Tam Coc & Bich Dong

Tam Coc is located in Van Lam hamlet, Ninh Hai commune, Hoa Lu district, in the tourist route of Tam Coc-Bich Dong. Tam Coc means “Three caves”. These caves were made due to the transformation of geology, seawater and rainwater that have worn cliffs in a long period of millions of years.

Tam Coc is situated on Ngo Dong River and are permeated by the water of this river, so they are also called the “3 water caves”. Known as "Ha Long Bay on the rice paddies", it can only be reached by boats rowed along a meandering river which makes it way through three caves before unveiling a secluded watery valley.

Tam Coc consists of the Hang Ca, Hang Hai and Hang Ba grottoes which are adorned with beautiful stalactites and stalagmites of different shapes and colors sparkling like gemstones.

On either side of the boats, there are green rice fields and lotus puddles. Rapids have developed in the Ngo Dong River by the accumulation of falling rock... The rapids look like a front screen of Ca cave and create a branching road before the tourists’ boat visit Ca Cave.

Ca cave is located at the foot of a big mountain that crosses over Ngo Dong River. It is called Ca cave, as it is the first cave and also the longest and broadest cave of Tam Coc tour. If visiting the cave in the morning, you can see that a cliff at the entrance to the cave is sparkling and colorfully reflected by water surface when the sunshine passes by.

When the tourist boat goes inside the cave, the atmosphere is cool; the bowels of the cave are widely opened with sparkling stalactites dripping water to the river. The sound of water lapping to the boat sides and the sound of rowing boat make a clear and miraculous sound. As the cave is relatively long, you will have a feeling that the time is passing by more slowly with only some flickering light rays from the end of the cave gate.

Getting out of Ca cave, the tourist boat glides on shadows of mountain and clouds. In the distance, on the right, there is an impressive range of mountains with many big stones heaped together. The stones have been eroded by seawater for millions of years that creating regular long and straight lines which resembles Ankor temple in Cambodia. Following our itinerary, we will see the Ham Rong Mountain and the Kim Quy Mountain with the image of grazing goats and ancient cycad trees.

Meandering partly along the river, getting access to Hai Cave; tourists seem to be lost in the heaven because of the never- ending stretching lotus ponds with their specific perfume, and beautiful picture of mountain, river and water. Hai Cave rests under shadows of trees; the cave is 60 meters long and 18 meters wide; it is also situated at the foot of a mountain that crosses over Ngo Dong River. From the entrance to the ceiling of the cave, there are many stalactites with different shapes. When we are rowing our boats in the cave, we have the feeling of rowing among clouds of stalactites silhouetted against the water. The stalactites project down to the river from the ceiling of the cave so low that tourists can touch them.

Getting out of Hai Cave, the scenery is very imposing with mountains surrounding a part of Ngo Dong River which meanders through green rice seeding fields. The river between Hai Cave and Ba Cave is rather short; only around 100 meters. Therefore, when we have just got out of Hai Cave we can see Ba cave at the corner of the river. In the mountain, on the right hand there is a big cave; it is Bat Cave (Doi Cave) where flocks of bats live. There is another cave on the left, which has a big stone standing next to the entrance. The stone has the shape of a maiden girl sitting cross-legged, enjoying the view of tourists bobbing on boats in the river. Ba Cave appears with an entrance like a cross-fracture of the mountain, it is the smallest of the 3 caves but it is the coolest and has a pleasant breeze. The ceiling of Ba cave is low, the reflected light make tourist feel like heaven.

Say goodbye to Ba Cave, tourists can go ashore to relax, enjoy the scenery of mountains and valleys and from a far distance, and aroma of lotus ponds.

Tam Coc in the past was honored to welcome the Father of the King, Tran Nhan Tong, and the Queen mother. In the time of the resistance wars against France and the USA, Tam Coc was used as a base of Ninh Binh’s troops and people and was recognized as a cultural and historical relic by the State. In Tam Coc all year round, Ngo Dong River is busy with boats carrying Vietnamese and foreign tourists to contemplate and enjoy the beauty of nature that is regarded as the “Halong Bay on the land”.

Bich Dong Pagoda

In 1773, Mr. Nguyen Nghiem (the father of the great writer Nguyen Du) visited this cave. After viewing the whole scenery of the mountains, waterways, fields, and sky covered in green mist, he gave the cave a very beautiful and romantic name, Bich Dong (which literally means “Green Pearl Grotto”). Bich Grotto is said to be the second most beautiful cave in Vietnam.

The Bich Dong Pagoda was built on Ngu Nhac Mountain near the cave. It is divided into three levels: Ha Pagoda (lower pagoda), Trung Pagoda (middle pagoda), and Thuong Pagoda (upper pagoda). On the mountain peak stands the statue of a scholar Mandarin looking at the horizon in hope of viewing the spectacular landscapes of Hoa Lu. From the upper pagoda, one has the most magnificent view of Bich Dong, which is romantically charming in terms of architecture and history. 

In the front of it, there are large rice fields and a branch of Hoang Long River goes round and through it. The mountain is green with plants, looming in the distance are parts of roof of the old Bich Dong Pagoda. It was built at the beginning of Le dynasty. In the pagoda there is still a big Bell casted in Le Thai To dynasty (1428-1433) and graves of bronze superiors who contributed to its building. Later in Canh Hung (Le Hien Tong) time (1740 – 1786), the pagoda was repaired and enlarged, combining Ha, Trung and Thuong pagodas stretching up three mountain levels. You’ll first pass a 3-span bridge enter Ha Pagoda which was skillfully made of stone. The Trung pagoda is next to the cave door. On the mountains wall the word “Bich Dong” in Chinese was graved. On the left side standed “Bich Son Pagoda stela” which was built in Le Du Tong time (1705 – 1729). On the right side was a stelae of Canh Hung time, on the mountain side. From Trung pagoda, climb 22 steps up to Toi (Dark) Cave which has an ancient Bell. Then you come to the Thuong Pagoda which stands high near the top of the mountain. Throughout time, the pagoda was damaged but still remains some stone pillars left lonely among big trees. Standing on the floor of Thuong Pagoda, you can see the beautiful vistas of Bich Dong, which looks like a poetic landscape picture.

The location for this pagoda was chosen in 1428 after two monks were charmed by the view of the river and the mountains. Later, King Le Canh Hung wrote a poem in honor of the beautiful pagoda and landscape. He was the one who said that Bich Dong Pagoda was the second nicest pagoda in Vietnam, after the Huong Pagoda, also called Perfume Pagoda, in Ha Tay province. One cannot visit Bich Dong Pagoda without visiting Tam Coc Cave, located approximately 2 km from the pagoda.