Động Trung Trang

Useful Information

Location:	Đường xuyên đảo Cát Bà, Trân Châu, Cát Hải, Hải Phòng. In the center of Cát Bà island, on Đường Hùng Sơn (Hung Son Road), 3.2 km north of the village Trân Châu. (20.7887703, 106.9974369)
Open:	All year daily 7-17. [2024]
Fee:	Adults VND 80,000. [2024]
Classification:	Karst Cave
Light:	Incandescent Coloured Light
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided, L=300 m.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Động Trung Trang, Đường xuyên đảo Cát Bà, Trân Châu, Cát Hải, Hải Phòng, 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

1885	discovered by the French and named Grotte du Trung Trang.
1938	cave discovered by a local named Hồ Đức Hùng.
1964-1968	during the American War, the cave housed a naval command for telecommunication with a radio station.

Description

Động Trung Trang (Trung Trang Cave) is also known as Hang Doi (Bat Cave), because thousands of bats live in the cave. It was also called Hang Hai Quan (Navy Cave), when it was used from 1964 to 1968 by the Navy High Command as a radio station as telecommunication post. There are still some walls from the community room, meeting room, and water tank. The cave is a through-cave, and it is left on the other end. The visitors return on a trail through the forest to the cave entrance. The forest belongs to the Cát Bà Biosphere Reserve. Some interpret it as 1.4 km trail through the reserve which includes a cave visit. The trail unfortunately ends at another point of the road, and it is necessary to walk back along the road.

There seems to be some contradictory info on the web. Some say it was discovered in 1885 by the French, others say it was discovered in 1938. It is even sometimes mixed up with the Hospital Cave which is 3 km to the south. Actually, this cave was also used as a shelter during the war, but it was a naval post for telecommunication. Other rather pathetic claims are that it is the largest cave in Vietnam and the third-largest limestone cave system in the world.

Cat Ba was often invaded by foreigners because the locals collected valuable pearls from the sea. Lady Chua Trung Trang was an ancient hero, and she summoned the young men in the region to the fight against the enemy. After successfully repelling the enemy, Lady Chua returned to live in this cave. It was later named Động Trung Trang after her.

Two brave and noble born sisters called Trung Trac and Trung Nhi lived during the 1st century, when Vietnam was under the cruel and oppressive rule of China’s Han Dynasty. Their father was executed by the Han rulers and the sisters swore to avenge their father’s death. The sisters called together all the young men in the region and led an uprising and revolt against the Han dynasty. Their leadership and courage in fighting to liberate their country from oppression inspired many to join their cause. Quickly, the revolt gained support throughout the region. The militia took refuge in Trung Trang Cave and made plans. Their most famous victory came at the Battle of Dong Ma Vi, where they defeated a much larger Chinese army. But they were betrayed by a traitor in their own ranks, and faced with overwhelming odds, the sisters preferred to die together by drowning themselves in the Hat River. But their spirits still dwell in the Trung Trang Cave. The story of the Trung sisters is deeply rooted in Vietnamese culture and history, they are still celebrated as symbols of patriotism, courage and resistance.