Is Ban Gioc waterfall worth visiting? – The only guide you’ll need

Ban Gioc waterfall is not only among the most impressive waterfalls in Vietnam. But it is also known as the fourth largest waterfall between the two country’s borders of Vietnam and China. Roughly 350 kilometers to the northeast of Hanoi in Cao Bang province, the waterfall is accessible by car, bus, or motorbike with good road conditions.

Fed by the Quay Son River from China, the three-tier waterfall is 35 meters high stretching 310 meters across. It is in the picturesque setting of rice fields, bamboo groves, and partially surrounding rugged limestone karst. Thus, no wonder why the Ban Gioc becomes one of the most beautiful natural sights in North Vietnam.

Most Vietnamese people have known about this waterfall since childhood schoolbook so it’s a must-go for any of us. And as the name is so well spotted on the Vietnam travel map. For many foreign visitors on a time-permitted travel schedule, they all try to go and see Ban Gioc waterfall.

Is Ban Gioc detian waterfall worth visiting & things to do there

Running a homestay in Po Tau 14 km from the waterfall, I come to this area almost every two months. Having visited Niagara Falls twice, when it comes to majesty, I must admit that Ban Gioc waterfall is nowhere near. But the Ban Gioc does roar in its full flow of water with an amazing waterfall sound. Many times, you will catch a rainbow when the sun shines through tiny water’ vapor. This is truly beautiful and mesmerizing.

What to do in Ban Gioc waterfall?

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You can choose to walk on the dirt paths and admire the waterfall from a generally 10 – 20 – meter distance.

Or if you want to hire a raft to get nearer the waterfall, there are available boats at the pier. Each boat can carry from 4 to 15 people with a minimum of 50.000 VND per person. And for the smallest group possible of 4, it costs at least 200000 VND for a whole boat. Coming close to the waterfall on a little boat, you can feel the water spray just like in the “Maid of the mist” tour.

Things to keep in mind when visit the waterfall:

• As tempting as diving into the jade-blue water is, especially in the summertime, swimming activities are forbidden. The local authority wants to preserve the area with its full dedication to the tourism industry and its visitors.
• The water sprung from the Ban Gioc is nowhere near the Niagara where raincoats are in need. However, if you want to be careful, or have expensive cameras, you should cover your gears with some plastic though.
• The local authority does not allow any climbing acitivites into the second and the third tier of the waterfall. The top of the Truc Lam pagoda nearby can offer a bird eye of view of the waterfall, though it’s quite far.

Speaking from a perspective of a traveler who wants to see all the best Trung Khanh has to offer, and to really make it worth a long drive from Hanoi, I will share a few common concerns when planning the trip as below:

How to get to Ban Gioc waterfall in Trung Khanh?

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There is no direct airway to Cao Bang. So Apparently, you have to start your trip from Hanoi. Depending on your whole trip plan, time, and budget, you can choose different routes and transportations.

Different roads to get to the waterfall

There are two ways to get access to Ban Gioc – Trung Khanh.

• Highway 3 which connects Hanoi to Thai Nguyen, Bac Kan, Cao Bang and Trung Khanh. Thanks for the recent country industrialization, the whole route has been rebuilt and widened. So the drive is pretty smooth, making it a 7 hour-drive straight possible, passing a few stunning passes along. This route also provides you a chance for an overnight visit to the legendary Ba Be Lake in Bac Kan. Of course it’s in case you do not have many traveling times to begin with.
• Highway 1A from Hanoi to Bac Giang, Lang Son and then you will turn to Highway 4A for Trung Khanh. This route can be all done in about 6 hours driving allowing you to stop and discover villages in Mau Son – best during rice harvest season
  

Means of transportation to the waterfall

As for transportation, for me, I often drive my own car and find it so convenient. But friends and clients of mine are using various means of transportation.

Motorbike

Some dynamic clients of my homestay want to hit the road with motorbikes. Most of them really enjoy this option. They can hop on and off the main road to go further in the villages once they catch some luring scenery. The only concern when taking this option is the weather. Obviously, rain or sunshine can make or ruin your day.

There is a guy called Mr. Hai in Hanoi, who runs the bike rental service. He offers Honda XR 150cc for rent at USD 15/day and Honda CRF 250 cc at USD 30/day. You can contact for further detail to Mr. Hai through his email at weridevietnam@gmail.com

Private minivan or car

This option is a thumb up for spouses, couples, families, or groups of friends wanting to be together in a comfy ride. Generally, the cost ranges from $190 – $220 (car – van) for a 2-3 days trip. All include gas, driver, and toll fees. Our partners often trust Rental Car Vietnam team to whom they always give high praises for the service.

Buses:

From My Dinh Bus Station, a few brands are going to Cao Bang on a day & night basis. However, only Khanh Hoan Bus goes straight to Trung Khanh and ends up at Ban Gioc waterfall. It departs daily from the station at 7.00 pm and arrives at the waterfall by 7.30 am the next morning. The price is accordingly $8.5 to $11 for dropping off at Cao Bang or Trung Khanh. The bus is clean, neat, wifie-equipped and air-conditioned

As the night bus company can not communicate in English very well. If you take the bus option, I suggest booking through a reliable agency. My homestay, Greendoor Ban Gioc homestay offers English support for bus booking and trip planning for free.

