Me Cung Cave: A Magnificent Maze in Halong Bay

As a famous tourist destination in Vietnam, Halong Bay always brings tourists wonderful things to explore. Coming to Halong Bay, tourists will get a chance to admire the beauty of thousands of sparkling caves and islands. This world heritage is not only visited by tourists but also concerned by scientists due to its values in terms of geology and history. And if you are interested in the geological and biological values from millions of years ago, there is no better place than Me Cung Cave, a shimmering caves in Halong Bay.

I. Overview of Me Cung Cave

Me Cung Cave is located on Lom Bo Island, which is about 2 kilometers to the southwest of Ti Top Island, another famous destination in Halong Bay. Perched on the slope of a mountain, Me Cung Cave is about 25 meters above the sea water. The entrance of this cave that faces east is quite narrow, and in front of this entrance is a flat ground for tourists to stop and enjoy the scenery.

From afar, the entrance of Me Cung Cave looks like the roof of a house on the slope of the mountain. The locals call it Me Cung Cave because of its interior complicated structure with various partitions and narrow space. Entering the cave, tourists might have a feeling as if they were getting lost in a splendid maze, so people called it “Me Cung”, which means “maze”.

Based on the remaining sediments, the archaeologists came to the conclusion that Me Cung Cave is a relic from the pre-Halong culture, which existed in this area from 7,000 to 10,000 years ago. When exploring the cave, the scientists found a lot of artifacts with historical values, including the sedimentary blocks and snail shells. Besides, the fossils of oysters and animal skeletons were also found in this cave. These artifacts are of great significance in the study of habitats and spiritual conceptions of prehistoric humans in Halong Bay.

Thanks to the sediments in Me Cung Cave, this destination is considered as a lively museum of Halong Bay, where tourists can contemplate the striking appearance of the limestone as well as learn more about the formation history of Halong Bay.

II. Highlights of Me Cung Cave

From the wharf of Lom Bo Island, to get to Me Cung Cave, tourists will have to get over a stone stair that is covered by the shadow of green trees. The entrance of Me Cung Cave is so narrow that it can fit only one person. However, the interior space of this cave is quite large, and it is divided by the limestone walls like a house with various rooms.

Along the 100-meter path of Me Cung Cave, the stalagmites and stalactites are like the chandeliers and curtains of a magnificent palace. With the effects of sea water for millions of years, the space inside Me Cung Cave is split into different parts, each part is like a folk tale about the mystery of this cave.

Many tourists suppose that Me Cung Cave is like a party of light, sounds and limestones. Getting into Me Cung Cave, tourists cannot distinguish the border between the light and darkness but they can only see a shimmering space of a cave located deep within the limestone mountain. Some unidentified sounds inside the cave are the word of nature that is whispering the attractive stories of the amazing maze.

At the end of the path inside the cave, you will see a faint light, and following the way to get out of the cave, a garden with a vast lake is waiting for you to explore. The lake is like a present for visitors who have conquered the maze of Me Cung Cave. This peaceful lake will help you to wash away all your tiredness so that you can fully enjoy the nature outside Me Cung Cave.

III. What to See and Do at Me Cung Cave?

1. Exploring the interior of Me Cung Cave

As its name suggests, Me Cung Cave is like a maze made by the Creator for those who love adventurous feelings. The stalagmites from the floor and stalactites from the ceiling of the cave are in various shapes and sizes. A stalagmites looks like a stone lion, while another is like a bear. Some stalactites are in the shapes of the swords, while some others are the brilliant curtains. One thing that can be sure that you cannot help but be astonished at is the stunning scenery of Me Cung Cave.

Me Cung Cave is famous not only for its captivated beauty but also for the geological and historical values that are discovered inside the cave. On the limestone walls of Me Cung Cave, now you can still see the remaining sediments of many sea creatures that existed millions of years ago. Not only that, through the studies, the scientists recognized the life of prehistoric humans living in Halong during the stone age. Therefore, Me Cung Cave is one of the convincing proofs for the natural and historical values of Halong Bay.  

2. Enjoying the scenery of Me Cung Lake

The lake at the exit of Me Cung Cave is called Me Cung Lake. This lake is located on an airtight island that is surrounded by imposing mountains. The first impression of tourists when seeing the lake is a feeling of peace and quietness. The still surface of the lake reflects the shadow of the mountains and plants around, creating a wonderful picture with water, mountains and trees. Me Cung Lake is like a garden that has been hidden for such a long time to wait for the most patient visitor to unlock its attractions.

Around the lake is the garden of plants, many of which are ancient trees with large shades and huge stems. The lake is so beautiful that people call it a royal garden. Some kinds of orchids bloom on the mountain cliffs to ardon the beauty of this lake. Stop at this point and listen to the sounds there, you can hear the songs of the birds and the voice of the island monkey in the mountains. All those things are the images and sounds of life, the life that has been well-preserved by the locals and tourists coming to Halong Bay.

3. Taking photos

It is such a pity that you come to Me Cung Cave without bringing home some gorgeous photos to remind you about this wonderful destination. The light inside Me Cung Cave is not suitable for high quality photos, but the outside area of the cave with sunlight, mountains and sea is the most favorable conditions for your good-looking shoots. Thanks to the impressive appearance of this place, Me Cung Cave is listed on the top instagrammable destinations in Halong Bay. While taking your photos, don’t forget to contemplate the overview of Halong Bay from above.

IV. How to Get to Me Cung Cave?

Me Cung Cave is about 8 kilometers from the mainland of Halong City. To get to this cave, you have to take a cruise ship from the tourism wharfs of Bai Chay or Tuan Chau. The cruise ship to Me Cung Cave is No.02, so you need to pay attention to hire the right ship. It will take you nearly 2 hours on ship to reach Lom Bo Island and Me Cung Cave from the tourism wharf.

The cruise ship No.02 not only takes you to visit Me Cung Cave on Lom Bo Island but also helps you to reach other famous tourist attractions of Halong Bay such as Surprise Cave, Ti Top Island, Luon Cave and Trinh Nu Cave. This is a good chance for you to explore the most attractive limestone caves of Halong Bay.

The whole trip will take you 6 hours, and if you want to stay in Halong Bay more, you can go on a night tour. Besides, you can choose to go on a private ship with high-end services when coming to explore Halong Bay. The price of a private ship might be higher, but the quality of  what you receive from this tour is also better.

V. Extra Tips

• According to the experience of tourists, the best time to visit Me Cung Cave in particular and Halong Bay in general is from April to June and September to October. At this time, the weather is quite nice with sunshine, mild wind and gentle sea.
• You should not go out to visit Halong Bay when the temperature is above 37 Celsius degrees. On these days, the UV index is extremely high, and that is not good for your skin.
• Don’t forget to bring all your necessary items for outside activities such as umbrella, hat, sunglasses, sunscreens and some bottles of water. You will have to stay outside for quite a long time.
• Comfortable clothes are recommended when you visit Me Cung Cave. The way leading to the entrance of Me Cung Cave is quite rough, so a pair of sneakers will make you comfortable all the way.
• You had better follow the instructions of the tour guide to ensure your and others’ safety.
• You are not allowed to throw your rubbish and carve on the walls of the cave. Be a civil and polite visitor.

The wonderful experiences in Me Cung Cave is one of the best things you might have when visiting Halong Bay. If one day you find life too boring, why don’t you take a journey to Halong Bay and Me Cung Cave to enjoy your own peaceful moments? A lot of interesting things are waiting for you to explore!