With special terrain, many limestone mountains were created by nature thousands of years ago, contributing excellent conditions for the formation of caves.
Hundreds of large and small caves in Vietnam have diverse shapes and colors, forming great tourism value for many tourists who like to explore nature.
In this article, Vietnamdrive selects and introduces to you the most prominent caves in these rich cave systems.
7. Nguom Ngao Cave in Cao Bang
Nguom Ngao Cave is situated in Gun village, Dam Thuy commune, Trung Khanh district, Cao Bang province; 330km from Hanoi City, and about 4km from Ban Gioc waterfall – one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Vietnam.
The cave has a length of nearly 3,000 meters but has been put into operation for tourism only recently with 1,000 meters. Its beauty is still relatively pristine with plenty of ancient stalactites and stalagmites formed thousands of years ago. Prominent are the upside-down lotus-shaped stalactite and lonely stone pillar, reminiscent of the practice of a monk transformed.
Because Nguom Ngao cave is quite far from Hanoi, renting a car from Hanoi to this place is very expensive. Therefore, we recommend that you combine visiting other attractions such as Ban Gioc waterfall and spending enough time on the trip to learn about the indigenous culture.
The best time to visit the Nguom Ngao cave is in the dry season from April to October every year. Then, the road is better for long-distance transportation from other places to Cao Bang, and traveling in the cave is more convenient.
6. Huong Tich Cave in Hanoi
About 70km from the center of Hanoi to the southwest, Huong Tich cave belongs to a large complex of Perfume Pagoda relics, in Huong So commune, My Duc district, Hanoi.
The beauty of Huong Tich cave lies in the magnificence of stalactites with lots of different shapes. Besides, the attraction of the cave is the very sacred Perfume Pagoda inside it. Every year, thousands of people come to visit and pray.
If you go on the occasion of the Perfume Pagoda Festival or Sunday, the area of the temple, as well as Huong Tich Cave, is crowded with tourists. So when you want to visit or take pictures with a few visitors in the cave, you need to avoid traveling during those times.
To go to Huong Tich cave, you can climb the mountain with many steps, or use the cable car. We recommend that you at least walk one way, it is good on the way down to fully explore the beauty of this popular tourist area.
5. Surprise Cave in Ninh Binh
Surprise Cave, called Sung Sot in Vietnamese, is located on an island in the charming Ha Long Bay of Quang Ninh Province. This is one of the top outstanding Vietnam caves that you cannot ignore when you take a cruise to explore the bay.
Although the entrance of the cave is not very wide, Sung Sot cave will lead you from gentle excitement to surprise. A small room outside with shimmering electric light, and if you go to the second room is as large as a hall that can accommodate up to a thousand people. Both areas are charming with stalactites of various shapes, which will make you more imaginative.
To visit Sung Sot cave, you must use a boat in groups or hire a private one with a bit high price. Therefore, most guests often go in groups and stay at least one night on the bay because most large yachts include this attraction as well as other famous caves in Halong in their program.
However, to make sure you can explore this beautiful cave, you can ask a travel consultant before booking a cruise.
4. Thach Dong in Ha Tien
Located near the border of Vietnam and Cambodia, on a large field, and near the highway, Thach Dong cave belongs to Ha Tien city, Kien Giang Province – one of the southernmost provinces of Vietnam.
Thach Dong is on a mountain about 50 meters high. Considering the beauty of stalactites, this cave is nothing remarkable; however, the legend associated with the cave about Thach Sach killing an eagle to save the princess and King Thuy Te’s son adds spiritual color to this attraction. Besides, the small temples built scattered along its entrance and ways contribute to its beauty.
When visiting Thach Dong, you notice the cave doors where you can enjoy the beautiful view of the rice fields and can see the mountains of Cambodia. And not to be missed the deep underground well and natural stone pagoda bells created from stalactites. But pay attention to the place of this stone bell, it has a lot of bats living. If you are allergic to bats’ smell, you need to note this point.
Discovering Thach Dong is also a time to challenge the imagination of shapes created based on the legend of Thach Sanh – Ly Thong, a famous legend in Vietnam. Its stories and imagination are the most remarkable feature of this cave in a remote place.
