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Hang Hanh
is one of the longest grottoes in Ha
Long Bay, lyin g
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.
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