As the largest and most stunning limestone cave in Halong Bay, Sung Sot Cave has captured the hearts of numerous domestic and foreign travelers with its sparkling stalactites and attractive rock formations. During your travel journey to Ha Long, visiting Sung Sot Cave (Surprise Cave Vietnam) should be one of the top activities on your bucket list. Situated in a limestone mountain with an extremely developed karst terrain, the cave features two big chambers with a wealth of stalagmites of various shapes. For a detailed guide to this destination from DMC for Vietnam, read on.
About Sung Sot Cave
Location and directions
Covering a total area of more than 12,000 square meters, Sung Sot Cave is the biggest and most popular limestone cave in Halong Bay in general and Bo Hon Island in particular. The cave has a prime location in the heart of Halong Bay, which is approximately 14 kilometers away from the Bai Chay Tourist Wharf of Halong City.
To get to Sung Sot Cave from the center of Halong City, you should follow Hai Quan Street for about 4 kilometers before reaching Bai Chay Tourist Wharf. From here, tourists have two means of transportation to choose from, which are canoes and boats.
By canoe
Taking the canoe is an ideal option for travelers with limited time but still wish to include Sung Sot Cave on their journey. A 4-to-8-seat canoe costs at least 1,200,000 VND per hour in Halong Bay.
By boat
A more practical and cost-effective way to visit Sung Sot Cave is by taking a boat tour. Tourists can buy tickets at the wharf for about 200,000 VND for a tour of Sung Sot Cave.
Legend of the cave
Similar to other Vietnam Halong Bay caves, Sung Sot Cave also has its own interesting legend. The cave is believed to be the place where Thanh Giong, an extremely famous hero in Vietnamese folklore, flew away after defeating Chinese invaders. Visiting Sung Sot Cave, tourists can easily find stalactites, which greatly resemble the massive horse and sword that Thanh Giong left behind to drive away evil spirits. Inside the cave, there are several small ponds, which are regarded as the footprints of Thanh Giong’s horse.
The magnificent beauty of Sung Sot Cave Halong Bay
Sung Sot Cave has two chambers. After going through a path lined with luxuriant trees, visitors are greeted by spectacular, enormous stalactites that look like chandeliers hung 30 meters high in the outer chamber, often known as the “waiting room.” The first chamber is connected to the second one via a narrow passageway. With its enormous freshwater lake, beautiful stalagmites and stalactites, and stunning rock formations, the inner chamber will surely astound every visitor. Inside this chamber, you can also see monkeys scurrying around in quest of food and fun.
The detailed guide to visit Sung Sot Cave in Halong Bay
Buy tickets for sightseeing
If you want to visit Sung Sot Cave, you can buy tickets at two major ports in Halong, which are Tuan Chau International Passenger Port and Halong International Passenger Port. Sung Sot Cave is an attraction included in Halong Bay Sightseeing Route 2, which also includes some other well-known attractions such as Bai Tu Long Bay, Tuan Chau Island, Bo Nau Cave, Ho Dong Tien Cave, Luon Cave, Trong Cave, Trinh Nu Cave, and Me Cung Cave.
Rent a boat to get around the bay
After buying tickets for Halong Bay Sightseeing Route 2, visitors will need to take a boat to visit Halong Bay. The boat fare is regulated by the Halong Bay management board, often at 200,000 VND/per person.
There are three ways for visitors to arrange for a boat:
- Contact a ship arranger of the Halong Bay management board
- Contact a travel agency or tour organizer
- Contact a boat owner
Sung Sot Cave, possessing a splendid beauty bestowed by nature, is a haven for travelers who want to explore the amazing natural world. Hopefully, this article will help you plan a wonderful getaway with your friends and family to the stunning Halong Bay.
