Introduction
Halong Bay, one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature, is famous for the beauty of its limestone mountains, sea, forests, and especially caves. There is a dense cave system with many beautiful caves; the most outstanding is Sung Sot Cave. This is a place that tourists cannot miss when visiting Halong Bay, Quang Ninh. If you plan to explore Halong Bay and Sung Sot Cave in Vietnam, this article will definitely be helpful. And now, let’s explore with Halong Private Car the unique things about the cave that is considered the most beautiful in Ha Long.
Sung Sot Cave Location
Sung Sot Cave is geographically located on Bo Hon Island, the central area of Ha Long Bay, and visitors will have to take a boat to get to the cave.
How To Get To Sung Sot Cave
There are many ways to travel from Hanoi to Halong Bay, such as by bus, private car, boat, or seaplane. Refer to “How to Get to Halong Bay?” for more useful information.
After you arrive in Ha Long, you will need to rent a boat to travel about 14km south to reach Bo Hon Island. Everything will be much simpler once you get to this step; you just need to walk a short distance to get there.
Sung Sot Cave Folklore
In Vietnam, there are many folk stories revolving around famous places, and this is no exception. Sung Sot Cave is associated with the story of Saint Giong in Vietnamese culture. When Vietnam was on the brink of invasion from China’s Shang dynasty, Saint Giong single-handedly won the battle and brought peace.
After returning to heaven, he left his sword and precious horse behind to reassure the people. And Sung Sot Cave is the place to preserve the traces of that battle. Inside the cave are small lakes, which are the horse’s footprints. If visitors look closely, they can see stalactites shaped like horses and swords.
Reason Behind The Name
A French scientist discovered this cave, and he named it “Grotte de la Surprise.” It means that the cave has amazing beauty bestowed by nature that amazes viewers.
According to some other opinions, because the cave entrance is small, the deeper you go, the larger the cave becomes, surprising everyone. And from there, the name Sung Sot Cave was born. Hang Sung Sot means “Surprise Cave” in English.
Sung Sot Cave History
Sung Sot Cave is located on Bo Hon Island, along with Luon Cave, Trong Cave, and Trinh Nu Cave in the center of Ha Long Bay. In 1901, a French scientist named the cave “Grotte de la Surprise.”
Not until 40 years after its discovery did Sung Sot Cave become known to many people. And in 1993, the new cave welcomed the first tourists to visit and explore. This is one of the most beautiful and largest caves in Ha Long Bay.
Sung Sot Cave Ticket Price 2025
The cost of visiting Sung Sot Cave in Ha Long in 2025 is updated as follows:
- Sightseeing tickets: Surprise Cave is on tour route 2 of Ha Long Bay. Ticket price for adults is 310,000 VND/person, children under 1m are free; children from 1m to under 1,2m cost 155,000 VND/person.
- Boat rental costs: Visitors need to rent a boat or a yacht to get to Sung Sot Cave. The price of a combined train ticket to visit route two ranges around 200,000 VND/person.
Total reference cost:
- Day trip: 310,000 + 200,000 = 510,000 VND/person.
- Travel 2 days, 1 night: 590,000 + 200,000 = 790,000 VND/person.
- 3 days, 2 nights trip: 790,000 + 200,000 = 990,000 VND/person.
Note that the ticket price does not include services such as tour guides, meals, or activities such as kayaking. If you want a more complete experience, you can consider overnight boat tours on the bay.
Tourists need to buy tickets at the two major cruise ports in Ha Long:
- Tuan Chau International Passenger Port: Visitors must go to the main door, look inside, and see the tour ticket counter on the right. The port is located on Tuan Chau Island, about 12km from Ha Long city center.
- Ha Long International Passenger Port: A new port that came into operation in 2019, located in the center of Ha Long city. Visitors can buy from the hotel to here before starting their journey.
