Places / Tân Hóa
Tú Làn cave system
Swim through a mountain, then sleep in a valley with no phone signal.
Transcript
Under the mountains around the village lies the Tú Làn cave system.
In 2009, a local man named Đinh Hồng Nham went fishing and found an unknown cave mouth.
More than twenty-five caves have been surveyed since.
There are no paved walkways. You wade the Rào Nan river, climb into the cave and swim underground rivers by headlamp.
Rat Cave, nearby, is where the crew of Kong: Skull Island filmed in 2016.
The caves are open only on licensed tours, to keep them intact.
In 2009 a Tân Hóa man, Đinh Hồng Nham, went fishing and found an unknown cave mouth. That cave, Tú Làn, now gives its name to a whole system under the mountains around the village. A British–Vietnamese team led by Howard Limbert had already explored Rat Cave and Hung Tôn in 1992. More than 25 caves have been surveyed so far.
There are no paved walkways here. You wade the Rào Nan, cross valleys, climb into cave mouths and swim underground rivers by headlamp. Longer tours camp in the Tố Mô valley, with a swim in a green lake and no phone signal.
Rat Cave, whose mouth opens onto grassland and the river, is where the Kong: Skull Island crew filmed in 2016. Tú Làn Cave itself can only be reached by swimming or rafting.
The caves are open only on licensed tours, to protect them and keep you safe. There are one-day family trips for children from 6 and expeditions of four or five days.
Tú Làn can only be visited on a licensed tour. The operator is Oxalis Adventure, with trips from a 1-day experience for beginners and families to a 5-day expedition, from 2,000,000 VND per person. See the tour list below or contact Oxalis on +84 919 900 357 (call or WhatsApp).
Tours by Oxalis Adventure
Prices from oxalisadventure.com, 10/2026- Tu Lan Cave Experience · 1 day
- from 2,000,000 VND (~US$75)
- Tu Lan Family Experience · 1 day
- from 2,600,000 VND
- Tu Lan Cave Encounter · 2 days, 1 night
- from 6,700,000 VND
- Tu Lan Family Adventure · 2 days, 1 night
- from 7,500,000 VND
- Wild Tu Lan Cave Explorer · 4 days, 3 nights
- from 10,900,000 VND
- Tu Lan Cave Expedition · 5 days, 4 nights
- from 18,000,000 VND
- 25+
- caves surveyed
- 1992
- first British–Vietnamese survey
- 1–5
- days, depending on tour
Things to do
- 1-day tour: wade the river, explore Hung Tôn, swim an underground river
- 2-day tour: add Tiên Cave, sleep in a homestay or lodge
- 4–5-day expeditions: valley camping, swim through Tú Làn and Ken
- Stand at the mouth of Rat Cave, the Kong filming spot
Best season: Hot days, cool caves (June – August) →
Frequently asked
Where is Tú Làn cave?
In Tân Hóa village, Kim Phú commune, Quảng Trị province (formerly Minh Hóa district, Quảng Bình province), about 70 km from Phong Nha and 115 km from Đồng Hới airport.
How do I visit Tú Làn?
On a licensed tour; the main operator is Oxalis Adventure. The 1-day tour costs 2,000,000 VND per person (October 2026) with 7:00 hotel pickup in Phong Nha; multi-day expeditions are also available. Book ahead at oxalisadventure.com.
Do I need a permit?
No border-area permit is needed inside the Kim Phú tourism area, under Decision 2244/QĐ-UBND of the Quảng Trị Provincial People's Committee (12 June 2026). If you plan to go beyond the tourism area, ask the commune first.
When is it open?
The caves close in September and reopen from October; some routes may close when water is high. Check dates with Oxalis before booking.