Dong Thieu Duong Cave

This seems to be the only real activity on tap. We didn't have time to visit on our most recent trip, but you can check out photos of the cave at the Tay Bac hotel, and it looks to be a good one.

There are some particularly striking natural formations on display (with the help of coloured lighting, of course) each named for what it looks like: They won't hard-sell you on the trip if you're an independent traveller (the real money is in group tours) but they'll hook you up with a motorcycle taxi driver who will take you to the cave, or you can just hire one off the street — they all know where it is.

To get here, head out of town towards Phong To and turn left along the road to Sinh Ho. Seven kilometres up, you'll find a small shack on the right selling tickets. There's a steep path across the road where you'll start the 1 km walk through the forest to the cave — takes about an hour.

The Tay Bac can help arrange transport by car or motorbike.

Here are some of the formations and their translations:
Am Duong: Yin and Yang
Chay Coi: Mortar and pestle
Cu Meo: a type of owl
Nhu Hoa: Stalagmite Flower
Ong Voi: old man elephant
Su Tu: lion
Thap Ngoc: Gem Tower
Trong Da: Stone Drum