3. Huyen Khong Cave in Da Nang
Huyen Khong Cave is on the top of the Marble Mountains in the beautiful city of Da Nang. The cave is small, but has its own charm and is also a sacred place of worship for many locals and tourists.
In Huyen Khong cave, there is a large Buddha statue on the cliff, opposite the entrance, a small temple on the right and there are a few other small statues scattered around. The remarkable point is that every time you enter the cave, you will see a contemplative look, and the scent of smoke, which creates a very sacred feeling, like leading you into the holy realm, the place of Buddha.
If you go on a sunny day, the rays of light passing through the skylight on the dome look like a shimmering picture. You will definitely be surprised by this enchanting scene.
To visit Huyen Khong cave, you need to climb more than 100 high-level steps to reach the top of Thuy Son mount in one of the five mounts of the Marble Mountains. And of course, on this mountain, there are a few small caves and temples for you to explore.
2. Son Doong Cave in Quang Binh
When it comes to the cave system in Vietnam, Son Doong cave in Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park in Quang Binh province usually cannot be missed.
This largest cave in the world has incredible beauty and charm. The system of extremely fancy stalactites, underground rivers, and beautiful sandy banks create an intense attraction. The most notable is the magnificence of the forest contained in the cave.
However, exploring the cave is also a strenuous process, you have to go through the forest, wade streams, and stay overnight. Currently, there is only one travel agency in Quang Binh that is allowed to organize tours for visitors to Son Doong cave. So you have to book in advance, exercise well and have a decent budget to discover this place.
Therefore, the number of visitors conquering Son Doong cave is still small. Part of it is the price, the road conditions are quite difficult and the time is long. On the one hand, it is located deep in the protected primeval forest, so limiting the number of travelers is also to protect nature.
1. Paradise Cave in Quang Binh
Also located in the cave system in Phong Nha – Ke Bang, Thien Duong or Paradise cave is discovered by more tourists because it is easy to move, and the cost is much cheaper than exploring Son Doong.
The beauty of Paradise cave is also worth spending time with. From the mouth of the cave to the end is more than 1 km long, it will lead you from one surprise to another with the different shapes of stalactites and stalagmites.
Additionally, decorative lights designed by the management to create colorful lighting effects add to the charm of the cave.
The mouth of the cave is located relatively high on the cliff, so to reach the cave, you have to climb many steps, or choose to take a long steep path to reach the entrance. Therefore, you need to pay attention to this point if in your group there are elderly people and children, and members with heart disease.
The organization to visit this cave is well organized. It is very easy to go by car to the parking lot and an additional walk or tram, you will reach the stairs to the cave entrance.
With the selected caves introduced above, Vietnamdrive hopes to help you design a program to explore the fascinating natural beauty of this charming country.
You probably won’t be able to travel far to some caves from the famous cities in Vietnam, like Nguom Ngao in Cao Bang or Thach Dong in Ha Tien. You can choose to explore spots closer to the city center for convenient transportation such as Thien Duong Cave in Quang Binh, Huyen Khong Cave in Da Nang, or Huong Tich Cave in Hanoi.
When exploring any cave, you also need to pay attention to safety and getting slippery. Also, always remember that the temperature in the cave is often much lower than the temperature outside, it is necessary to keep warm enough to avoid heat shock when entering the caverns.
FAQ about the top caves of Vietnam
- What should I pay attention to the most when visiting a Vietnam cavern?
Please pay attention to the weather, and check the latest weather forecast before visiting any caves located in the mountains in Vietnam. You should keep your eyes on traveling during the time of the rainy season, because the water is easy to rise unexpectedly in many caves with roaring water. - What is the biggest cave in Vietnam?
The largest cave in Vietnam and also in the world is the Son Doong cave in Quang Binh province. In some places, the cave has a height of up to 200 m and a width of about 160 m. - Can I visit these caves without a guide?
Most of the caves mentioned in the article have clear instructions to visit, so it is easy for you to explore them without a guide. However, with Son Doong cave, you have to buy a tour through a specialized company because of the difficulty and limit on the number of visitors. With Sung Sot cave, you have to book a cruise tour or rent a boat with a crew to visit because this cavern is located on the island.