Ha Long Bay

Among the most beautiful and appealing of the Ha Long Bay caves and grottos, Sung Sot is a dazzling work of nature, astonishingly vast in size, despite its inconspicuous appearance from the outside. The rocky entrance down into the cave, coated in dense vegetation, leads to two large limestone-laden chambers, each meticulously decorated with a millennia-old ceiling of delicately formed stalactites. The impressive rock formations are colourfully lit up. All of this can be viewed from the comfort of a smooth walking path that traverses the cave.

Thien Cung Cave, or Dong Thien Cung, is a grotto located on the island of Dau Go, in the southwest of Ha Long Bay. Complete with a colourful decoration in the form of lighting on its walls, the cave boasts an enviable display of ancient stalactites and stalagmites. Along with Sung Sot Cave, this has proved to be one of the most popular and visited grottos in the archipelago, and its stunningly beautiful interior is the reason.

Just east of Ha Long Bay is the less visited Bai Tu Long Bay. The two share many of the same geological characteristics, with the exception that Bai Tu Long has a lot fewer tourists and is not as well-known. This is what makes it such an interesting alternative to Vietnam's most popular destination for many visitors. With limestone karst islands just as impressive as those in Ha Long Bay, Bai Tu Long doesn't have that many grottos. However, what it does have is lovely beaches to relax on, such as Ban Chan.

Some of the most scenic vistas in Vietnam can be seen from a bird’s eye view aboard a plane that takes off from the capital city of Hanoi. Flying over the green landscape of northeastern Vietnam, this aeroplane tour is possibly the best way of seeing the limestone karst formations of Ha Long Bay. Hai Au Aviation offers this service, and although somewhat pricey, the sights you can see from the plane are absolutely astonishing.