On a trip to Ha Long Bay, you’ll not only get to admire the incredibly pristine and beautiful natural landscapes but also explore the enchanting and mysterious caves nestled deep within the limestone karst mountains rising from the sea. These caves and caverns in Halong Bay share a common feature of limestone stalactite formations, shaped by the erosion of seawater over thousands of years, creating unique and captivating figures. Combined with a system of colorful lights, the interior beauty of these caves becomes even more dazzling and splendid. Now, if you’re new to this and haven’t decided which caves to visit in Halong Bay, let's together discover and explore the top 7 most beautiful caves in this UNESCO heritage site!

Sung Sot Cave

Sung Sot Cave is probably the most famous and biggest cave in Halong Bay, located on Bo Hon Island, along with Luon Cave and Virgin Cave. It was discovered by a French guy in 1901 and named “La Grotte des Surprises” (Cave of Surprises) because of its beauty and majesty. But it wasn’t until 1993 that the cave welcomed its first visitors, and since then the cave has always been known as one of the most beautiful caves in Vietnam. So what’s so “surprising” about Sung Sot Cave? It covers an area of 10 000 square meters and has a height of 30 meters. From the boat dock, you have to climb 100 steps to reach the cave opening. The cave is divided into 2 chambers. The first chamber is rather small, about 300 square meters, and is situated below the cave entrance, with a small lake formed by water dripping in from the cave ceiling. The second one is twice as large, and as you walk further inside, you’ll encounter beautiful stone formations that take on unique shapes resembling Saint Giong, a sword, an elephant, and more, gradually emerging along the pathway. Aside from its natural beauty, Sung Sot Cave also captivates visitors with a mystical legend.

Legend has it that after defeating the An invaders and successfully fulfilling his noble mission, Saint Giong rode a cloud back to the sky, leaving behind a sacred sword and a precious horse to maintain peace and ward off evil spirits in his home village. This is also the place where traces of the historic battle are preserved, with numerous small ponds around the cave resembling hoofprints left by the horse.

Dau Go Cave

Dau Go Cave is located on Dau Go Island. The cave reaches an area of 5000 square meters and a height of 25 meters, featuring hundreds of gigantic stalactites hanging down like a peculiar waterfall. Dau Go Cave shares its formation age with the Thien Cung Cave—both dating back to the late Pleistocene, approximately 2 million years ago. Due to the cave’s high humidity level and the influence of sunlight, Dau Go Cave boasts a diverse and rich ecosystem, including moss, ferns, and woody plants. This is a distinctive feature compared to many other caves in Halong Bay.

The name Dau Do Cave (Wood Stakes Cave) can be traced back to the 13th century. During the resistance against the Mongol invaders, General Tran Hung Dao planted numerous sharpened wooden stakes in the Bach Dang River to destroy the enemy’s ships. Many pieces of wood remained afterward, hence the name of the caves.

Thien Cung Cave

Located in the southwest of Ha Long Bay, the Thien Cung Cave is approximately 4 km from the boat dock. The path to the cave is surrounded by steep rocky cliffs, with vegetation densely covering both sides. Archaeologists have identified Thien Cung Cave as a site belonging to the Soi Nhu cultural period.

Today, the most prominent archaeological traces are found at the cave entrance and the cave floor. There is a layer of sediment with fossilized shells of Melania snails (freshwater snails) that have turned white due to carbonate. Additionally, scientists have made historical discoveries from the Stone Age, such as stone tools on the cave walls and potentially ancient stone spearheads that prehistoric people may have used for hunting or self-defense.

On this Halong Bay cave tour, you’ll get to explore a cavern with an expansive area of nearly 10,000 square meters with a complex structure, divided into multiple chambers and levels, featuring high and wide rock walls and ceilings. Wherever tourists go, they encounter variously shaped stalactites and stone formations, creating a surreal and captivating landscape.

Trinh Nu Cave (Virgin Cave) & Trong Cave (Man Cave)

Hang Trong (Man Cave) and Hang Trinh Nu (Virgin Cave) are situated facing each other on Bo Hon Island in Halong Bay. These famous caves in Halong Bay are approximately 12 km from Halong City and about 15 km from the center of Bai Chay. Hang Trong is about 700 m away from Virgin Cave, and both caves boast picturesque scenery with crystal-clear turquoise waters, entwined with a timeless love story.

