenue and tourists to rural communities. The village has always been a hub for metalworking, the government just put it on a map, installed some signs and directed tourism operators to it.
We visited the blacksmithing village but there are other local traditional handicraft villages in the area. If blacksmiting doesn't float your boat then there are also paper craft villages, incense makers, silversmiths, beeswax printers and embroidery villages to explore.
We wandered around the traditional houses and watched as drop hammers smashed into metal, thinning the glowing ore and beating it into shape. It was really interesting and actually felt like the real deal. We were not escorted to a gift shop or asked for tips, we just walked around a pretty village and watched craftsmen at work.
Its a real eye opener seeing how much effort goes into smithing a single sickle!
As we have said we do not normally recommend this kind of thing but, honestly, we really liked walking around the blacksmithing village and would suggest giving it a go!
Bo Hay Viewpoint
(location)
Continuing north for around an hour from village of Phuc Sen, we found ourselves following a turquoise river as it flowed through a valley. We passed tiny villages full of shouting and waving children, some smiling, some giving more colourful gestures. After passing a pond that was so blue it looked almost glowing, we pulled over at a shed on the outskirts of a small village.
The roads through northern Vietnam are amazing, There is always something to stop and look at.
We have no idea how anyone finds this place without a guidebook or a local, it was literally a woodshed on the outside of a tiny village. The only clue as to what lay ahead was a blue sign hidden behind the shed.
Following the sign, a rocky path leads sharply up the valley side and onto the mountain. The climb is hot and steep but only around twenty minutes long. We hauled ourselves up the rocks and were greeted by a truly amazing vista. The valley spreads away, lined on either side with mountains and with the flat river arcing through like a snaking mirror. It was spectacular!
This was the advantage of Cao Bang; Vietnam has some of the most incredible viewpoints on earth but you usually have to share them with lots of other visitors. Here, in a village so small Google hasn't recorded its name, there was just us and a couple of other bikers. The valley below had barely a hint of modernity, the small village, dirt roads and rice fields looked timeless.
We even made a new friend on the way down the Bo Hay viewpoint!
Ban Gioc Waterfalls
The Ban Gioc Waterfalls are very famous, they are the reason most people go to Cao Bang and they may well be the reason you stumbled across this article! Ban Gioc waterfall is known for both its size and its location. The falls are enormous, one of the largest in the world at around 30 metres high and over 300 metres across. Split into two sets of waterfalls Ban Gioc also acts as a border between China and Vietnam, the Chinese call them Détiān Falls (德天瀑布).
The stunning waterfalls of Ban Gioc are far out to the north east of Cao Bang. Travelling from Cao Bang to Ban Gioc, the falls are 85km (53 miles) away - around a two hour drive. The entrance to Ban Gioc waterfalls is located here.
You can get to Ban Gioc waterfalls easily from Cao Bang, either by driving yourself or by jumping on one of the local buses that run the along route there.
The buses are clearly marked and go from all around Cao Bang. You can catch the bus from around here or around here. The buses run around 10 times a day and take around 2-4 hours depending on road conditions.
There are tours running from Hanoi to Ban Gioc waterfalls. You can do a day trip between the two but it would be a very long drive there and back. Another good option would be a two day tour - Get Your Guide offers an amazing two day tour from Hanoi to Ban Gioc, taking in the falls as well as local caves and viewpoints, you can check it out here.
Alternatively, If you have transport but were very limited on time, you could drive up to see the falls, stay in one of the local boutique hotels or homestays (like this one set in a cave!) then drive back via some of the other sights we have mentioned.
To visit Ban Gioc falls you will need to purchase a ticket. The entrance fee is 40,000 VND (£1.23 or $1.60).
We bought our tickets from the booth in the car park and walked down the pretty landscaped path towards the falls. We could hear them before we could see them - the low drumming roar of tons of water crashing down, growing louder and louder as we walked down the path. We turned a corner and there, spread out in front of us were the falls.
We are running out of words to describe massive natural beauty! The falls were stunning (4x so far in this article), incredible (5x so far), beautiful (only once!), they were … nearly indescribable!
The right had bank is China, the left hand, Vietnam!
