Location: |
(20.845415, 107.100866) |
Open: |
No restrictions. [2024] |
Fee: |
free. [2024] |
Classification: | Karst Cave |
Light: | bring torch |
Dimension: | |
Guided tours: | self guided, D=1 h. |
Photography: | allowed |
Accessibility: | no |
Bibliography: | |
Address: | Hang Hồ Động Tiên, Tel: +84-. |
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info. |
Hang Hồ Động Tiên (Ho Dong Tien Cave, Fairy Lake Cave) is one of the less visited caves in Ha Long Bay. It is included only on multiple-day cruises. The reason is probably the missing light and the missing jetty, but most likely it's the need to crawl. There is a rocky landing, and the trail is a little improved, but the cave is actually not developed as a show cave. So its essential to bring a good headlamp. On the other hand, there are typically no visitors around and the tour is normally quite serene. Especially during the season that's quite a feat. It is reached by tender boat from a cruise ship, by kayak or by locals taxiing by boat.
The cave has a rectangular portal, which is only one or two meters above sea level. Its entrance section is flooded by the sea during high tide. The cave is dry and has numerous speleothems. The first part is a rather small section, and the visit includes some stooping, even some crawling. Then the cave widens for a chamber, which has many speleothem, but unfortunately also many broken ones, which were obviously taken away as souvenirs. It has a spectacular stalactite formation, with a low stalagmite below. This stalagmite has a rare feature: a pool on top which is full of calcite crystals. It was named Chén Ngọc (Pearl Cup).
It is a through-cave and ends at a huge doline which is filled with freshwater. That's quite special, as the karst towers are full of caves and those connect such lakes with the sea. Most lakes are thus either seawater or at least brackish. The lake was an important source of fresh water since prehistory.
This lake is called Hang ho Dong (Fairy Lake), according to legend, the fairies came to bathe in this lake because it was so secluded. The cave was named after the lake. It also made the place an important hideout for Vietnamese and Chinese pirates until the beginning of the 20th century. There are legends that they hid their treasures here. In the 1950s, the Vietminh occupied it as a hideout. All their basic needs were met: access to fresh water, shelter from weather, not easy to access and little known, no activity visible from outside, and the rather narrow cave makes it easy to defend. Fortunately, the site was never discovered and it was not damaged by any fights.