Not only are the sea and sky as blue as jade, but Ha Long is also famous for its majestic limestone mountains and deep caves containing many masterpieces of nature. That is why the visit to the Dau Go cave is always interesting to many tourists.
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Where is Dau Go Cave?
Dau Go cave is a karst cave located at an altitude of 27m above sea level, in the heart of a limestone mountain range on Dau Go island, in Ha Long Ba, and far from the Thien Cung cave, about 300m.
The age of the cave is equal to the tectonic age of Thien Cung cave. It was formed in the Pleistocene period about 2 million years ago. However, the impressive thing is that the scenery inside the cave is not worn or metamorphosed but is sharpened to create many unique shapes, so it is considered one of the most beautiful caves in Vietnam.
In particular, King Khai Dinh once praised the Dau Go cave as “five colors wall clouds” during his visit in 1918 and was honored by the French tourism magazine Merveille de Monde (Wonder of the World) as a cave of wonders. Therefore, this is the Ha Long tourist destination that you must visit on your trip.
The origin of the cave’s unique name Dau Go
Just by explaining the name of the cave, many stories and legends were born. Accordingly, the first theory is related to history. According to the older people’s stories, in the past, this river area was the place where Tran Dynasty soldiers hid wooden stakes in the riverbed to destroy the Mongol invaders, so it was called the Giau Go cave. When it passed on by word of mouth to many people, it deviated to Dau Go and became such a familiar name as it is now.
The second theory is that the terrain of this island is bow-shaped, creating an area with little wind, often used by people to avoid storms or rest after days of fishing at sea, then they repair it. Building boats here left many pieces of wood left, so the name Dau Go was born.
The third explanation is the shape of the cave when viewed from a distance. It is like a giant tree with the roof of the cave-like the head of a tree. Each theory has its good things, but this unique name has helped Dau Go cave get more attention and be visited by more people no matter where it comes from.
What’s interesting about Dau Go Cave?
Dau Go Cave impresses visitors with its massive size of up to 5000 m2, especially since the entrance of the cave is up to 17m wide, and 12m high, and has the image of a colossal starfish, both creating a highlight and helping the space. Air and light easily shine inside the cave, creating conditions for flora such as ferns, woody plants, moss, and rare species of swallows to grow in abundance. This feature is something that no cave on Ha Long Bay has.
Inside the cave, there are three different spaces, taking visitors from one surprise to another.
The first space receives the most natural light, so everything is clear and sharp. It is a dome with a realistic oil painting that reproduces the unspoiled natural landscape. These are stalactites depicting familiar images in daily life such as lions dozing off, pythons bending around trees, elephants feeding, fighting cocks, fighting cocks, deer bewildered in the forest, etc. Of course, the richer your imagination, the more unique images you will be able to admire.
The second “room” welcomes visitors with a monumental painting of rocky islands undulating on the immense river, like a miniature picture of Ha Long Bay. Due to the low amount of natural light, people have used colored light bulbs for lighting, both for ease of travel and to create stalactites with many strange shapes to create a fanciful atmosphere and stimulate human curiosity.
In the last room, the heart of Dau Go cave suddenly expands to contain an ancient citadel with giant stone columns, sometimes soft and pretty, occasionally sharp and stiff like a melee battle. There are people, horses, swords, and spears jostling to fight with all their might but are stopped by some mysterious force and petrified over time.
Another interesting point is that when you reach the end of the cave, you will admire a clear fairy well, and even though it is located on the sea, it is still full of fresh water all year round, making everyone wonder and surprised.
Some notes when visiting Dau Go cave in Quang Ninh
How to get there: From the center of Ha Long City, visitors take a taxi or motorbike taxi to the tourist pier, buy a boat ticket to visit for the day, or buy a Ha Long Bay cruise to admire the scenery and experience the beautiful scenery. Luxury service here. The train journey will pass through Thien Cung cave, Trong Da island, and Ba Hang fishing village, so you can also get off to visit for a perfect trip. Then, from the exit of Thien Cung cave, you go along the mountain road on the right to reach Dau Go cave.
Time to visit: According to the Ha Long travel experience of those who have gone before, the ideal time to visit the Dau Go cave is from April to October, while the summer from June to August is the best time to visit. Tourists come here the most because the cool air in the cave is very suitable to avoid the heat without going to the sea.
Attire when visiting:
- Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes that absorb sweat well, and wear long clothes to avoid being “attacked” by insects in the cave.
- Wear sports shoes, specialized shoes for climbing, or non-slip flat sandals for easy walking and no foot fatigue.
- Bring allergy medicine and insect repellent to protect the body.
- Should bring drinking water and some snacks if the tour is too long, of course, after eating, clean up carefully and throw it in the right place so as not to affect the natural beauty of the cave.
If you are tired of artificial things and want to immerse yourself in the most natural and authentic items, Dau Go Cave in Ha Long is ideal.
