Far from the beaten track of the Vietnamese coastline lies a hamlet by the name of Hoa Son, so small it is barely recognised beyond itself. The local bus from Hue drops you on the corner of a dusty crossroad, with just a small wooden arrow leading you through what feels like the 14th century. Stumbling along with your backpack, you'll be greeted by a huge, French colonial edifice overlooking some of the most stunning scenery you're likely to witness in Vietnam. Welcome to Phong-Nha Farmstay.

We were met by Ben, a laid-back Aussie dude whose work here is the pioneer operation of the entire region.He introduced us to his wonderful wife Bich and their beautiful family, as well as many of the locals who he employs.Having been given a whirlwind tour of the facilities we plumped for the $8 a night bunks in his newly constructed dorm room, fitted with numerous fans, mozzie nets, and a balcony view purpose-built to take your breath away. The place even boasts a fantastic swimming pool in the yard, complete with volleyball net and waterfall, and the open-plan central hub is fully-equipped with pool table, bar, cable TV, shallow couches, dining tables, and a constant buzz of fortuitous travellers. Outside there are hammocks and more stunning views - with the jagged mountain background framing rice paddies and corn fields that yield at the doorstep.

Incredibly enough, the farm stay was simply to be our resting point. The main attraction laid 10km east towards Laos - Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.Yet another of Vietnam's UNESCO-stamped havens, the 858 km2 area boasts a staggering array of natural diversity as well as some truly remarkable feats of Mother Nature.Within the boundaries (92% of which remains blanketed in tropical forestry) lay the world's longest underground river system, 400 million year old karst formations and the World's largest cave, Son Doong.Brilliantly enough, the cave was discovered way back in 1991 by a local huntsman who subsequently forgot where it was until finally managing to retrace his steps 18 years later.Unfortunately, due to its nigh-on impossible navigation - not to mention the challenges faced with minority folk that still patrol the region - it will be a long, long time before anyone but the cave nerds step foot inside.Fortunately for those adventurous enough to head out to these parts, there is still plenty to tuck in to.

Unfortunately, we had only heard about this place at very short notice and were only able to stay one day. Luckily for us, it was the best day of our stay in Vietnam. We rose at stupid o'clock (4.30am..), hopped on the back of a motorbike, and bumped our way through the corn fields to take part in a once a year experience - the harvest. Before the sun had even begun to rise, we were in the thick of it. Surrounded by water buffalo and confused farm workers, we set to work on helping a 70 year old man to harvest his corn crop, detasseling every last cob in sight. I am certain we made his prayers to Buddha come true that morning. It was such a fantastic experience to get amongst it all and really make a difference, to give a helping hand to the people of a country that had been through hell and back.This man had fought from the frontline all the way south to the Fall of Saigon, and the end of the Vietnam War. We soon learnt that once the kernels were removed and prepared for sale, he would collect just 10,000VND per 10kg of stock - the equivalent of around 50c.It is sickening to see just how hard those who were prepared to give their life for their country still have to scrape by each year to survive.

Having returned back to scrub away the ever-increasing corn rash, it was time for the main event.We had booked the Motorcycle Explorer Tour but with so many of us going, it was decided it would be best to head out in the minivan. I was admittedly a little disappointed at first but in hindsight, it was probably even better than doing it on two wheels. From the comfort of the van we were able to throw whatever questions we wanted at our tour guide Dave, with which he would undoubtedly reply to us in the most satisfying manner - educated but relaxed, thought-provoking but hilarious. Having been on many sterile tours, Dave was an absolute breath of fresh air. This man deserves a knighthood for services towards hilarity.

We were taken along HWY 20 and the Ho Chi Minh Trail, stopping off at regular intervals to take in the stunning scenery and learn a little bit more about the quite undeniably brutal history of this region. For all the natural ambience that engulfs the area today, it was all rather different forty-odd years ago.The Phong-Nha region was thoroughly and savagely bombarded by American artillery in an attempt to cut off the Ho Chi Minh Trail, North Vietnam's aorta of military and personnel supplies to the advances being made by the Viet Cong down South.However, the harder the Americans came, the harder the Vietnamese fought and rebuilt - recycling anything that didn't kill them.We stopped at a crossroad for some fantastic panoramic photography of the rich surroundings, only to be told the area was previously known as the River of Blood and Diesel - needless to explain why.Dave also explained to us that Bich's mother had served as a medic and had fought predominantly along this stretch.She was sent to battle with a medi-pack on one shoulder, anti-aircraft machinery on the other, and rations of ammunition and rice to survive barely a fortnight. Expectations weren't high.If she managed to survive longer, her only option was to remove any leftovers from her fallen comrades and push on.As most of the warfare raged during daylight, any movement was limited to nightfall.As the sun began to set, a compass reading would be dished out and machete-armed forces would move as the crow flies - irrelevant of what stood in their path, be it mountain, river, or jungle.Once the war had ended, it took Bich's mother two years to walk back to her village, our home for the night.She is still there today, aiding ailing backpackers with natural medication to nurse the inevitable motorbike injuries - just don't expect too much sympathy.

We also paid visit to Eight Lady Cave, a national pilgrimage site for the Vietnamese, sneaking dangerously close to the Laos border and the wrath of the Army.Here was the sight of yet another Viet War tragedy.Eight female volunteers were killed here having rushed to safety from heavy bombing, only to become trapped by a 1tonne fallen rock and incarcerated in their own tomb.Despite communication with the outside, there was nothing that could be done.After several days, the desperate pleas vanished.We made offerings to Buddha and appeased the spirits, before heading off to the very impressive Thien Doung (Paradise) Cave, the largest dry cave in SE Asia.

After one hell of a mighty climb up the footpath to the entrance, we descended in to the vast cavernous wharf.Huge stalagmites & -tites were illuminated spectacularly by the professional lighting strategically dotted around and even the procession of Asian camera-lovers did little to knock the awe that struck me.We followed our way round the 1.1km path, genuinely not knowing where to look.Every single angle, every single focus brought new, fascinating aspects of the cave to life.Wondrous stuff.Even more pleasing was despite being a hotspot for locals, we were still the only Westerners in sight - a genuine achievement for travel in Vietnam.

Finally it was off for a quick wander along the Nouc Moc Eco Trail and a swim in just the most majestic of rivers, skirted with jaw-dropping panoramic scenery.As we arrived it began to pummel down with rain, bringing an air of lung-filling freshness to what had been a scorching day.Whilst most spent their time rock-jumping in to the crisp waters, I was content to sit back and sink a cold one on the rocks.Absolutely magical.

In the evening, the place is a tranquil paradise. Irrelevant of if you have been there one hour or one month, you are made to feel well and truly a part of it all. I have been travelling for nearly three years now and the backpackers here were without doubt the friendliest I have come across... a combination of the desire to explore and the level of satisfaction the farm stay gives you, I am sure.We spent our last night boozing away under the stars with our new found friends, all of which nursing their own wounds and reliving personal tales of travel and the life they had left behind.We were amongst the last four awake, accompanied by two others who were also taking the 5.30am bus the next morning, neither of us wanting our own experience to end - a true testament to the wonder of Phong-Nha.

Fortunately for Ben and his family, he is at the forefront of what will absolutely, undeniably boom in the next few years. As more and more of the national park is uncovered and discovered, and word of mouth spreads, this barely untouched area of Vietnam will soon become the number one destination for those with a bit of bite to their travels.Chloe and I feel so privileged to have been given the opportunity to discover something a little less travelled, and I am in no doubt that we'll be back, and for much longer.