Surprise cave - Halong Bay, Vietnam
Posted by: 
denben
N 20° 50.638 E 107° 05.487
48Q E 717623 N 2306293
Located on Bo Hòn Island, in the center of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Sung Sôt (Surprise Cave) is one of the finest and widest caves of Halong Bay.
Waymark Code: WMDN9B
Location: Vietnam
Date Posted: 02/04/2012
Views: 17
The Surprise Cave was discovered by the French in 1901 and covers some 12,200 m2. Its entrance is 25m above sea level and covered by bushes. The grotto has three chambers linked through narrow ravines. The out most section has a high ceiling and many stalagmites and stalactites. The third chamber opens wide with an arch like a large medieval theater: unusually, there are almost no stalactites or crevices on the ceiling. In Sung Sot grotto, any voice can be heard very clearly but there is no echo. In the center of the grotto, a huge stone column supports the vault. Approaching the end, one can see gigantic rocks on the floor, each much bigger than a room. They seem to reach the ceiling, suggesting that they collapsed a long time ago, creating the many deep ravines and crevices in the chamber. An 800m long walkway inside the cave was built in January 1999 and finished on 1st May of the same year. The lighting system adds more charm to the beauty of the cave.
Located in Vietnam's Quang Ninh province, Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular travel destination. Administratively, the bay belongs to Halong City, Cam Pha town, and part of Van Don district. The bay features thousands of limestone karsts and isles in all sizes and shapes.
The entrance fee below includes the boat tour and the cave entrance.
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