A vast cliff edge curves out above the wide river. Ribbons of water fell over two levels of falls cascading down the rocks into churning pools below. Ban Gioc waterfalls are enormous! The main falls were easily the largest we have ever seen. They are, in fact, one of the largest in the world and the 4th largest waterfall to separate two countries!
We were visiting after a sunny spell so the falls were not even in full flow and they were still dramatic and powerful. The sheer size of the falls was amazing, with multiple falls stretching all across the wide river. There is a dam upstream which impacts the flow at the falls, apparently around lunchtime is the best time to visit as the dam will have opened and allowed the torrent to flow through.
See how small the boats are compare to the Ban Gioc Falls!
For a further 50,000 VND (£1.54 or $2.01) you can take a raft boat right up to the falls. This will get you soaking wet if the falls are in full flow, but allow a much closer view of the amazing falling water.
There is a smaller secondary set of falls to the left of the main falls. These were less violent and powerful than the larger set but we loved the way the snakes of water fell through thick green vines and plants.
The smaller falls were completely beautiful, Ellie isn't bad to look at either!
Is Ban Gioc waterfall worth it? Absolutely, it is a natural wonder and amazing in whatever season you visit. It is famous within Vietnam and China but less so with western tourists, it is a proper hidden gem of Northern Vietnam and one hundred percent worth the trip!
Dong Nguom Ngao - The Tiger Cave
(location)
The Dong Nguom Ngao Cave or Tiger Cave, is a short, ten minute drive from the Ban Gioc falls. The caves are amazing, with incredible rock formations stalagmites and stalactites spearing up from the floor or down from the ceilings.
the dwarves delved too greedily and too deep....
The cave has two routes and two tickets available. There is the short route, which will take you about twenty to thirty minutes and the long route that will take between 1 and a half to 2 hours. We have heard that the long route is utterly amazing, a completely incredible cave experience but, sadly, we only had time for the shorter route on our day’s exploration.
The short route costs 45,000 VND (£1.39 or $1.81)
The guided long-route tour costs around 200,000 VND (£6.16 or $8.02).
Even though we couldn't take the long route we can highly recommend the Tiger Cave, the rock formations are incredible and the caves are beautifully lit and fantastic to walk around. If you have the time then absolutely do the longer route but if you, like us, left it a little late, then still go on the shorter route. Do not miss these caves!
Some of the caverns in the Tiger Cave were huge!
After the Tiger Cave, you have a long but beautiful drive back to Cao Bang, take your time and stop for lots of photos in the pretty valleys and dramatic mountain passes!
Day 2
The second day of exploration in Cao Bang is as much about the journey as the destinations. This was some of the most incredibly beautiful scenery we have ever travelled through! Seriously, we could easily have just spent the whole day riding around the jaw dropping scenery and incredible mountain passes.
Check out our ultimate motorbike day trip map below for some of the best mountain road exploration around northeastern Cao Bang:
The map has several way points that are not necessarily stops but should guide you along stunning mountain roads whilst avoiding as much doubling back as possible!
Relic Tomb of Kim Dong
(location)
We set off from Cao Bang and rode about an hour straight north. The road was incredible, winding up through the mountains with huge drops and incredible views. If you are following our map make sure you don't miss Cúc đá Lũng Luông viewpoint and Keo Yen Panorama
Down in a valley we saw a huge sign fixed high up on one of the mountain sides, curious we pulled into a carpack and went to investigate.
Please note that the Google Map location for Kim Dong’s Tomb will bring you up an unnecessarily long detour road. You can instead, park just off of the main road here and cross the bridge over the river on foot.
We had stumbled upon the relic tomb of the Vietnamese war hero and martyr Kim Dong. A child messenger in the resistance against the French, Kim Dong was shot when he was 14 years old whilst leading French troops away from officers of the resistance. He became a martyr and symbol of Vietnamese resistance. Kim Dong is an honorific name that translates to; golden or beautiful child.
Kim Dong’s tomb is in a beautiful stretch of a flower filled valley, nearby to the mountain he was buried on. The gardens are well maintained and very pretty, with a large memorial statue in the middle of the park.
There was no entry fee for Kim Dong’s Relic Tomb.
It was an interesting site and Kim Dong is very revered in Vietnam, especially in Cao Bang where the main walking street is named after him.
Lenin’s Stream
Around 52km (32 miles) north of Cao Bang, through yet more beautiful green valleys and mountains, is a true hidden gem of Cao Bang - Lenin’s Stream.
