Thien Ha cave: Ideal destination for explorers

Thien Ha cave consists of a system of caves and lies inside stunning mountain ranges. It is surrounded by mountain ranges and a river flowing at the bottom of the mountain range, called Ben Dang. 

If you visit Thien Ha cave, you will have a chance to see thousands of bats flying inside the dark space of the cave, or visit shelters of ancient Vietnamese people with remnants of their kitchen, or joint with local people in daily activities.

It will take visitors a long day to explore the system of caves, including Thien Ha, Thien Thanh, Thien Son, But (Fairy man), Trau (Bufflo), and Gio (wind).

Among which, Thien Ha is the most beautiful and largest cave measuring close 1,000 meters in length. It is dubbed as a "galaxy inside the mountain range" as there is a waterway running through the cave's floor, and numerous sparkling multi- shapes of stalactites and stalagmites on the ceiling.

To discover more about Thien Ha landscape, it is advisable  to choose a walking tour. First, visitors will spend 15 minutes seating on a small boat flowing on Ben Dang river. The pristine and serene nature decorated with water lilies or some wild birds flying or preening nearby may leave an unforgettable impression for tourists.

Take off the boat at the foot of Tuong mountain, visitors will begin their walking tour. A thousand years old Diospyros decandra tree with big rough and curved roots, flourish foliage is the first thing to explore.

Then, walking along the foot of Tuong mountain, visitors will stride on the long road filled with bamboo trees along its two sides and hear the wind blowing through the bamboos' leaves mixed with birds' singing.

To conquer the top of Phat Dau Son mountain, tourists will have to climb hundreds of rock steps. From the top of the mountain, they will have a chance to see a vast area of Phu valley coloured by the green of rice paddy fields, seeing herds of buffalos eating grass; or herds of storks and herons flying over the rice fields. All of these create the beauty picture of a peaceful countryside. 

Continuing the journey, tourists will visit Thien Son cave. Deep inside are numerous stalactites and stalagmites sparking in the dark space. In particularly, these stalactites and stalagmites are still in their process of development.

Thien Ha does not only have a magnificent landscape, but it also bears historical values. The archaeological site of Mai Da Oc (Snail shell roof) will be the last place to explore in the walking tour.

It is a shelter of ancient people. They took rock mountains as walls, and used snail shell to make a roof. That is why it is called Mai da oc (snail shell roof). Inside the ancient shelter, excavators found out various kinds of snails; bones of animals like birds, turtle and fish.

This evidence showed the different adaptations of ancient people to changes in natural conditions. It also proved their good hunting ability in the past.

Many cutting tools made from rock, or ceramic, and human bones also were found there. These findings are important evidence showing the appearance of ancient Vietnamese people from 7,000 to 4,000 years before present.

This interesting tour of Thien Ha tourist site will help bring about fresh experiences for visitors to explore nature while understanding more about the adaptations of our ancestors to the nature's changes.

Translated by Nguyen Thuy