Tien Son Cave

History:

The cave was discovered by a local inhabitant by accident in April 1935. When it was newly discovered, Tien Son Cave was called Tien (Fairy) Cave for its mysterious beauty. Until 1999, British Royal Cave Research Association conducted surveys and fieldwork. Tien Son Cave also owns another name of Dry Cave to distinguish from the Phong Nha water cave. On the way of the travel to Tien Son Cave, tourists will meet an abyss, about 10m deep when going into the cave for about 400m.

Then coming to another part of the cave, about 500m long is rather dangerous for walking. At present, nearly 400m of the cave have been installed with lighting system to make it safe for tourists. It has been also said that: if Phong Nha Cave (Water Cave of stunning underground rivers) is comparable to an Aquarium, Tien Son Cave (Dry Cave with magnificent and unique stalactites) is Fairy Castle or Castle of Stalactites.

Description:

Tien Son Cave (also known as Dry Cave) is one of the most magnificent caves in Phong Nha – Ke Bang tourist complex. Tien Son has long been actually an ideal destination and welcomed numerous both domestic and foreign tourists. Coming Tien Son, Quang Binh is to come the charming scenery of grotto, mountain and river systems, in which marvelous caves associated with unique legend and fairy, along with hospitable citizens.

Tien Son Cave hides itself in Ke Bang limestone blocks, under the majestic Truong Son mountain range. The cave is situated in the west of Bo Trach district, Quang Binh province. Tien Son Cave angles its location to the west on Phong Nha Cave ceiling, at a height of over 100 meters above underground river level of Phong Nha Cave’s entry mouth. According to scientists, Tien Son Cave was created tens of million years ago when a water current holed this limestone mount in Ke Bang limestones. Also due to geographical tectonics, huge rocks fell and separated the mountain and formed the cave. Tien Son Cave was created on the above; meanwhile an underground river ran through the lower part of the mountain, creating Phong Nha Cave.

Road to Tien Son winds over halfway up the mountain. Its entrance is about 1,000m from Phong Nha Cave on the height of 200m. The cave is considered as a castle of fanciful stalactites and stalagmites with thousands of colorful stalactites, along with the magnificent marble stone columns. Tien Son Cave owns a total length of about 980m. Though located next to each other, Phong Nha and Tien Son caves has not linked with each other. Along the road to Tien Son Cave, tourists can comfortably take a break and turn their head to look back right at the foothills of the rice fields, upland corn, sugar fields or take a panoramic view of the highlander countryside. The picture of the countryside is actually wonderful with villages interlacing mountains, along with the scene of Chay Rivers, Troc River, and Son River watering from majestic Truong Son mountain range. In addition, gentle blue water streams meander through the countryside towards South China Sea creating a pretty peaceful scenery.

The landscape in Tien Son Cave is said to be the “P’eng lai land”. There are thousands of stalactites in the cave with marvelous colors. On the cave ceiling, there are glittering gold and silver-like veins. In addition, stone columns bring marbled appearance magically make people ecstatic, as lost in a fully dreaming paradise.

Especially, Tien Son Cave owns a unique feature, which is far different from Phong Nha Cave. Flagstones and stone columns here are able to create sound resonant. When people knock on them, there would be strange sounds like the gongs and drums echoed from the very deep part of the earth.

The deeper tourists go into the cave, the more meandering walkways are. Eventually, tourists must lower down or lean their body to pass. These experiences are actually unforgettable. Thanks to miraculous pictures, splendid natural beauty of stalactites hanging on the ceiling or stalagmites protruding directly from the ground, Tien Son Cave will make tourists truly be lost in a new strange world when exploring one of the most charming caves in Vietnam.

Tien Son is indeed a marvel of Creation, a unique gift that the nature favors to give Quang Binh province. Together with Phong Nha Cave, Tien Son become an indispensable destination for exploration of Phong Nha – Ke Bang, a world natural heritage