We parked up a little way outside of the site (here on the map). From there we bought tickets and electric shuttle bus transfers. We are not sure if you have to buy the bus transfers as we did see other people biking into the site but we were told it was best to. There is a good sized walk between the car park and Lenin’s stream itself and we didn't want to get boiled in the Vietnamese sun!
The entrance tickets to Lenin Stream cost 50,000 VND including the buses (£1.54 or $2.01) they were 20,000 VND without the transport.
Our first stop on the electric bus was a huge stone monument to Ho Chi Minh and the area of Pac Bo. The village and region of Pac Bo and Lenin’s stream is historically very significant for the Vietnamese. After his worldwide travels Ho Chi Minh came and settled in a cave in Pac Bo to contemplate how to help his people and save his country.
Lenin’s stream is named as such because Ho Chi Minh named it that in honour of the communist leader. The nearby mountain is named Karl Marx Mountain, so you can see Ho Chi Minh was on a roll with naming things after Russian Communist thinkers and leaders! The area is hugely culturally and historically significant to the Vietnamese and there has been a great effort to keep it pretty and looking its best.
Lenin's stream and the Pac Bo area can become very popular on the weekends so, if you can, plan for a weekday trip to avoid the crowds.
After the monument we left the main road and came to the start of the stream. On our first glance it was a little underwhelming. A midsize lake with streams flowing in and out at both ends. It was crystal clear and vibrantly blue but nothing that would justify a long trip to visit. Luckily this was only the beginning, As we walked along pretty, tree shaded paths with the stream next to us, it just got more and more beautiful.
The stream winds back into the mountain until it reaches the cave from which its spring bubbles up. It is diamond clear and sapphire blue. The water is so clear you cannot tell if the old trees and fish in the river are a foot below the surface or twenty feet deeper. The stream widens and shrinks, splits and rejoins itself. It forms mini delta’s full of lush grasses and carves whirling rock pools out of the stony mountain’s foot.
The pools at Lenin's Stream were impossibly coloured!
Where the water comes out the cave is a series of unbelievably picturesque pools, with neon blue water and green branches hanging over the waters edge. We were not alone in finding the location photogenic. There were at least ten Vietnamese teens, all in white flowing dresses posing like fairies on rocks lining the pool’s edges.
Inside the Lenin Stream park is the Pac Bo Cave where Ho Chi Minh stayed. The cave was badly damaged in the war with China but has been partially restored. We walked the short way up a mountain path and into the cool air of the cave. It was small and did not take us longer than a couple of minutes to look around but it was very interesting to see where such a key piece of Vietnamese history took place. You can find the cave on the circular walk around Lenin’s Stream or on Google Maps here.
Angel Eye Mountain - Nui Maat Than
We cannot believe this isn't more famous! The Angel Eye Mountain of Cao Bang is absolutely spectacular. In the valley between towering mountainsides, a series of spiked, triangular mountains rise up like broken shark’s teeth. Dominating the valley floor and the highest of these sharp mountains, is the Angel Eye mountain. Near the top of the pointed, foliage covered formation is a huge circular hole - the angel's eye.
The Angel Eye Mountain is a perfect emblem of north Vietnam - unexpected, unique and amazing!
Getting to Angel Eye mountain from Cao Bang takes about 45 minutes to an hour. Mount Angel Mountain or Nui Maat Than as it is called locally, can be seen from many vantage points The one we would recommend, if you don't mind some muddy dirt roads, is this one . All except the last two kilometres are on main roads so are not difficult. The last two kilometres however can be busy muddy, steep and slippery!
As sunset approaches the Angel Eye Mountain gets busier. The sight is very large so it doesn’t feel crowded but the area where you park your motorbikes will get very full very quickly. Add to this that the parking space is at the top of a very steep rocky path and you get some complicated traffic jams. We would not recommend this to anyone who was not very confident on a motorbike! Out easy riders meant we had no issues but if you are worried, you can always leave your bike somewhere at the bottom of the hill or back nearer the main road.
We bumped and bounced down the muddy track and then up a very steep rocky path to a small overlook. Dismounting our bikes, we walked over to the view and promptly lost our breath.
