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Hanh Grotto

Hang
Hanh is one of the longest grottoes in
Ha Long Bay, lying 9 km west of Cẩm Phả
Town and 20 km from
Băi Cháy Beach.
It is 1,300 m long, and stretches
throughout the stone mountain of Quang
Hanh.
Hang
Hanh Grotto is extremely beautiful. The
small boat will take you through the
stone passageway by lamp-light, casting
magical colours on the hanging
stalactites.
The
French named it “Le Tunnel” or Tunnel
Grotto. The mouth of the grotto is so
low one has to go by small boat to pass
through.
To
get there, tourists can hire canoes in
Đoan wharf (Ḥn Gai, Hạ Long City) or
take a coach to Cẩm Phả. At the Cẩm Phả
wharf, one can also hire boats or canoes
to go to the grotto. One should visit
the grotto at low tide, as this is the
time the mouth of the grotto appears.
Remember to bring along torches before
starting the journey. It takes one some
60 to 90 minutes to complete the trip.
Hang Hanh Grotto seems suitable for
adventures. Another matter of no less
important is that the boatmen must be
experienced or else you will get locked
up in this deep “Water Palace”.
In
front of the present-day mouth stands Ba
Cô (Three Girls) shrine in a towering
piece of stone. Legend has it that:
“Once upon a time there were three girls
who often went to the sea together. One
day, they caught a pouring rain and took
shelter in a grotto. They found the
scenery so captivating that they forgot
the time of rising tide. Locked up in
the grotto, they passed away and became
Water God.”
Today,
fishermen usually went to the shrine to
pray for their bestowing favours on
them. |