After an amazing cruise among the limestone rocks of Cat Ba Bay, we traveled south by bus to Ninh Binh, and then continued even further by taking a night train to Dong Hoi. In Ninh Binh we visited Hua Lu, ancient capital in the 10th & 11th Century. Dong Hoi served as our home base to visit two of 400-plus caves in Phong Nha.
We’ve taken many pictures & made a series for each chapter below. If you click on a picture you can see the full picture & scroll through the other pictures.
Hua Lu (Hoa Lu), Ancient Capital
Hoa Lư was the capital of Vietnam from 968 to 1009. Its strategic location in a plain, encircled by an intricate network of limestone mountains, was highly advantageous. Nowadays main sights are the temples in honor of the two imperial dynasties, the Dinh Dynasty (968–980) and early Le Dynasty (980–1009). Vietnamese people come here to honor their ancestor leaders.
Trang An
Nestled in Vietnam’s Ninh Binh province, Trang An is a captivating destination where nature and culture harmonize seamlessly. With its stunning karst formations, interconnected caves, and serene lakes, this landscape provided natural protection for Hua Lu, the ancient capital. Its towering mountains and winding waterways served as a defensive shield. It has now been made into a Disney like attraction, visiting the mountains, caves & lakes in small boats which gained immense popularity among Vietnamese visitors. Notably, the site gained international fame as a filming location for King Kong (Skull Island), adding to its allure and global recognition.
Hang Mua (Lying dragon mountain)
The area around Hang Mua is exceptionally beautiful. We climbed far too many steps of Lying Dragon Mountain, and the view from there is truly amazing. There’s the view on the surrounding valleys, but as well on Ninh Binh. On top of the Lying Dragon mountain, well, guess what, there is a lying dragon.
Ninh Binh
Ninh Bình is a small city in the Red River Delta of Vietnam with only around 40.000 inhabitants. We found it really worth to bring a brief visit, while we were staying near to the town. The local children spend the evening in front of the train station to practice their English with the foreigners who are waiting for the train. We made many friends there.
Thien Duong Cave (Paradise Cave)
Claustrophobia can become a serious concern when visiting caves. However, in Paradise Cave, there’s no need to worry. This dry cave, with no river running through it, is immense. Its length exceeds 31km, with chambers stretching up to 200 meters in length and 100 meters in height. The cave has been discovered only recently, and various tales about its discovery abound. Among them, our guide’s story stands out: a local man was strolling through the jungle on a sweltering day when he suddenly felt a refreshing cool breeze. This breeze wafted from the cave. Upon returning to the village, he excitedly shared his experience with everyone but had forgotten the cave’s exact location. Another narrative suggests that a British caving association stumbled upon the cave in 1992. Interestingly, the same local man played a role in this version as he joined the group in 2005. During our visit, we had the opportunity to explore the initial 1.4km of the cave…
Phong Nha Cave
In the afternoon we visited the Phong Nha Cave, nearly 8 km long, with a river running through the cave. This was the perfect excuse to add a 25 minute boat ride to the trip to get to the cave. Absolutely gorgeous again.
Dong Hoi
Going further south, the signs of the country’s tumultuous recent past begin to emerge. However, the official narrative now told by the Vietnamese is that the past is behind them, and they extend forgiveness to all. Although Dong Hoi is an old city with a long history, every building is new. The only silent witness of the old city is the bell tower of a church.