Inside Sung Sot Cave
To be able to get inside the cave when the boat docks at Bo Hon Island, visitors need to continue climbing the mountain to reach the cave entrance. You will continue to walk about 50 steps, about 25m above sea level, to reach the cave entrance.
The cave entrance is small, but the deeper you go inside, the wider it becomes. Visitors will be overwhelmed by the true beauty inside the cave. The cave is divided into two main compartments; the first compartment is like a large theater.
The cave ceiling is covered with a layer of stalactites, and underneath are layers of stalagmites. These stalactites and stalagmites are all millions of years old. When the two touch each other, they will form huge pillars.
The shapes of the stalactites in the cave are also very vivid, depending on the visitor’s imagination. Looking at the rocks inside the cave, visitors can see animals such as elephants, tigers, birds, or even humans.
Other Places to Visit Near Sung Sot Cave
Hang Luon
Located right on Bo Hon Island alongside Surprise Cave, Luon Cave will be a perfect place to visit when visiting Sung Sot Cave. Luon Cave is a cave that goes through the mountain and is created by powerful flows after millions of years of erosion.
To visit Luon Cave, visitors will have to kayak or take small boats to cross through the cave. With its special location, Luon Cave has a simple beauty that few places have. Surrounded by limestone mountains, lush green vegetation and accompanied by natural blue water.
Titov Island
If you ever visit Halong Bay, don’t miss Titov Island, which has an extremely beautiful coastline. The mountain looks like a sloping slope with white sand like a crescent moon embracing the island.
Thanks to the frequent tides, the sand here is always clean. Visitors here can rest, swim, and admire the beautiful natural landscape.
Dau Go Cave
Dau Go Cave and Sung Sot Cave are both the most beautiful caves in Halong Bay. You cannot miss the other cave if you have visited either one. It is no coincidence that Dau Go Cave was mentioned by Merveille de Monde magazine in France in 1938 as “Grotte des Merveilles,” meaning cave of wonders.
Inside the cave is an area of 5000 m² with a dense system of stalactites, making the cave very attractive. The cave is also divided into three compartments, each with a different beauty for visitors.
Travel Tips Visiting Sung Sot Cave, Halong Bay
- The ideal time to travel is around April to June every year. This is when the weather is nice and sunny, and Ha Long does not have many tourists.
- You should wear light clothes, bring little luggage, and wear sports/climbing shoes to easily conquer the terrain.
- Apply mosquito or insect repellent before exploring the cave on Bo Hon Island.
- Bring a flashlight to prevent yourself from getting into any necessary situations.
- Tourists should combine visiting Surprise Cave with other famous tourist destinations of Ha Long Bay, such as Soi Sim Island, Luon Cave, Titov, or Dau Go Cave.
Conclusion
Sung Sot Cave will be a place that will truly surprise you with its beauty. Coming here, visitors will feel like they are lost in a colorful, magical world, admiring stalactites dating back millions of years. This is like another world inside the mountain, a unique place you will not regret visiting. So what are you waiting for? Choose Surprise Cave and Halong Bay as the next destination on your journey. Halong Private Car hopes the above article will help you on your trip. Thank you for taking the time to read the article. We wish you all the best when traveling to Halong Bay, Vietnam.
FAQs
What is Hang Sung Sot in English?
Sung Sot Cave in English is called Surprise Cave. This name comes from the fact that the cave has great beauty that amazes visitors when exploring. This is one of the most famous caves in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam.
Where is the Surprise Cave?
Sung Sot Cave is located on Bo Hon Island, in the central area of Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh province. This is one of the most famous caves in the bay, attracting many tourists because of its majestic and mysterious beauty. Visitors need to travel by boat from Tuan Chau port or Ha Long international ship port to reach the cave, then continue walking up to the cave entrance.
How high is Sung Sot Cave?
Sung Sot Cave is located at an altitude of about 25 meters above sea level. Inside the cave, the ceiling can be up to 30 meters high, creating a vast and magical space with beautiful stalactites. This is one of the largest caves in Ha Long Bay, with an area of up to 10,000m²