Cao Bang - the northern border land of Vietnam is favored by nature with extremely attractive beauty with majestic mountains and forests. Not only that, Cao Bang also attracts visitors by it's historical landmarks. That makes Cao Bang one of the first choices by travelers. However, if you are traveling to Cao Bang for the first time, you may be confused about what to do and how to start. In this article I will share with you some information so that you can plan a trip to Cao Bang yourself.

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1. Time to visit Cao Bang
In Cao Bang, each season has its own beauty. If you have never been here, no matter what season you travel, Cao Bang will bring you new and very special feelings. However, according to veteran travelers Cao Bang is most attractive at two times of the year. For those who want to visit Ban Gioc waterfall with it's beautiful blue water, they will choose the time from August to September every year. November to December is when Cao Bang overwhelmed with Tam Giac Mach and Da Quy blossoms all over the place.

The hot summer sun can make your trip somewhat tiring. However, traveling to Cao Bang in summer is not any less interesting. You can hide from the sun in the vast mountains, sit in the wind and listen to the song of the streams and watch the fish jump. Moreover, summer is also the season of plums throughout the mountains and forests of Cao Bang. You will freely enjoy wild plums and summer fruits in this border region.

2. How to get there
To travel to Cao Bang from Hanoi, there are only two modes of transport, which are cars and motorbikes. If traveling to Cao Bang by bus, you just need to go to My Dinh bus station to catch a high-quality bus. You can choose Thanh Ly bus, phone: 0916121888 – 0912237252 or Mai Luy bus station, phone: 0915 377 272. The bus usually leaves the station in the evening, fare about 180,000 VND/person. You should contact the bus operator in advance to book tickets in advance, make your trip easier to organize.

Young people travel Cao Bang by motorbike, you can choose the highway from Hanoi to Thai Nguyen, Bac Kan and then go to Highway 3 to enter the center of Cao Bang. This is a pretty nice road. However, if you don't have an experienced companion, you should not risk choosing to travel to Cao Bang by motorbike because this road runsthrough quite dangerous passes and many big trucks.

Arriving in Cao Bang, you can choose to take a bus or rent a motorbike to explore this majestic mountainous land. For motorbikes, you can contact to rent them right at your hotel. From my own experience, motorbike is the best mde for you to visit all places in Cao Bang.

3. Sleeping in Cao Bang
Although it is a remote mountainous province in the North, Cao Bang also has many hotels and motels. Most of the hotels are located in the center of Cao Bang town. Room rates here are not too expensive. Traveling to Cao Bang, you can choose to stay at Bang Giang Hotel, add 1 Kim Dong street; Hoang Anh Hotel, add 131 Kim Dong street, Anh Duong hotel...My choice is Thanh Loan hotel for its location close to market and friendly staff. However I recommend that you book a room before you come as sometimes the hotels are full at weekend.


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4. Ethnic culture in Cao Bang
Cao Bang is a land of many ethnic groups, but the majority are Tay people (about 42%), Nung people (35%), the rest are Dao, H'Mong, Kinh... Therefore, traveling to Cao Bang You will have the opportunity to get acquainted and learn more about the unique traditional cultural heritage of the Tay and Nung people here. The Tay people have a very unique culture, which is reflected in the traditional songs and dances. The Nung ethnic group living together with the Tay also has its own cultural characteristics. The Nung people often dance with fans, towels and umbrellas.

Furthermore you should understand the customs and habits of the ethnic people so as not to behave properly. For example, if you see a house with a green leaf on a stick, it is a sign not to let strangers in, or when entering the house, you should not touch the objects of worship in the house; should not turn your back to any sacred place…

Ethnic people in Cao Bang are very hospitable and open minded. They are also very enthusiastic when you ask them for help. To show their hospitality, they often offer alcohol, once you are visiting their homes, even if you don't know how to drink, you should also sip a little to make the host happy.

5. Schedule for a 2 day trip to Cao Bang
With a 2-day tour to Cao Bang, you can almost go to all the main attractions here if you know how to arrange the itinerary properly.

In the first day of the tour, you should spend on Ban Gioc waterfall - Nguom Ngao cave - Thang Hen lake. From the town to Ban Gioc waterfall about 90km via magnificent Ma Phuc pass, so you need to start in the morning, near noon will arrive. You should bring snacks such as fruit, bread, cold meat to have a picnic lunch at the foot of the waterfall. Entrance fee to Ban Gioc waterfall is 20,000 VND/person. You will take time to visit, take photos and take a boat trip to the foot of the waterfall, then choose a seat for lunch.

From May to July Ban Gioc waterfall does not have much water, but it is still very beautiful, then leave the waterfall to explore Nguom Ngao cave, about 3km away. It will take you about 1 hour to see and discover the beautiful stalactites in this border treasure.

In the late afternoon you leave the cave and return to the Cao Bang town, on the way back stop at Thang Hen lake eco-tourism area in Tra Linh district. Here, take a boat tour on the lake, watching the sunset in one of the 36 most beautiful mountain lakes in Vietnam.



The second day of your trip to Cao Bang, you will spend the morning visiting the special relic area of Pac Bo cave, about 50km from Cao Bang town. In Pac Bo, you will admire the scenery of Lenin stream, the green Carl Marx mountain; visit Coc Bo cave where Ho Chi Minh lived in the early days of the Vietnam revolution, visit his fish pond, working place. Don't miss the milestone 108 - where Ho took his first step back to the country after 30 years away from homeland.

The rest of this second day, take your time to enjoy delicious food in Cao Bang, explore the highland town and buy some souvenirs before returning home.

6. Special food in Cao Bang
Cuisine in Cao Bang has a strong flavor and bold identity of Tay and Nung ethnic groups in the mountain region. The dishes that you should not miss when traveling to Cao Bang includes Banh Trung Kien (ant egg cakes), dishes made from bee honey, roasted duck, sausages...

Hot spring rolls with bone broth and sour Pho (noodle) are also quite unique dishes of this land. Banh cuon (Minced pork wrapped in rice paper) in Cao Bang is chewy and fragrant, served with bone broth with the scent of bamboo shoots and chili soaked with honey and cardamom, sour Pho has many spices mixed in the noodle and it's quite special.

Especially, traveling to Cao Bang, you can not ignore the dishes made from forest vegetables such as mussel vegetables, rock moss, forest banana vegetables, ban flowers...The dishes have the flavor of the mountains, sweet and sour, this feeling will make you remember forever.

7. Souvenirs and gifts
Traveling to Cao Bang, there are many local specialties you can buy as gifts for families and friends.

The first thing to mention is the Trung Khanh chestnut. The chestnuts in Trung Khanh are fat and firm, sweet and very attractive. Chestnuts are sold throughout Cao Bang market and the price is only about 60,000 VND/kg. You can buy raw or pre-roasted to take home, the roasted chestnuts can be kept in regrigerator for 4-5 days.

Cao Bang sausage is not greasy and has a characteristic aroma, so it is always on the list of must-buy souvenirs for tourists. In addition, Khao cake is also a great gift from Cao Bang when you bring it to the elderly.

8. General notes
Traveling to Cao Bang, you should bring all identity cards, driver's license and must drive very carefully because most of the roads are quite zigzag and steep.

Traveling to Cao Bang in the summer is quite hot, you need to prepare yourself fully with sunscreen, coat to cover your body and arms, wear light and airy clothes. You should also prepare some medicine to prevent colds caused by weather changes.

Make sure everything is carefully prepared, because the more you prepare, the more perfect your tour will be with many unforgettable memories...

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