Ha Long Bay, one of the 7 New Wonders of Nature, is finally off my list. In the beginning, I was not even aware that it is included in the 7-Wonders of Nature list but some of my friends made me aware of it including the tour guide. So now I see.
We booked the 2-day tour through the Airbnb where we stayed in Hanoi Old Quarter under the Seasun Cruise company. I have tried to read reviews whether to book 1-day or 2-day tour. Most reviews have recommended a 2-day tour to really see, savor, and feel the atmosphere of Ha Long Bay, plus the fact that it takes almost 4 hours from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay. Of course, they were right.
The trip was indeed a relaxing one on the boat for continuous 2 days except for when we were surprised by a massive cave visit, called Sung Sot. Due to low-light, I could not get clear shots of the wonderful cave.
Activities or Places Visited
April 16, 2016
April 17, 2016
April 16, 2016
Sung Sot Cave
Our tour agency, Seasun Cruise, may have mentioned in the itinerary about a visit to the cave but I did not expect it to be an enormous one. Sung Sot cave is the biggest cave in Ha Long Bay and it came to me as a surprise because my expectation was low. That is the good thing about setting your expectations low.
To begin with, the cave’s opening was at the top of the rock mountain, thus, we needed to take the winding stairs up to reach that top, which offers a view deck for us to completely enjoy the awesome beauty of Ha Long Bay from above. From that view deck, we distinctly felt the cool air coming from the cave. We could not wait but to get in.
As we were entering the cave, it was not immediately obvious how massive the cave was because the entrance deceived us into believing that it was just going to be another average cave. There was a lighted, small corner for photo opportunities and the rest of the space was around the size of a regular bedroom, surrounded by stone walls. And then beside the photo corner were tiny, curved stairs leading to another dimension of the cave, like a pathway.
This was the big surprise, an enormous part of the cave welcomed us with different formations on the ground and from the ceilings. Unique formations were brightly lit with yellow or colored lights. A route has been designed for tourists to follow in order to properly view the distinct sections of the cave.
Upon exit, there was another view deck overlooking Ha Long Bay. The exit was a different set of downward winding stairs from the entrance and at the bottom of the stone island, a bridge exists for people to cross to get back to their boats.
