Have you ever heard a cave sparkle? That’s \u0110\u1ed9ng Hoa C\u01b0\u01a1ng. We are standing at the entrance of \u0110\u1ed9ng Hoa C\u01b0\u01a1ng also known as Diamond Cave. It is near Gia Luan village on Cat Ba Island. The name Diamond Cave comes from the iridescent sparkle inside. It truly glitters like a diamond.
\u0110\u1ed9ng Hoa C\u01b0\u01a1ng is one of the most amazing caves on Cat Ba Island.
The cave is located in a large mountain. It sits about 50 meters above sea level. The cave entrance is hidden by trees and bushes. We will walk through a large arched entrance to reach it.
Inside \u0110\u1ed9ng Hoa C\u01b0\u01a1ng it is wide and quiet. The cave is 25 meters wide and 100 meters long. It maintains a pleasant temperature making it perfect for exploring. Mother Nature created many stalactites in a variety of shapes inside \u0110\u1ed9ng Hoa C\u01b0\u01a1ng. Many look like humans and animals. On the right-hand side there is a giant curtain of stalactites. This inspired a local legend.
The legend says that the King of Heaven loved the climate and scenery here. He would bring his princes and princesses to spend time in \u0110\u1ed9ng Hoa C\u01b0\u01a1ng. The stalactite curtain separated the boudoir of one of the princesses. Two stone lions guarded the entrance. Inside the princess rocked her baby to sleep on a magnificent bed. A small fairy accompanied them.
As we explore further into \u0110\u1ed9ng Hoa C\u01b0\u01a1ng we will come across a luminous cool lake. The water is so clear that you can see the white pebbles at the bottom. The people of Gia Luan believe something special about this lake. They believe that women in this region have white skin because they bathed in this lake. Close by there is a rock that looks like a boat. People say it belonged to a prince. This gives the lake a romantic feeling. When light floods into the cave the lake shimmers. The reflections on the stalactites and stalagmites appear like blooming flowers. This creates a sense of magic within \u0110\u1ed9ng Hoa C\u01b0\u01a1ng.
Archaeologists have explored \u0110\u1ed9ng Hoa C\u01b0\u01a1ng. They discovered fossilized teeth of an ancient gibbon. These teeth date back tens of thousands of years. This shows that an ancient gibbon species lived on Cat Ba Island long ago.
\u0110\u1ed9ng Hoa C\u01b0\u01a1ng is a favorite of visitors. They love the pristine beauty the legends and the history. Remember the sparkling cave the cool lake and the ancient gibbons. \u0110\u1ed9ng Hoa C\u01b0\u01a1ng is a place where nature history and legend come together. A diamond in the heart of Cat Ba Island.