The valley of Angel Eye Mountain stretched away in front of us carpeted in green and glowing under the late afternoon sun. On all sides rose mountains and in front of us, its opening showing the hills beyond, Angel Eye Mountain. It doesn't look real, it looks like something from fiction, something beautiful but alien, something completely otherworldly. Words do not do it justice, neither do our pictures but it was one of the most unique and beautiful places we have ever been.
In wetter months there is a river that floods a lot of the valley. We were in the dry season, the river was dry and the undulating valley floor rolled out in gentle hillocks and dips all the way to the base of the Angel Eye. It was a landscape unlike anything we have seen.
The Angel Eye Mountain really looks like it belongs on some alien world.
Making our way into the valley we could see a few glamping sites set up and ready for visitors. If we had known about this beforehand, we would have been very tempted to end our day here and stay the night. There cannot be many better places to watch the sun go down with a beer! If you are interested you can book a spot at the camp sites here or have a less tent based stay nearby here .
You would get an amazing sunset from the glamping site under the Angel Eye!
We spent the next hour or so walking around the trails on the valley floor, admiring the insane landscape. We took photos, lounged on pretty outcrops and just generally relaxed in one of the most beautiful places we have ever been.
As the afternoon wore on we needed to get going back to town so, reluctantly, we got back on the bikes and as the sun began to set, headed home.
Route options for exploring Cao Bang
This two day route is just a suggestion, you could easily add Angel Eye Mountain to the end of a day exploring the Ban Gioc Waterfalls. We added it on to this day as it would create an epic drive from Lenin’s Stream followed by a shorter one for the home stretch from the mountain to Cao Bang.
The easiest way to think of where everything is located is that Ban Gioc falls, the craft villages and the Tiger Cave are all northeast of Cao Bang whereas Lenin’s stream, the Tomb of Kim Dong and the incredible mountain roads are mainly northwest. The Angel Eye Mountain is straight up north from Cao Bang city, in the middle of the others.
If you have the time, two full days is ideal to see everything. If you have longer then you can go further afield, maybe check out the “Windy” Khau Coc Cha Mountain Pass, it looks spectacular!
Exploring Cao Bang City
Cao Bang Riverside walk
Cao Bang city is full of pretty streets, alleyways and interesting places to explore. We would definitely recommend taking a walk around the circumference of the ‘island’ or at least until it joins the mainland at the bottom. The riverside walk is mostly a proper foot path. In places you may have to come a street inland from the river but for most of the way around you can be on the water’s edge.
Cao Bang has done a great job with the riverwalk, it has been developed into a sort of public park / space and is used for lots of communal activities; Houses spill out onto it for dinner in the evenings, restaurants use the paved space for outside seating and there is even a roller skating area!
On the eastern edge of the ‘island’ the riverwalk widens and there is a promenade of restaurants and coffee shops overlooking the river (more on these later). This is where a lot of the Cao Bang evening and nightlife is centred. At sunset there was always something interesting happening there.
Cao Bang Markets
In the city of Cao Bang we found a few markets to explore. We always love nosing about a market and the ones in Cao Bang were great; full of stalls selling everything and anything but surprisingly missing the high pressure sales we had found in Hanoi and elsewhere. The people were very welcoming and helpful without being pushy or trying to squeeze money out of us. Our favourite markets were:
Cao Bang Central Market
(location)
This covered market is a hub for the town, full of machinery, toys, watches and random bits and bobs. It is definitely not a tourist market - there were no elephant pants or questionable “folk art” anywhere. There were some restaurants around the outside and it was great to wander around and see what was being sold.
Cao Bang Wet Market
(location)
For some reason this large market is not showing up on Google, but it was the largest wet market on the ‘island’ of Cao Bang city. With stalls selling fruit and vegetables of every shape and hue as well as fresh meat and live fish, it was a proper asian wet market. The outside of the market has many shops selling miscellaneous things, from kitchenware to beauty products.
When we needed a set of sealable travel bottles for shampoo and sun cream, a lovely lady led us up and down stalls until she found them for us - You really can find anything in a Vietnamese market!