When is the best time to visit Ban Gioc waterfall?

The best time of the year to visit Ban Gioc and Cao Bang starts from September to December. During this time, the water is strong and full, the mountains are filled with colorful flowers while sunshine & nice breeze is all over the places. If your plan can not visit in the suggested time, January, June, July and August will be generally okay. The other months can either be drizzling season or draught time and Trung Khanh can’t be at its best

I always suggest my friends and clients travel in early October. As this is truly best, just in time for the harvest season triggering a lot of more discoveries. Don’t forget that Ban Gioc waterfall can be a bit buzzy with some big Vietnamese groups. So it’s advisable to visit Ban Gioc waterfall around noontime (roughly 11 am-1 pm) for the best tranquility you may wish.

If you have already a time to travel to the Ban Gioc in mind and are wondering what the weather in Ban Gioc is like during that time, you can check our another detail guide where we carefully break down Cao Bang weather in months.

Ban Gioc 2 days or 3 days? What else is in the neighborhood?

2 days is not enough I must say. But if you are on a tight budget and only wish to see just the waterfall, you should take the Lang Son route to save time. On the 1st day, you can drive around Trung Khanh or the Quay Son River to soak in the serene border district. The next day is for visiting the Nguom Ngao cave and Ban Gioc waterfall before a long drive home.

3 days in Ban Gioc waterfall? What will I do?

3 days will be more interesting and sufficient. Besides the waterfall, few more activities are worth trying once you are in the area:

Explore the most fabulous Nguom Ngao cave

Nguom Ngao is a pretty large limestone cave with beautiful rock formations and a variety of stalactites and stalagmites. The cave is easy to walk through in about 45 minutes and very well lit up. The entrance fee is $1.8 (equivalent to 40K) and much worth visiting. It’s not far from Ban Gioc waterfall, just about 3 km.

Experience Po Tau local market

About 13km away from the waterfall, there is a commune called Po Tau. Their interesting local market activities are taking place every five days as 1, 6, 11, 16, 21…(subject to the lunar calendar). The market time is actually in the morning, and plenty of agricultural products are on sale. Buyers and sellers are all local minorities in their traditional costumes. It’s such an excellent country market vibes that you can’t turn off.

Escape into the picturesque area Co La waterfall.

This is a very quiet corner of Trung Khanh and not familiar to many people. It’s great for a relaxing time and to fill up your mind with just beautiful landscapes. Sometimes, I take my clients there for a picnic lunch as the place is so peaceful and chill.

Visit the Truc Lam Pagoda

Truc Lam Ban Gioc pagoda is just 500m from the waterfall. The pagoda’s lookout provides an above view of the whole beautiful Ban Gioc waterfall.

Ease your mind at Ban Viet lake

Ban Viet lake is a serene and beautiful lake hidden from the main road. You can walk close to and sit down for some meditation. Otherwise, you can try a bamboo raft on the lake’s calm water amid green mountains and jungles.

Cycle around to enjoy the rural vibe

Cycle around the neighborhood, explore small dirty roads from villages to villages. This is what I like best and still usually do whenever I come back to Trung Khanh. In the late afternoon, local farmers finish a day on the fields and starting pushing their buffaloes home. It’s the best time for socializing or local interaction. Of course, there will be a load of unique findings and photo opportunities too.

Where to stay and eat in Ban Gioc – Trung Khanh?

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The best accommodations near Ban Gioc waterfall

Being in the remoted and restricted border district, Trung Khanh Cao Bang does not have many choices of great accommodation as other tourist areas. Yet I can call out a few names as below:

• Sai Gon Ban Gioc hotel: The best hotel among the very few, provides large room with comfortable beds and breakfast included in the price. Saigon Ban Gioc hotel locates very near the waterfall, making it easy to watch the waterfall at dawn and dusk.
• Lan’s homestay: The homestay is located on the bank of Quay Son river, away from the waterfall roughly 8 km. It provides both private room and dorm for individuals and group of travelers
• Green Door Ban Gioc homestay: This is the place I run in cooperation with a Tay family in Po Tau commune. It is 14 km away from Ban Gioc waterfall but the great exchange is the surrounding beautiful and peaceful village of Tay people.
  

The best restaurants near the waterfall

These accommodations all cater to food, as long as you let them know in advance to prepare well. At Greendoor, for example, our host would go to the market early in the morning and pick good fresh food to cook for the day. There are a few other restaurants around Ban Gioc areas that serve Vietnamese foods and traditional dishes as roasted ducks, roasted porks, grilled fish, sautéed sausages… Phuong Cuu and So Oanh are the names that you can try for your meal. They do have a large menu in both Vietnamese and English with decent prices.

Thoughts on the waterfall

Ban Gioc waterfall itself is worth going to once in your life. However, if you can plan for a 3-or- 4-day stay to wander around the area, you will be amazed by a series of discoveries; from local architecture, friendly farmers, the local foods, the sights to their beautiful landscapes.