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 nature.
In this article, Vietnamdrive selects and introduces the most prominent caves in these rich cavern 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. It is 330km from Hanoi City – the Vietnamese Capital, 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 at 1,000 meters. Its beauty is still 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 expensive. Therefore, we recommend 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 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 different shapes. Besides, the cave attraction is the sacred Perfume Pagoda inside it. Every year, thousands of people come to visit and pray.
If you go on Sundays or the days of festivals, the temple area and Huong Tich Cave are full of tourists. So, when you do not want the crowd, you avoid traveling during those times.
To go to Huong Tich Cave, you can climb the mountain with many steps or use a 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 tourist area.
5. Surprise Cave in Ninh Binh
Surprise Cave, also called Sửng Sốt in Vietnamese, is located on an island in the charming Ha Long Bay of Quang Ninh Province. When taking a cruise to visit the bay, you can explore its outstanding charm.
Although the cave entrance is not wide, Sung Sot Cave will lead you from gentle excitement to surprise. There is a small room outside with shimmering electric light, and if you go to the second room, it 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.
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 cover this attraction and other famous caves in Halong in their program.
However, you should consult a travel advisor before booking a cruise to ensure you can explore this beautiful cave.
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 the mountains of Cambodia.
And not to be missed are a 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. You may avoid this point when you are allergic to bats’ smell.
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 features 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. Also, it is a sacred place for many locals and tourists to wish and worship.
Huyen Khong Cave has many marble statues inside, but the highlights are a big Buddha statue on the cliff opposite the entrance and a small temple on the right.
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 be surprised by this enchanting scene.
To visit Huyen Khong cave, you have to climb more than 100 high-level steps to reach the top of Thuy Son Mount, one of the five mounts of the Marble Mountains.
2. Son Doong Cave in Quang Binh
When mentioning 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 carven system has extremely fancy stalactites, underground rivers, and beautiful sandy banks, creating 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, only one travel agency in Quang Binh is allowed to organize tours 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 not high. Part of it is the high price, the road conditions are difficult, and the exploration time is long – usually five days. On the one hand, it is located deep in the protected primeval forest, so limiting the number of travelers is also a way 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 cavern mouth to its end, more than 1 km long, it leads you from one surprise to another. Wooden steps go deeper into the cave, and an incredible sky of stalactites and stalagmites come in different shapes, forming various meaningful statues standing along the way.
Additionally, decorative lights designed 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 take a long steep path to the entrance. Therefore, you need to pay attention to this point if your group has elders, children, and members with heart disease.
The guidance to visit this cave is well organized. It is easy to go by car to the parking lot, and with 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 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.