Cao Bang Walking Street - Kim Dong Street
(location)
Every Friday and Saturday Kim Dong Street closes to cars and the walking street night market springs up. The street is wider than many other ‘walking streets’ we have encountered in Asia and the pace was less hectic and far less crowded. Full of families sitting down at food vendors or painting little ceramic figurines, the Cao Bang walking street was really chilled out and fun. There are lots of food stalls, fairground games and unique things to see. When we visited there was a large crowd of people, young and old having a go at the Hmong Tribe stick dancing!
When it is not the weekend you will still find some stalls set up along this road. There are also lots of permanent restaurants and bars on the river side of the road.
Cao Bang Park
(location)
Nestled in the middle of the ‘island’ is Cao Bang park. We would argue that this is more a square than a park but who are we to judge! On one side you have a large Ho Chi Minh Memorial and the Cao Bang Cultural Centre and on the other you have a large tree lined square. In the evenings some small stalls set up here and there are the usual remote control children's cars careening about! It is a nice little space and used throughout the year for events.
Eating in Cao Bang - The Best Restaurants and Street Stalls
Cao Bang is stuffed with good food, coffee and lively drinking spots. We would recommended the following:
Nem Nuong Nha Trang
(location)
This little stall (as you can see it has no proper google listing) operates out of a small alcove under Lapin Coffee (more on them in a bit). Serving Nem Nuong Nha Trang - literally grilled meat Nha Trang style, this restaurant became our go-to in Cao Bang.
Consisting of a platter of grilled meat, crunchy veg, fried tofu skins, dipping sauces, herbs and rice paper wraps, this was a DIY addiction on a wicker plate! We just wrapped up whatever we felt like in the rice paper and dipped it into the incredible peanut sauce. Like so much great Vietnamese food it was a symphony of textures; crunchy veg, charred meat, fresh herbs and chewy rice paper, overall delicious!
Just wrap up a combo of anything and everything and dip in the spicy sweet peanut sauce - Nem Nuong is so good!
This shop was also ridiculously affordable. Two plates of nem nuong and two kumquat iced teams cost 90,000 VND (£2.76 or $3.61), a true backpacker bargain!
Banh Cuon
(location)
Banh Cuon, aka Vietnam's best kept secret: Sweet, savoury and everything in between. Banh coun is steamed and stuffed rice flour rolls served with a dipping stock / soup. You can have the rolls filled with various different stuffings and every place will serve it a little differently. We have had Banh cuon all over Vietnam and it is always fresh, delicious and cheap.
Banh Cuon may not look refined but it is completely delicious.
We found a great little shop/stall serving up banh cuon in Cao Bang city. We took our plastic seats and watched as the rice paper was expertly steamed, stuffed and rolled up in front of us. We opted for pork and mushroom filling and it was deliciously topped with deep fried shallots - a sure fire way to our hearts. The dipping sauce was perfectly balanced between sweet and savoury and was exactly what was needed to contrast the rice rice roll.
Two bowls of banh cuon set us back a whopping 70,000 VND (£2.15 or $2.81)
Market Side Restaurants
(location)
Lining the river facing side of Cao Bang’s wet market are a string of small restaurants. Serving everything from pho to rice and curry, they cook up delicious and affordable meals. You know you are in the right place when it is only locals eating!
We ate duck pho noodles and a rice and curry plate and they were both fantastic. The curries were spicy and unique in the way that only Vietnam can manage wheras the duck was rich and sweet with an incredible, complex broth.
A bowl of noodles and a plate of curry cost us 60,000 VND (£1.84 or $2.41). Cao Bang was fantastic value for money with food!
Motorbike Trip Pork Noodles
(location)
If you are setting off for Ban Gioc waterfall or the Angel Eye Mountain you will find yourself driving past this restaurant. Here, at a nondescript fork in the road, we found some absolutely amazing pork noodles.
Our dining companions!
It is the kind of restaurant that, if you are new to SE Asia, you may be wary of. The restaurant (if you can call it that) was dark and dingy and the locals were all passing around a bamboo water pipe, whose base appeared to be an old paint pot. It was not what you would assume to be a setting for a gourmet experience!
We have learnt, over the course of our travels, to never judge a restaurant by its appearance. If it is busy with locals that is all the encouragement we need!
We opted for crispy belly pork noodle soup and it was fantastic - rich yet light, with an amazing soup and still, somehow, crispy pork crackling, it was just what we needed to fuel a day's bike borne exploration!
Who can resist a bowl of crispy pork noodles? Not us!
