Pleasantly untouristed, Dong Hoi is a simple seaside resort town with a fair selection of hotels but no souvenir shops and no hassling. While the town itself isn’t incredibly attractive, the modest beaches to the north and south, and modest beaches to the north and south, and the Nhat Le River (complete with fishing boats bobbing on the tide) make up for it. It’s the most likeable spot to break up the journey between Hanoi and Hue.
Like its southern neighbour Dong Ha, Dong Hoi suddenly found itself a border town in 1954 with the partition of Vietnam at the North Vietnamese Army, it suffered more than most during the American War. It has since recovered as a congenial provincial capital and makes a good base for visiting Phong Nha Cave
What to do ?Most of Quang Binh Province is lined with sand dunes and beaches in which Da Nhay and Ly Hoa Beach (60 km north of the city) are the most popular tourist destinations. However, the main attraction of Dong Hoi is a trip to the Phong Nha Cave, a spectacular cave was used by the Northern Vietnamese as a field hospital during the war and declared as a World Heritage Site by the Unesco in 2000.
When to go ?
In Dong Hoi, the spring is cool, humid and foggy with the average temperature from18 to 25 degrees Celsius. The summer sees the hot, dry weather with the temperature may be as high as 35 degrees Celsius. It is rainy in the fall but the weather is comfortable with the temperature around 25 to 30 degrees Celsius. In the winter, it may be rainy and the temperature may go down to 12 degrees Celsius.
The best time to visit Quang Binh and Phong Nha Caves is the dry season, between February and April when the weather is cool and there is no flooding.
Travel Tips
Travelers should check carefully the weather in this area during November and December before travel as during this period, the river is prone to flooding, the underground cave may be close. Though it's possible, but also may be dangerous to visit the dry cave.
Hotels
1. Sun Spa Resort
Add:My Canh, Bao Ninh, Dong Hoi
Tel: ( 84 52 ) 842999
2. Sai Gon Quang Binh Hotel
Add:20 Quach Xuan Ky road
Tel: (84.52) 822276
3. Cong Doan Nhat Le Hotel
Add: TruongPhap DongHoi
Tel: (84.52) 822369_828051
4. Phong Nha Hotel
Add: 5 Truong Phap road, Dong Hoi Town
Tel: (84.52) 824971
5. 30/4 Hotel
Add: Truongphap Donghoi
Tel: (84.52) 822276
6. Nhat Le Hotel
Add: Truong Phap DongHoi
Tel:(84.52) 822042
Restaurants
1. Ba Hien Restaurant
Add: 52 - Truong Phap - Dong Hoi
Tel: (052) 3827 473
2. Minh Phuong Restaurant
Add: 141 Ly Thuong Kiet
Tel: (052) 3829 039
3. Hai Yen Restaurant
Add Quang phu Beach
Tel: (052) 3810 011
4. Hien Vy Restaurant
Add: 5 Nguyen Pham Tuan
Add: (052) 3821 266
Places to visit
Phong Nha-Ke bang National Park
Dong Hoi Prison
Quang Binh Gate
Da Nhay Beach
Nuoc Moc Stream
Phong Nha Cave
Mother Suot Monument