Surprise Cave ( Hang Sung Sot) in Ha Long Bay

Of all of Ha Long’s caves, Sung Sot cave is the largest, perhaps the most renowned, and likely the most visited of all.

Among the 1,969 sunken limestone towers submerged in the indigo waters of Ha Long Bay are a series of ancient caves and grottoes – many of which remained unexplored. To date, there are 59 caves listed on the official registry (this includes the most recent discovery of 23 ‘new’ caves), all of which have a special belonging in Ha Long Bay’s distinctive ecosystem. Undoubtedly the most famous of them all is Sung Sot Cave, which has rightfully earned its near-legendary status among visitors to the world-famous bay.

Location:
Largely considered to be the center of Ha Long Bay, Sung Sot Cave is located on Bo Hon Island, a close neighbor of several other famous attractions such as Titov Island, Bo Nau Grotto, Me Cung Cave and Luon Cave.

History & Formation of Sung Sot Cave

Sung Sot Cave was allegedly first discovered by the French in 1901, who took it upon themselves to name it “Grotte des Surprises”, or Surprising Cave, because of its ‘surprising’ beauty (although the name didn’t catch on until a good 40 years later). The cave welcomed its first visitors in 1993, a mere one year before Ha Long Bay would receive its first bestowment of World Heritage site status from UNESCO.

From 520-470 million BC, Ha Long Bay was subject to intense tectonic plate movements, along with severe rainfall and flooding which caused the formation of underwater mountains. Millions of years on, the Ha Long Bay area began to experience a period of extreme heat and drought.

The change in weather patterns is what eventually contributed to the emergence of the thick limestone formations that we can still see today. The steady erosion of these sea mountains eventually delivered to us the much-coveted caves of Ha Long Bay. The advancement of the sea and its effects on the formation of the caves can be seen on the ceilings, where a ripple-like pattern is often visible.

What You’ll See at Sung Sot Cave

There’s a small dock at the bottom of Bo Hon Island, where you’ll dismount your boat and begin the climb up 100 or so steps to the mouth of Sung Sot Cave. The cave covers a staggering 10,000 square meters (that’s twice the size of the White House if that’s anything to go by). The cave is about 30 meters high and sports a 500-meter long passage (good news for the claustrophobics among us).

The interior is separated into 2 caverns, the first of which is a small amphitheater type of space connected by a small passageway to the larger cavern next door, which is big enough to hold 1,000 people or more. The entire cave is bestrewn with stalactites and stalagmites, which serve as endless material for the legend and ‘lore of the area.

How to visit Surprise cave?

The best way to see Ha Long Bay has always been by boat. Among the numerous cruise companies that tour through the bay, a pretty large amount will visit Sung Sot Cave including daily boat  overnight boat. Dragon King is one of those, get in touch with us if you want to book a cruise visiting Sung Sot Cave!