Besides the incredible landscape of Halong Bay, the caves here contribute to creating more activities and tourist destinations.
Vietnamdrive selects the top seven beautiful caves in Halong to introduce you to explore while spending your time on this bay.
1. Sung Sot Cave
Sung Sot Cave (Surprised Cave) is located on Bo Hon Island, in the central area of the World Heritage Site of Ha Long (Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam). This is one of the most beautiful caves in Ha Long Bay, surrounded by many rocky islands with unique shapes that cannot be found anywhere else.
The way to Sung Sot cave is under the forest canopy and craggy stone steps. From the pier, climb about 50 steep stone steps and then go down to the cave entrance with a height of about 25 m.
Sung Sot Cave is about 10,000 m2 wide with thousands of stalagmites and stalactites. In the cave, there is a system of paved paths along the way from the entrance to the exit with a length of more than 500 m.
On both sides of the aisle are low light poles, both a signpost to indicate the way, as well as decoration and lighting. The lighting system is elegantly decorated, the soft light enhances the beauty of the cave.
In 1993, Sung Sot cave welcomed the first tourists. The beautiful stalactite columns attract plenty of tourists. On the way to Sung Sot cave, you can see a corner of Ha Long Bay from above.
Today, Sung Sot Cave is a favorite stopover for many domestic and international tourists to visit and explore the cave during the holidays in Halong Bay.
If you want to discover this cave, you can book a daily tour starting for the pier of Ha Long Bay with a 6-hour cruise, or overnight tours on the bay with a 2-day or 3-day itinerary.
>> Please see more details how to visit Sung Sot Cave.
2. Dau Go Cave
Dau Go Cave (Wood Cave) is one of the most beautiful and famous caves in Vietnam, located on Dau Go Island in Ha Long Bay, about 6 km from Bai Chay tourist port.
The entire cave area is about 5,000 m2, the mouth of the cave is 17 m wide and 12 m high. Dau Go Cave is situated at an altitude of 27 m above sea level, estimated to be more than 2 million years old.
Famous not only for being an ancient cave more than 2 million years old, but Dau Go cave is also known for its wild and mysterious beauty with lots of soaring stone pillars, and small stalagmites with many different shapes.
The central part of the cave has an arch style like the natural dome of the theater. This is suitable so that the pure sound that can spread and reverberate. That is one of the reasons in recent years, on the occasion of the Ha Long Tourism Festival, people hold concerts in the Dau Go cave, creating a very poetic and monumental scene.
The stage will be built of wood for the orchestra and the space in the cave will be enough for about 200 spectators. It can be said that Vietnam has one of the most unique concert halls in the world, which is Dau Go Cave. The cave has a natural sound structure, enough to replace a concert hall without the support of an amplification system.
To visit the Dau Go cave, you can join a 4-hour tour if you stay at hotels in Ha Long city. Many luxury cruise ships organize 2 days 1 night or 3 days 2 nights tour of the bay including a visit to Dau Go cave, which is very convenient to do.
3. Hang Trong and Hang Trinh Nu
Hang Trong and Hang Trinh Nu (Male Cave and Virgin Cave) in the bay are two familiar names to domestic and international tourists when traveling to Ha Long. Located on Bo Hon island range, 15km south of Bai Chay. This place attracts tourists with its strange beauty, along with the legendary love story of a romantic couple.
>>> See more the interesting legends of Halong Bay.
Male cave and Virgin cave come together on Ha Long Bay. Coming here, you will see the scenery of attractive stalactite caves formed tens of millions of years ago with enchanting and majestic beauty.
These two caves face each other, about 700-800m apart. However, the positions of the cave entrances of the two caves turn in two different directions.
Entering the virgin cave, right in the center is a stone statue of a girl, lying down with long hair. It’s like the image of a girl waiting to look out into the distance. Therefore, this place becomes a symbol of eternal love, a place to promise and swear love.
Located opposite the virgin cave, the male cave (or boy cave) has a wide entrance. In particular, right in front of the cave is a stone statue like a boy facing the virgin cave. This cave is endowed by nature with incredible beauty. Inside the cave, on the ceiling are clusters of silver-white stalactites hanging down.
Coming to the male cave, you will see the cave charm through the light from outside. Listen and feel the special sounds of the wind blowing into the rocks, bouncing back to the cave walls. All are like the music from the interesting drum sound.
4. Luon Cave
Luon Cave is in the Bo Hon mountain area on Ha Long Bay, about 15 km northeast of Tuan Chau International Port (Ha Long City, Quang Ninh).
It’s called Luon cave because Luon means going under it. Also, the cave is close to the water’s surface, creating an area like a tunnel about 60 m long, 3-4 m high. So, when visiting the cave, the guests have to go under it.
According to Ha Long Bay Management Board, in the Luon cave area, there are about 50 wild golden monkeys living on rocky mountains.
To help tourists visit Luon cave, the Management Board sets up a service station with 50 bamboo boats and 100 kayaks. On crowded days, the Luon cave service station welcomes about 5,000 visitors.
In particular, when visiting the cave on high tide days, you have to stoop on a bamboo boat going through the cave to enter the lake.
After putting on a life jacket to get off the small boat, many foreign tourists like to enjoy the journey to discover Luon cave.