Legend has it, there once was a beautiful girl who lived in the village. Because of her family's poverty, she had to work for a local landlord. The landlord, finding the girl charming, forced her into marriage, but she refused as she already had a lover. At that time, her lover was out at sea fishing in preparation for their wedding. Failing to convince her, the landlord banished her to a deserted island. Enduring a night of storm and hunger, the girl exhaustedly turned into stone. The place where she transformed into stone later became Hang Trinh Nu, or Virgin Cave.

As for the young man, upon hearing that his beloved had been banished to a deserted island, he hurriedly returned to search for her. On a stormy night, his boat was wrecked. Stranded on a deserted island, he saw an image of his lover waving to him. Using a stone to strike against the mountain wall, he signaled that he had arrived. Continuously tapping until his hands were bloodied and exhausted, the young man also turned into stone at the place later named Hang Trong.

The two caves are only 700 m apart. Hang Trong faces the Virgin Cave, and the two caves have connecting entrances. There are clusters of silver-white stalactites on Hang Trong’s ceiling, along with a stone statue of a young man facing Hang Trinh Nu. When sunlight hits, Hang Trong becomes magically beautiful.

Thien Canh Son Cave

Thien Canh Son Cave is located in Bai Tu Long Bay, within the conservation area of Cong Do Island, about 25 km from Bai Chay harbor. Locals often refer to Thien Canh Son Cave with the familiar and intimate name "Hang Co" (Grass Cave). The cave exudes a pristine beauty resembling a fairyland. Inside, there are numerous sparkling stalactites made of natural limestone. Thien Canh Son has become one of the most fascinating caves to explore in Halong Bay for both domestic and international tourists.

Inside the cave, thousands and thousands of luminescent stalactites adorn the space. The cave's ceiling is decorated with sparkling stalactites hanging down elegantly, all created naturally without any human intervention, which kind of resembles a chandelier from a castle.

To explore the cave, visitors have to climb about 100 stone steps. However, once you reach the top, you'll be mesmerized by the breathtaking scenery of Bai Tu Long Bay and Ha Long Bay from above. Here, you can freely admire and capture beautiful photos. Just below Thien Canh Son Cave is a white sand beach where, after exploring the cave, you can enjoy a relaxing beach swim or participate in kayaking activities.

Me Cung Cave

Me Cung Cave is located near Ti Top Island, about 2 km to the southwest, situated at an altitude of 25 m on Lom Bo Island. This place has a complex structure with numerous tiers, chambers, and walls that resemble a maze, hence the name of the cave, which means “maze” in Vietnamese. Me Cung Cave is notable for its large stone columns with clustered stalactites. These stalactites stretch down from the cave ceiling, forming beautiful shapes and patterns.

Me Cung Cave in Ha Long Bay bears cultural traces dating back 7,000 to 10,000 years. The cave preserves a significant amount of Melania snail shells right at its entrance. The ground on the right side of the cave entrance is still filled with various types of fossilized snail shells.

In addition to mountain snail shells, there are also stream snail shells, clam shells, trilobite shells, and fossilized bones of prehistoric animals and marine fossils.

Thanks to conservation efforts, the ecosystem of Me Cung Lake remains in the best condition. Coral species and sea fans are gradually recovering, and many unique animal and plant species are thriving. If you have the opportunity to explore caves in Ha Long, don’t miss out on this destination.

Conclusion

And there you go! Those were some of the most well-known caves in Ha Long, which are usually included in Halong Bay day tours. Most overnight cruises in the bay also include visits to these caves in their itineraries. Additionally, there are several other famous caves in Ha Long Bay that are worth a visit, such as Tien Ong Cave, Hanh Cave, Tam Cung Cave, Kim Quy Cave, etc. You can choose between 5 Halong Bay sightseeing routes, which go through different caves and sites, with prices ranging from 240,000 to 290,000 VND/person. You can ask for advice to choose the best route. And there you go! Pack up your things and embark on a journey to explore these amazing caves and caverns in Halong Bay!

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