VN · Cao Bang · 22.86°N 106.72°E

ban gioc waterfall

Huge tiered waterfall right on the China border, with bamboo rafts below.

Best time
June to September, when the river is full, and the rice turns gold around September. In the dry winter months the falls are much thinner and the weather is cold.
How long
2–3 days from Hanoi
Getting there
Fly from KL to Hanoi (about 3 hours 20 minutes), then about 7 hours by road via Cao Bang town. Sleeper buses and limousine vans make the trip, and many people join a 2–3 day tour from Hanoi.
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VN · Cao Bangban gioc waterfall22.86°N 106.72°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Huge tiered waterfall right on the China border, with bamboo rafts below.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingBan Gioc WaterfallVN, Cao Bang
KLban gioc waterfall
≈ 2,259 km from KL, as the crow flies
Ban Gioc Waterfalls, Vietnam - China border

Photo: Lê Minh Phát · CC BY 2.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

A wide, multi-tiered waterfall on the Quay Son River, right where Vietnam meets China. The long drive up through Cao Bang's limestone hills and rice valleys is half the reason to come.

Makan

  1. Bánh cuốn Cao BằngSilky steamed rice rolls served with a hot broth, the local breakfast.Map ↗
  2. Trùng Khánh chestnutsThe district around the falls is known for its chestnuts, roasted and sold in autumn.Map ↗
  3. Phở chuaA tangy, sour noodle salad with roast meat and peanuts, from Cao Bang and Lang Son.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Bamboo raft rideRafts take you close to the base of the falls for the spray and the full view.Map ↗
  2. Riverside viewpointsWalk the paths along the river for photos of the whole width of the falls.Map ↗
  3. Nguom Ngao CaveA big limestone cave a few kilometres away, with lit walkways past stalactites.Map ↗
  4. Truc Lam Ban Gioc PagodaA hillside pagoda looking over the falls and the border valley.Map ↗
  5. Pac BoThe cave north of Cao Bang town where Ho Chi Minh hid after returning to Vietnam in 1941.Map ↗

Good to know

  • The falls sit right on the China border. Stay in the Vietnamese viewing area, don't go past the border markers, and keep your passport with you.
  • Mountain roads are long and winding. Bring motion-sickness pills.
  • Halal food is very hard to find up here, so pack snacks.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.