Two bowls of belly pork noodles and two bottles of water cost us the princely sum of 55,000 VND (£1.69 or $2.21)!
Chợ ẩm thực Cao Bằng - Barbeque and Food Court
(location)
This makes it onto the, “we wish we had” list. It is a large food and beer hall with lots of barbecue operators and different stalls. Next time, when we are less distracted by bia hoi and nem nuong, we will investigate.
If you try this place out please let us know in the comments how it was!
Bia Hoi - Drinking in Cao Bang
Bia hoi is one of our favourite Vietnamese inventions. Fresh beer served by the glass or jug, ultra cheap and weak enough that you don't have to deal with a horrible hangover the next day! Bia hoi is one of those cultural things we wished Vietnam could export - who could say no to twelve pence beer!
In Cao Bang we had two places where we enjoyed evenings out with Beer Hoi:
In the central riverfront area you can find Bia Phe (located here). The google listing for Bia Phe is not much to look at but, when the sun sets this lively bar spills out onto the square and was abuzz with people eating and drinking. We had many small glasses of beer, peanuts, prawn crackers and fried tofu and it was still only 165,000 VND (£5.06 or $6.62)
Bia Phe has the added advantage of having a resident corgi!
The other bia hoi place we loved was introduced to us by our easy riders after the last day of the trip - Quán Nga Nhâm. Again the google listing doesn't give any clue as to how awesome this place was but you can find it here.
This locals only joint was a great place to eat, drink and watch the sun go down. The beer (or should we say bia?) was even cheaper than the central place and the food was fantastic!
We and our drivers tucked into fried chicken, deep fried frog (delicious - do not knock it until you have tried it - check out our experiences in Ho Chi Minh City for more unusual eats here), stir fried morning glory, sour pork wrapped in leaves and deep fried tofu with spring onion oil.
The frog is the middle plate at the top, it was delicious - deep fried frog skin is like roast chicken skin mixed with pork crackling!
We downed a good many jugs of beer as well and the whole feast, for four people, only cost 520,000VND (£15.94 or $20.86).
You can find bia hoi all throughout Cao Bang - if you find an especially good one let us know in the comments. There are many restaurants, bars and beer holes lining the river on both banks, you are certainly not starved for options for a cheeky beer in Cao Bang!
The Best Coffee in Cao Bang
We found loads of great coffee in Cao Bang but there were two places that stood out:
Lapin Coffee
(location)
Set up on the first floor, with views across the river and riverfront parade, Lapin Coffee is a luxurious place to indulge in Vietnamese coffee. With lots of fans to keep you cool and loads of comfy seating ranging from bar stools to swinging chairs, it is a great place to relax and chill out. The coffee is also amazing!
We visited a few times and always had their bac xiu or Vietnamese latte, this layered coffee always hit the sweet spot of bitter rich coffee and sweet milk. Less sugary than a regular, condensed milk, white vietnamese coffee, bac xiu is our go-to when we want a larger cup. For our complete guide to the coffees of Vietnam, make sure you’ve read our guide.
Two bac xiu coffee at Lapin cost us 60,000 VND (£1.84 or $2.41). Bac xiu is never the cheapest on the menu and Lapin is a premium coffee shop but even so, this was fantastic value!
Lapin Coffee also serves meals and deserts if you are looking for a posher meal with a view!
A5 Coffee, Beer & Bar
(location)
We are recommending A5 as much for its location as its excellent coffee. Set on the quiet western riverside of Cao Bang ‘island’, A5 coffee spills its chairs out onto the riverfront in a cosy and secluded little oasis.
The coffee was fantastic and it was great to lounge on camping chairs under parasols at the river’s edge. We stumbled across A5 coffee on one of our rambling wanders about Cao Bang. It was only when we came to get the google location later that we realised it did beer. This would have been a lovely place to enjoy some sundowner beers on the water!
Accommodation - Where to stay in Cao Bang
Cao Bang city has loads of accommodation to choose from, with excellent cheap options for backpackers and luxury boutique hotels for the more well-heeled traveller. We would recommend staying on or very near the ‘island’.
