Vietnam — The Surprise Cave, Ha Long Bay, Vietnam — part 2 of 2
Exploring the cave
September 2015
Welcome to part 2 of 2.
The visit to the Surprise Cave in Ha Long Bay was enjoyable.
We had a good tour guide who seemed delighted to take us around the caves and point out the fascinating rock structures and patterns. One such structure is in the image below. Our guide seemed reluctant to say a particular word or phrase that would describe the structure, but we all got what he meant, particularly when he pointed up to a hole in the ceiling.
The three chambers of the Surprise Cave in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam, were impressive. The first chamber was tiny. But once we got through a small archway into the second and third chambers, you could see why the place was worth visiting. However, the cave is popular and crowded, particularly in the first chamber.
One thing that detracts from visiting the cave is the overuse of coloured lighting.
In the image below, I am at the furthest point towards the back of the cave, looking towards the exit.
Stunning rock formations — all produced by the power of water.
Finally, we moved towards the exit.
As I looked back into the cave, one thing caught my attention — the fire extinguisher next to the rock formation. If a fire did break out in the cave, what would burn? It’s all rock and water.
Looking back into the cave from the exit made me appreciate the size of the cave system — it is big. I didn’t get a sense of scale until I realised the tiny dots were people in the distance.
The view from the cave’s exit was beautiful, like the view from the entrance.
And as we left the cave, our guide pointed out the feet hanging over the edge. Look at the image below. Can you see the legs and feet hanging over the cliff’s edge in the top right-hand corner? These aren’t the legs and feet of someone; it’s a rock formation. But it is convincing, and I challenge you to un-see it now that I’ve pointed it out.
As I walked back down the cliff side to our boat, I looked back up and saw the exit to the cave high above.
I enjoyed my visit to the Surprise Cave in Ha Long Bay much more than I expected. The caves were impressive. The only thing that detracted from them was the overuse of coloured lighting. When I entered the first chamber, I was pretty disappointed by how small it was and how many tourists were present. But once I had passed through the small tunnel into the second and third chambers, the sheer size of the cave complex meant that I became less aware of all the other people around me.
The Surprise Cave in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam, is worth visiting.
