Trung Trang Cave is a natural wonder located in the mesmerizing Cat Ba Archipelago, Vietnam. The cave has become one of the most visited tourist destinations in the region due to its stunning rock formations, unique stalactites and stalagmites, and impressive underground rivers.
The Trung Trang Cave offers visitors an unforgettable experience as they venture into a world of natural beauty hidden beneath the surface. As you explore this magnificent cave system, you will be amazed at the sheer scale of its chambers and tunnels that have been formed over millions of years by water erosion and other geological processes. So, let’s dive into an exciting journey to discover the secrets of Trung Trang Cave!
Trung Trang Cave Overview
Trung Trang Cave is a rock cave located in Trung Trang Valley, 10 to 30m below sea level and 300ha wide – the largest in Cat Ba island, about 1km from the center of Cat Ba National Park. It is northwest of Cat Ba town, Cat Hai District is about 15 km. It’s a part of Halong Bay extension parts – Lan Ha Bay. It is not far from the famous Dark & Bright Cave.
Trung Trang Cave in Hai Phong is a natural cave through the mountain with a length of about 300 meters. Over millions of years of formation, inside the cave is a stalactite ecosystem with many unique shapes.
History of Trung Trang Cave
Besides attracting visitors by the magnificent natural scenery, Trung Trang Cave also has a legendary story associated with the Cat Ba archipelago. According to the stories of our ancient vietnamese, Cat Ba was originally a beautiful pearl archipelago with countless large and small caves. Therefore, foreign invaders are always looking for opportunities to invade. At that time, Lady Chua Trung Trang summoned the young men in the area to the sea to fight the enemy to protect the land.
After successfully repelling the enemy, Lady Chua returned to live in this cave to cultivate and protect the lives of the people on the island. Since then, appreciating Ba Chua’s heart, the people in the area named Trung Trang Cave.
Previously, Trung Trang cave was inhabited by flocks of bats, so the surrounding people often called it Bat Cave. During the resistance war, the High Command used the cave as a place to station troops, so it was also known as Hai Quan Cave. Today, many traces of the heroic history of the Vietnamese army and people are still preserved in building and defending the country on the island.
Unique Features of Trung Trang Cave
Trung Trang cave formed completely naturally through the change of time and creation without any human impact. The beauty of stalactites and stalagmites with an age of up to 6 million years has not faded over time but seems to be more and more attractive.
Some stalactites in Trung Trang cave even crystallize into unique shapes. Among them are ancient mummies, giant elephants, lucky Maitreya Buddha images, legendary animals such as bronze cranes, eagles stealing princess bait in the Thach Sanh story, etc. All create lively and captivating works of art.
In the middle of Trung Trang cave, there is the highest arch, with stalactites that are still sharp, sparkling like crystal, combined with brilliant blue, red, and yellow lights that make us feel like we are lost in the treasure store full of gold, silver, diamonds of the gods of the past.
Not stopping there, the deeper you go, the more surprises you will see, because the stalactites are breathed in by mother nature and become golden lion statues like mascots that guard the treasure. Each sculpture has its soul, associated with fascinating legends.
In addition, Trung Trang Cat Ba cave has a mountain range of rocks with more than a dozen parallel slabs, seducing the soul.
How to Get to Trung Trang Cave
As the cave located in Cat Ba Island, you’ll have to find a way to getting to there first. From Hanoi, you could take a local bus to Hai Phong City then take a ferry to Cat Ba Island. The total journey might takes around 3 hours.
Some company that offer a door-to-door Hanoi to Cat Ba transfer service:
- Daiichi Bus
Address: 96 Nguyen Huu Huan Str, Hanoi Old Quater, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Ticket cost: 300,000vnd ~ 13USD/person
Departure time from Hanoi: 08:00, 10:45, 12:30 & 14:30 daily- Good Morning Catba
Address: 9B Cho Gao, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Ticket cost: 300,000vnd ~ 13USD/person
Departure time from Hanoi: 07:30, 10:00 & 14:00 daily
From the center of Cat Ba town, visitors can rent a motorbike or a taxi to go toward Cat Ba National Park. The route is not too demanding or complicated. Follow the main road, go through Quan Y cave to get there. Along the way, there will be roadside signs so visitors will not be afraid of getting lost.
If you are traveling in HaLong Bay, you can also take a boat to Trung Trang cave for 2 million to 3 million VND
Because the ticket to Trung Trang cave is also a ticket to Cat Ba National Park, you will not have to repurchase a ticket to climb Ngu Lam Peak in Cat Ba National Park. The ticket price to enter Trung Trang cave is 40,000 VND.
Although the road to Trung Trang cave passes through the forest, the road is wide, airy, and full of green space.
Entering the cave entrance, visitors will immediately see the image of a young girl nestled on the cliff. In the cave door, visitors will recognize the appearance of a python. This animal is considered the mascot of Princess Trung Trang given to the people to guard the cave.
Follow the directions, you will get to Trung Trang Cave.
Best time to Visit Trung Trang Cave
Coming to Cat Ba Island, visiting the cave at any time of the year is always beautiful but summer will be the ideal time to travel to Cat Ba Hai Phong. From April to October, Cat Ba’s climate is relatively cool and suitable for relaxation and swimming.
You need to pay attention to the weather in July, August. This time, the sea is rougher than usual. You should check the weather forecast for the next 3-5 days so that the Hai Phong Cat Ba Tour will not be canceled due to storms.
During the period from November to March, Cat Ba is relatively deserted due to the cold weather, so it also limits tourist visits.
You should avoid visiting the cave on rainy days to ensure your safety. If you go at that time, the road to the cave is very slippery and dangerous.
You should also pay attention when coming in May, June, and July; this peak season Cat Ba will be full of tourists.
Conclusion: Why You Should Visit Trung Trang Cave
Trung Trang is known as one of the typical and largest caves for the cave population in Cat Ba, that is why you cannot ignore this place when traveling to Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay.
Through thousands of years of creation, Trung Trang has become a large cave with the extraordinary beauty of creation. The cave has a unique shape of stalactites that are still sharp and iridescent like crystals. Besides, the vegetation and species of creatures at Trung Trang cave is unique, with Kim Giao forest growing naturally attractive and valuable for economic and scientific research.
With a virtual beauty, full of mysterious darkness and equally majestic, Trung Trang cave gives visitors the feeling of being lost in the middle of a natural paradise.
In addition to visiting and enjoying the beautiful scenery of the cave, visitors can also participate in many exciting activities, such as mountain climbing and boating, allow visitor to fully admire the beauty this cave has to offered.
The recent sharing will help you have the most enjoyable experience. If you plan to travel to Hai Phong, take advantage of Trung Trang Cave. You will certainly be satisfied when visiting this place because Trung Trang cave, with its fanciful beauty and majestic natural scenery, will give visitors the feeling of being lost in a dream paradise.