Backpacker and Budget accommodation in Cao Bang
For backpacker recommendations, we have three places:
The most popular backpacker hostel seemed to be Lan’s Home. Located on a central street and an easy walking distance to all the food and drink of Cao Bang ‘island’, Lans Home was where most of the other backpackers on our bus from Ha Giang were staying. Lans home has private rooms, four person rooms and dorms available. We didn't stay ourselves but Lan’s home has great reviews and offers one of the most popular tours to see the sights in Cao Bang.
You can book a room or dorm bed at Lan’s House here.
DH Homestay - DH Homestay was our first guest house in Cao Bang and we would have stayed there our whole trip but it was booked out before we could extend our stay. Simple, cheap, comfy and clean. DH Homestay was everything you needed and nothing you didn’t! Set on a pretty street nearby to the riverfront, a bridge to the ‘mainland’ as well as the buses that take you to Ban Gioc, it was in the perfect location. DH Homestay was also, when we stayed, very cheap. We had a private double room with an ensuite bathroom for around £7.00 a night.
You can book a room with DH Homestay here
DH Homestay was friendly cosy and cute, it was just what we needed as a base for our Cao Bang adventure!
Khách Sạn Hoàng Trang - Cheap comfy basic room with a private bathroom, this was where we moved after we couldn't extend at DH homestay. This guesthouse was slightly more in the town and just across the street from the popular backpacker hostel Lan’s Home. We booked out room for a great deal after just walking up and asking. The owner was amazingly friendly but spoke no english, the room cost us around £6.30 for the night.
You can find Khách Sạn Hoàng Trang guest house here on a map.
Luxury, boutique and other accommodation choices in Cao Bang
If you need a little more luxury in your life and want a more refined hotel, check out these offerings on booking.com.
There are so many more places you could stay in Cao Bang, whatever your budget and luxury levels are. Check out or handy accommodation map for all your options:
Zoom out for more options.
Tours and Organised Trips around Cao Bang, Ban Gioc and the Angel Eye Mountain
You do not need to drive yourself in order to see the incredible landscapes and natural wonders around Cao Bang. An organised tour can show you around and take you to some amazing, local knowledge only, sights.
We used Cao Bang Travel, Motorbike Tours and Rental (find them here) and had an amazing two days. What you have read in this article, was mostly the itinerary we agreed on with them. We paid 600,000 VND (£18.31 or $24.00) per rider, per day for the trips we took and it was worth every dong! Our easy riders / drivers were really helpful, listened to what we did and did not want to do and tailored everything to us. Also, it was just us two on the tour, so it was extra amazing zooming around deserted mountain roads!
Our local easy riders really made our trip to Cao Bang
There are several other tours on offer in and around Cao Bang, we would recommend checking out Get Your Guide for vetted, rated and reviewed tours. They run a tour to the amazing “Windy Pass” as well as a Ban Gioc waterfall day trip.
Tours to Cao Bang from Hanoi
If you are short on time, there are several tours starting in Hanoi. You can do single day tours or have a multi day tour with accommodation included. There are many operators who will organise Hanoi to Ban Gioc waterfall trips. Check out the widget below for some suggestions.
Conclusion - is Cao Bang worth a trip?
Yes, yes a billion times yes! Cao Bang right now is on the cusp of being “discovered” by the backpacker trail. It is un-touristy, genuine, beautiful and welcoming. Some of Vietnam can seem a little forced, a little unfriendly, maybe even over-touristed but not Cao Bang. The city was as friendly as it was reasonably priced. We were eating whole meals for less than a single person's portion in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. The food was great and the accommodation cheap and comfy.
The mountain roads around Cao Bang are simply magic!
The scenery is some of the most stunning that we have ever seen and we mainly had it to ourselves! Nipping around mountain roads and exploring places we had previously never heard of, Cao Bang felt like a proper adventure. Sometimes with backpacking these days you sort of feel that you have ‘missed the boat’ that some of these places would have been amazing twenty years ago but nowadays are little more than glorified resorts, Cao Bang was the opposite of this. We were there at the right time, the infrastructure was enough to support backpackers but tourism had not taken the town’s soul. It reminded us of our beloved Nong Khiaw in Laos (read all about that amazing place here ) it was fantastic.
Cao Bang felt like an adventure, one that not the whole of the backpacking world has already done. Come now before everyone else finds out!
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
For more of our Vietnam guides, tips and tricks check out our other articles:
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