Discovering Tien Cave in Lao Cai

A tourist at Tien Cave in Lao Cai Province - Photo 52hz.vn

Tien Cave is one of the beautiful landscapes in the country and attracts many tourists to Lao Cai Province.

The cave has a wild beauty with many beautiful and studding stalactites. With a white sandy beach and crystal clear water, the scenic cave is an ideal resting place among the mountains on summer days.

The path leading to the cave in Coc Ly Commune, Bac Ha District is a small flow of the Chay River, originating from stream branches in the northwest of Hà Giang Province.

On a boat trip on the stream leading to Tien Cave - Photo traveloka.com

The Chay River coming here seems to be constricted to form a deep river, bringing a gentle look, weaving between the two steep cliffs. The two sides are primeval forests, covering the whole landscape with a cool, fresh climate.

To reach this place, we went through Bao Nhai Commune and then took a boat upstream on the Chay River for nearly an hour. During the journey to the cave, we passed the 300-year-old Trung Do Temple, a national historic site. The temple is the place to worship General Vu Van Mat along with his subordinates, who protected the border and developed the land of Trung Do in Bao Nhai Commune.

Going upstream about 200m, we met a large cave, feeling like being lost in a wonderful maze created by nature, with layered stones acting as a natural barricade.

According to the Lao Cai Tourism Promotion Information Centre, Tien Cave is a natural cave not yet fully on the tourism map. Previously, the cave was mainly known to foreign tourists through the Bao Nhai - Coc Ly Market tourism route. By early 2023, the cave has gradually attracted more domestic tourists.

Inside Tien Cave are extremely beautiful stalactites-Photo vietfuntravel.com.vn

Tien Cave boasts of its camping grounds and streams for visitors to experience water activities.

The campsite is a flat ground next to the stream, about 100m from the mouth of Tien Cave. This area is completely isolated from the outside world, there are no car horns, only the sounds of the mountains and forests with birds singing, insects chirping and streams flowing.

After setting up a tent on the sand bank, we experienced activities on the stream such as SUP rowing, swimming and bathing in the stream. Cool spring water helped us dispel the heat of summer.

After experiencing activities at the stream, we paddled to the mouth of Tien Cave and walked inside to explore.

The cave is surrounded by trees and streams pouring water from above like a silk strip. Going deep inside, we felt like we were lost in a magical and beautiful maze with no need to escape. The further inside we venture, the more poetic and beautiful it becomes. We heard the sounds of small water streams flowing on the cliffs, dripping to form stalactites with countless beautiful shapes.

When going deep into the cave, the movement was relatively dangerous. We had to climb the rocky banks, following the tree roots. The cliffs are quite mossy and it is slippery so we needed to be extra careful.

When we went deep inside, it was like entering another world, a beautiful small island with lots of green trees. Ancient stalactites of various shapes and sizes accumulated over thousands of years appeared.

In the evening at the campsite, we organised a barbecue party, made a campfire and watched the starry sky through the mountains. Catching fish, and shrimp at night was an interesting experience that could not find in urban areas.

Camping at Tien Cave - Photo traveloka.com

The scenery around Tiên Cave. - Photo 52hz.vn

Dung Nguyen, a local tour guide, said that summer, from April to July, is the ideal time to visit Tien Cave. At this time, the stream water is clear, smooth and shallow while the weather is dry, sunny and convenient for camping. From July onwards, when the dry season ends, it rains a lot, so the stream becomes more opaque and the water is no longer clear.

If you do not want to camp and spend the night in Tien Cave, you can stay overnight at homestays or motels in Trung Do Village. Room rates range from VND200,000 to 300,000 per room per night. Boat rental price is VND500,000. Each boat can carry up to six persons.

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