Two kilometers
south-west of Ti Tốp
Beach is the Mê Cung
Grotto or Bewitching
Grotto. It formed on
Lom Bò Island, and
seen from afar, the
entrance is like the
roof of a house
denting the island’s
side.
After a narrow crack
only allowing one
person through at a
time, many
partitions appear.
These chambers are
somewhat small and
narrow, but very
refined, and with
many stalagmites and
stalactites bearing
beautiful forms.
Threading your way
through narrow
passages, you find a
dim light from afar,
which signals the
exit of the grotto.
On getting out of
the grotto, climb up
several rugged stone
stairs and look
down, you see a
large round lake
surrounded by the
mountain. Its waters
is blue all year
round. The lake is
home to many kinds
of fish, shrimps,
octopuses, algae,
see weed, and coral.
Lying adjacent to
the lake there is an
area of old trees
popularly known as
an alluring “royal
garden”.
It is dry and
well-ventilated, and
features a thick
layer of shells
forming the
foundation of the
entrance. Formerly,
this layer was
1.2-meter-thick and
semi-fossilized. In
the course of
research, there was
also a fossilized
animal’s skeleton
discovered in the
interior. The Mê
Cung Grotto has been
recognized by
archaeologists as
one of the vestiges
of the pre-Ha Long
new Stone Age
culture, that
existed between
7,000 and 10,000
years ago.
Pushing into the
grotto, tourists
feel like walking in
a palace of a
Persian king.
Hearing the murmur
from out of nowhere,
you think that
Scheherazade is
telling the stories
of the Thousand and
One Nights for her
king.
On the island, there
are many ancient
trees casting long
reflections on the
water of the bay.
They are home to
many species of
birds and animals
(monkeys, chamois
and varans).