Passing through the cave, a fairy scene opens up in front of you. It is a large lake surrounded by rocky mountains. On the cliff is a group of golden monkeys playing, there are a few monkeys that are friendly with tourists. But be careful with your camera and carry-on bags so that they don’t take them away.
Luon Cave is a place located on the tourist route that most of the cruises in Ha Long usually stop to explore. However, when booking a 2-day or 3-day tour on the bay, you should also ask the agent to make sure the program covers Luon cave.
5. Thien Cung Cave
Located in the north of Dau Go Island, about 4 km from Tuan Chau International Cruise Port, discovered in 1993, Thien Cung Cave (Heaven Cave) has a system of bright, shimmering, fanciful white stalactites like a magnificent palace of heaven.
After overcoming the craggy cliffs, entering the cave entrance, you will be surprised by the beautiful scenery like an elaborate art museum, created by nature.
Colorful clusters of stalactites, blocks with all kinds of interesting shapes on the cave wall such as fairies dancing and singing, streams of light interspersed with clear four-season water. All create a splendid scene for this unique cave.
In addition to the light of artificial lights, the cave also has natural light streams from above due to open rock positions as skylights, creating beautiful golden light beams, along with the murmuring sound of the streams flowing from the mountain that is very pleasing to the eyes and ears.
Thien Cung Cave is divided into 3 distinct compartments: The first compartment is distinguished by the beauty of natural embossed carvings on the rock surface like massive landscape paintings, but equally soft and delicate; The second part has four large stone pillars and stalactites simulating all shapes of creatures that are highlighted under layers of shimmering lights; The third part looks like a fairyland when there are skylike coming, sparkling stalactites and a murmuring stream.
Thien Cung cave and Dau Go cave are located on Dau Go island, so after finishing visiting Thien Cung cave, do not miss exploring Dau Go cave right next to each other.
It is recommended to visit these caves with the Ha Long tour to have a full guide and detailed schedule, to avoid unnecessary problems. When entering the cave, you can bring some water to prevent thirst, and use mosquito repellent.
6. Tam Cung Cave
Tam Cung Cave is located in the center of Ha Long Bay, 5km northeast of Sung Sot Cave. The cave has 3 compartments, wriggling through each rock crevice, and many stalactites with beautiful and vivid figures of people, flowers, and animals.
Tam Cung Cave belongs to May Den Island, an island with steep cliffs, lush forests, and is almost separate from other islands. So, coming to this cave, you have to use a boat or a canoe, which should be ranged by a travel agent.
In the three parts of Tam Cung cave, stalactites create various natural shapes like the fairy, a lion, a seal, and a statue of a water god.
Entering the first part, you can listen to strange sounds like the sound of a T’rung or a holy stone instrument. And then, you will suddenly meet a god statue who was leaning on a climbing stick, his white beard fluttering in the wind.
From the first to the second area through a small way, bumpy steps, this place is like a living natural museum, with many shapes made of stalactite.
Typically, in the center of the second section is a dreamy stream with fresh water all year round. On both sides of the cave are stone curtains hanging from the ceiling, all seem to be shaking and moving with your steps.
Coming to the inner part, you will see a monumental relief on which carved strange but very elaborate shapes, layers by layers in a balanced a harmonious way. Also, other shapes look like beautiful flowers and beautiful bamboo sticks, which decorate more on natural stone curtains. Or you can find gentle elephants sleeping.
7. Bo Nau Cave
Bo Nau Cave, also called Pelican Cave in English, is a tourist attraction in Ha Long Bay’s Sightseeing Route 2, about 13km from Tuan Chau port, equivalent to 1 hour and 30 minutes by boat.
According to local fishermen, the cave used to be a place to avoid the cold of the Pelicans (Bồ Nông in Vietnamese) flying from the North, so people often call it Bo Nong cave, then read it as Bo Nau.
The cave has a relatively large area, divided into two compartments of about 1,000 m2, wider than Hang Trong around 300m2, but this cave is still very pristine because it has not been renovated and has been exploited a lot.
The area at the mouth of the cave is a short sandy beach that can only be accessed by kayak or small boat, and cannot be accessed by large ships. Also, it is a very wild place, has not been renovated, so it is not convenient for tourists to visit, most cruise ships do not lead guests to this place unless a few overnight cruises.
Stepping into the cave, very soon you will see a stone column forming by stalactites hanging down from the cave ceiling down to the ground, making an extremely majestic scene. It is as if the whole cave is supported and maintained by this stone column for thousands of years.
Bo Nau cave has been one of the earliest well-known caves on Ha Long Bay since the 1950s. You can get a beautiful photo that covers the scene of Bo Nau cave entrance and stalactites falling down, in the distance are undulating mountains on the sea surface and the image of sails.
While visiting Halong Bay, you may not miss the attractive caves. Most of the luxury cruise journeys during 2-days 1-night or 3-days 2-nights itinerary includes one or more these caves. You should book one of the cruises to explore the bay and cave.
It’s better to book the service and travel with a travel company to get safe if you have the intention to visit the cave and spend overnight on the bay. Not good to organize the trip directly by yourself.
If you already stay in the hotel or resort in Halong City, a half-day tour or a full-day tour can be available at the hotel or the cruise port. You need to check carefully to ensure the cave that you like to visit is included in the ticket route.