Visiting Trong Cave and Trinh Nu Cave, Stirred by an Unfinished Love Story

1 Precise coordinates of Trong Cave and Trinh Nu Cave

Belonging to the scenic landscape of Ha Long Bay, Trong Cave (Drum Cave) and Trinh Nu Cave (Virgin Cave) are located on the Bo Hon island range, about 15 km south of Bai Chay. The two caves face each other, separated by about 700 to 800 m, with Ha Long's majestic sea and sky in between. Not only do they captivate travelers with their poetic and distinctive landscapes, but Trong Cave and Trinh Nu Cave are also associated with the unfulfilled romance of a young couple from bygone days, leaving visitors with a lingering sorrow when visiting. 

See also: Wandering through Dau Go Cave with scenery that enchants many travelers

2 How can you get to Trong Cave and Trinh Nu Cave?

Currently, you can only reach these two unique caves by boat. You can purchase tickets for Route 2 belonging to the Cave Park Conservation Center at Tuan Chau International Passenger Port. Ticket prices range from 240,000 VND to 290,000 VND / person. 

Throughout the journey, you can comfortably explore Ha Long with countless archipelagoes and karst towers of various sizes, such as Sung Sot Cave, Ti Top Island, Luon Cave, etc., before stopping at Trong Cave and Trinh Nu Cave to sit back and listen to the tale of a bittersweet love from the past.

3 Trong Cave and Trinh Nu Cave - Two islands linked to an enduring yet unfinished love story

In "Tien dan nguoi yeu" (Farewell to My Lover) — an enduring epic poem of the Thai ethnic group — there is a saying: "If we cannot marry in the summer, we will marry in the winter. If we cannot marry in our youth, we will marry in our old age, even as widows and widowers." Yet the young couple of the legend could not even be together in their old age; they could only unite when neither existed in this world any longer.

According to ancient lore, there once lived a remarkably beautiful girl in a fishing village. However, because her family was poor, they were forced to work for a wealthy local landlord. Seeing her grace and beauty, he tried to coerce her into becoming his concubine, but she refused because she already had a lover. Her lover was out at sea fishing at the time to prepare for their upcoming wedding. Failing to persuade the maiden, the landlord exiled her to a deserted island. Enduring stormy nights along with hunger and biting cold, she exhausted her strength and turned into stone. The place where she turned to stone later became Trinh Nu Cave.

As for the young man, upon returning and learning that his beloved had been banished to a desolate island, he rushed out to search for her. In a stormy night, his boat was smashed to pieces by raging waves. He drifted onto the deserted island and saw the silhouette of his lover waving from afar. He then used a rock to hammer against the cliff, trying to let his lover know that he had returned. He kept knocking until both of his hands were covered in blood. In the end, he collapsed from exhaustion and turned to stone, just like his lover. The place where the young man turned to stone was later named Trong Cave by the locals.

The vestiges of that fierce tempest from the touching love story of the young couple still endure to this day. Those are Trong Cave and Trinh Nu Cave. Visiting the caves, you will easily spot scattered rock fragments lying inside, hear the wind howling through the rocky cliffs, or catch sight of churning white sea foam.

Many locals recount that on stormy nights, passing by this place, they can hear the wind battering the cave walls like the beating of a drum. To them, that is the couple's vow echoing through time, the eternal call of love reaching out to one another. Indeed, unable to be together in their youth, they turned to stone to remain by each other's side for all eternity...

4 The romantic beauty of Trong Cave and Trinh Nu Cave that captivates travelers' hearts

4.1 Trong Cave and Trinh Nu Cave - Where the image of the faithful, devoted maiden still endures

Arriving at Trinh Nu Cave, you will easily see behind the cave entrance a stone statue of a maiden lying with flowing hair, resembling someone yearning for a loved one returning from the open sea. Because of this, Trinh Nu Cave is a place that countless couples long to visit together. They come to hear the legend of eternal love from days past, and to exchange solemn vows of love with one another.

4.2 Trong Cave with the image of the loyal young man of the past

Located opposite Trinh Nu Cave is Trong Cave. A special feature is that these two caves have an opening connecting them in an East-West direction, allowing you to easily move from one cave to the other and vice versa. In contrast to the feminine, soft, and graceful feel of Trinh Nu Cave, Trong Cave possesses a more rugged, masculine beauty with a touch of mystery.

Hanging from the cave ceiling are clusters of silvery-white stalactites, along with a rock formation resembling a young man standing and facing toward Trinh Nu Cave. When beams of sunlight pierce into the cave, Trong Cave suddenly lights up and glows with enchanting radiance.

It is during those radiant moments that visitors can clearly hear the sea breeze sweeping into the rocky crevices, echoing throughout the cave to create an intoxicating, melodious tune tinged with an indescribable wistfulness.

Outside Trong Cave and Trinh Nu Cave lies lush green vegetation thriving all year round. Standing at the cave entrance, you can admire the panoramic, peaceful scenery of Ha Long Bay in the distance and listen to the intriguing sound of the sea breeze whispering through rock crevices. In that moment, one's soul suddenly feels remarkably light and tranquil when blessed to stand amidst such picturesque natural landscapes.

5 Things to note if you plan to explore Trong Cave and Trinh Nu Cave

As one of the popular tourist attractions in Ha Long that is beloved by travelers, especially couples, Trong Cave and Trinh Nu Cave always welcome many young people. If you plan to explore Trong Cave and Trinh Nu Cave, take note of these tips shared by MIA.vn for a smoother journey:

- The ideal time to visit Trong Cave and Trinh Nu Cave is from around April to June. During this time, the weather in Ha Long is warm and sunny with little rain and no storms, favorable for sightseeing and exploration activities

- Choose comfortable, loose-fitting clothing and a pair of sneakers for convenient walking throughout the caves

- Bring mosquito repellent, sunscreen, and a flashlight to make the trip even more memorable

- Purchase tickets directly at Tuan Chau Port and avoid street scalpers to prevent overcharging or potential scams

- Pack light to ensure easy mobility

- If you wish to have lunch, tourist boats usually offer meals priced between 150,000 VND and 250,000 VND

Not only are they unique geological wonders amidst Ha Long Bay, but Trong Cave and Trinh Nu Cave are also forever intertwined with the tragic love story of a young couple from long ago. If you ever have the chance to visit, you must stop by these caves at least once to explore.