Visit Dong Hoi – Hidden Gem of Central Vietnam

Hidden Gem this and hidden gem that, the description feels like it’s being thrown around for any place that didn’t make it into the big three cities of any given country. However, I think that Dong Hoi deserves this moniker. Especially since other blog posts I found before I went there all told me it’s not worth a visit. But what makes Dong Hoi a hidden gem? And should you visit Dong Hoi?

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Overview of my visit to Dong Hoi

• What is a “hidden gem” anyway?
• Where to stay in Dong Hoi
• What to do in Dong Hoi
• Where to eat in Dong Hoi

What is a „hidden gem“ anyway?

I myself once gave this title to Ninh Binh in northern Vietnam. And back in the day it was! Serene nature being shown off by enterprising locals, a temple landmark that towered over rice fields and marches, monks who handed out fruit to respectful visitors of their monasteries and families who cooked a set menu for small groups. The odd bigger tour group could be seen cycling by, but most stuck to the same paths.

However – that was seven years ago at this point. In the meantime we had a pandemic, closed borders and following that many efforts to increase tourism.

Today Ninh Binh is not the quiet village it used to be. Now it has grown into a bustling small city. Night markets, restaurants, hotels, a new boardwalk with many pretty lights at night – it has everything most tourists look for when they think „Vietnam“. Not that that is bad, but it certainly is different.

So, is Dong Hoi a small village?
No. But it feels different.

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Dong Hoi facts

Dong Hoi has highway access, a train station, a bus station and even a small domestic airport.

It also has a whopping 12km coastline with several sand beaches.

And it is the closest city (about an hour by car) to Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park, a designated UNESCO’s World Natural Heritage Site – which contains the biggest cave in the world.

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Where to stay in Dong Hoi

I stayed at the Rosa Lie Quảng Bình Hotel (on Agoda* / on Booking*) in a Standard King Room and I would stay there again. The room was clean, the bathroom was new and had a great shower and the bed was comfortable, not too hard or too soft. The location is okay, but since you will probably get a Grab to go everywhere anyway it doesn’t matter much.

Across the street is a great café and just around the corner of the hotel and down two streets is a delicious and clean Bánh cuốn (savoury rice crepe) restaurant I have written about below.

The staff and the family who owns the hotel are super nice and help you book tours and transport for better prices than you could get yourself, without ever pushing something on you.

What to do when visiting Dong Hoi

Bảo Tàng Quảng Trị

Dong Hoi is the former capital of the Quảng Bình province, which was merged into the Quảng Trị province in 2025. The Bảo Tàng Quảng Trị thus became a museum about the new province instead. It is located inside a big building that looks a little like a castle from the outside, even the heavy wooden main door adds to this vibe. The museum covers flora and fauna as well as the history of the province, from prehistorical times, over Champa territory, Chinese occupation, the Lý and Lê dynasties, French colonial occupation where it became part of Annam and eventually the split of Vietnam into North and South, where Quảng Trị became the northernmost part of South Vietnam. The demilitarised zone was also located inside the province.

A large part of the museum focuses on the US Vietnam war and its effects on the region, which can still be felt today. The newest part of the museum covers recent history, from the reunification of Vietnam until the present day, with a focus on the provinces main economic factors: fishery, agriculture and most recently tourism.

Tượng đài Bác Hồ với nhân dân Quảng Bình

Inaugurated in 2020 the monument Tượng đài Bác Hồ với nhân dân Quảng Bình = President Ho Chi Minh with Quang Binh people is located in the centre of Dong Hoi city, across from the Museum of the province. It shows the late first president of united Vietnam, surrounded by six people. These people represent local youth, workers, agriculture and fisheries sectors, armed forces and ethnic minorities. The closer you get the more imposing it looks.

Tours to the caves of Phong Nha National Park

DMZ Tour – Vinh Moc & Khe Sanh Base

As I mentioned in the text about the museum Dong Hoi is not far from the DMZ that ran through Quang Tri province during the US-Vietnam war. In a tour from Dong Hoi you can see the 17th Parallel, the line that once divided the country, the Vinh Moc Tunnels where people lived underground during wartime, Quang Tri Citadel where in 1972 a battle of 81 days took place and Khe Sanh Air Base, a former U.S. stronghold in Khe Sanh where you can walk between old decommissioned airplanes and tanks and see them up close.

Where to eat in Dong Hoi

While tourism is a growing economic factor, it is far from well developed in Dong Hoi, which is part of the charm of this Central Vietnamese small town. Food options are more limited than in more popular tourist destinations, so here are my recommendations:

Co.opmart Quảng Bình

The Co.opmart Quảng Bình is quite big and has everything you could possibly need. Not only did I buy some chips here, some fruits, nuts, candied ginger, tea, insect spray and a 5 litre bottle of water, but also packing tape, a pair of scissors and a new pen.

Bi.Lab Coffee

Bi.Lab Coffee is right across the street from Rosa Lie Hotel and became my go to before a tour or to enjoy a hot drink in the colder evenings.

Bánh Mì Heo Quay Dì Lài

The first time I tried to buy a Banh Mi here they were closed, but the second time I got a delicious crispy pork Banh Mi for 20k VND at Bánh Mì Heo Quay Dì Lài.

Cơm Bao Cấp Quảng Bình

Inspired by the food rations after the end of the US-Vietnam war Cơm Bao Cấp Quảng Bình serves rice with bits of potato inside with a meal. I opted for stir fried morning glory and the portion would have been enough for two people!

HihiHehe Minimart24h

HihiHehe Minimart24h was my first stop after I got to Dong Hoi and I bought an Onigiri and a Mango Ice Cream on a stick. What else can I say, it’s a mini mart and far from the worst one I have shopped at.

Bánh cuốn gia truyền Ngọc Nguyên

My favourite meal in Dong Hoi was at Bánh cuốn gia truyền Ngọc Nguyên. As the name suggests they serve Banh Cuon, a savoury rice crepe, stuffed with woodear mushroom and pork, served with Vietnamese loaf sausage, crunchy pork rind and super crispy fried shallots. And of course with a basket full or greens: herbs and salad, which are dry!

Vinamilk

Vinamilk stores belong to the same brand that produces the milk and has since grown to produce ice cream, milk drinks and plant based milk drinks as well. The stores unmissable blue fronts and glowing interor invite to take a look, if only because it is the first kind of this store you might have come across. I tried their ice creams, which you can buy separately and my favourites were Taro Coconut and Golden Pearl Cheese.

Egao Bakery Coffee & Tea

One morning I had breakfast at Egao Bakery Coffee & Tea, a café known for their anime interior, colourful walls and apparently their white coffee. So I went with a white coffee and paired it with a simple butter croissant.

Mô Coffee and Tea

A more stylish café is Mô Coffee and Tea. The interior is in a retro leather and dark wood style, paired with a lot of pottery and unfinished walls. They have more experimental coffee creations. Sometimes experiments go wrong. While the peanut coffee sounded good in theory and looks nice the peanut tasted stale and I have idea if that is due to the pairing with coffee or if it had gone off in the tropical climate.

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