Hang Mỏ Luông

Useful Information

Location:	227 QL15, TT. Mai Châu, Mai Châu, Hòa Bình. (20.6538170, 105.0789153)
Open:
Fee:
Classification:	Karst Cave
Light:	Incandescent Coloured Light
Dimension:
Guided tours:	L=1,000 m, D=45 min.
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Hang Mỏ Luông, 227 QL15, TT. Mai Châu, Mai Châu, Hòa Bình, 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.

History

Description

Hang Mỏ Luông (Mỏ Luông Cave, River Cave) is located in the Mai Chau valley, which has a flat fertile floor and numerous small villages. Typical are rice fields and gurgling irrigation. In the middle of the valley, at the main road QL15/CT02, right opposite the Mai Chau Lodge, is the entrance to one of the biggest show caves in the province. The passage is developed with concrete trails, railings, staircases and electric light. The entrance is at a paved place where a wide stone staircase leads up to the cave portal. It is only a few meters above the valley floor.

The cave is developed on a length of 500 m, and there are four chambers. The first is 60 m long, 16 m wide and 20 m high. The chamber was used by the Viet Cong to store weapons during the Vietnam War, which is locally called American war. The flattened the floor, created drainage ditches, and made a concrete floor.

The second chamber lies 10 m higher, a long staircase leads up. This chamber has more speleothems than the first. The third chamber is 20 m high and 20 m wide, but the floor is 7 m lower and another staircase leads down. The last chamber is 15 m long, 12 m wide and 25 m high, and is the sections where most speleothems can be seen. There is also a cave river, which flows underground into Mo Luong Lake in the front of the mountain. This explains the name, Mỏ Luông is Tay language and means "large course of stream." When the visitors have reached the end of the cave they have to return on the same trail.

It seems the huge entrance hall with its flat floor is used regularly for concerts. However, if it is actually big enough for 1,000 attendees,a stated by a concert website, seems quite doubtful.