Huong Tich Cave was once known as “The most beautiful cave in Vietnam” with its charming scenery and strangely shaped rocks. The famous cave is associated with Huong Pagoda, which many tourists visit when they come to My Duc, Hanoi.
General information about Huong Tich cave
According to the elders in Huong Son commune, no one knew about Huong Tich Cave (Vietnamese: Động Hương Tích, Động meaning “Cave) until the monk Van Thuy Thien Thien Tran Dao Vien Quang came to stay at Thien Tru Pagoda, then the monk and two other monks discovered it around the 15th century. In 1868, worship of Buddha began at Huong Tich Cave, and it was popularly known as the Trong Pagoda.
Currently, Huong Tich Cave is located in Huong Son National Tourist Area, Huong Son Commune, Hanoi. This is a tourist destination that combines nature and culture, attracting many visitors whenever they come to this area.
Huong Tich Cave is located at an altitude of 390 meters. This is considered the center of the Huong Pagoda scenic area. Visitors often stop by Huong Tich Cave after visiting Huong Pagoda to admire its wonderful natural beauty.
In March 1770, Lord Trinh Sam visited and awarded Huong Tich Cave the title “Nam Thiên Đệ Nhất Động,” meaning “The most beautiful cave in Vietnam”; the second and third are, respectively, Bich Dong Cave and Dich Long Cave in Ninh Binh.
The first to third lunar months are the best times to explore Huong Tich Cave. At that time, the Huong Son Tourist Area will be very crowded due to the Huong Pagoda Festival. The festival will peak from the January full moon to the 18th of February in the lunar calendar.
However, if you want to enjoy the beautiful scenery at Huong Tich Cave, come in September to December. At this time, the area around Huong Tich Cave is very fresh and pleasant, making it ideal for sightseeing.
How to get here?
To get to Huong Tich Cave, visitors used to have to “climb mountains and wade streams,” which was quite difficult. The only way from Duc Wharf to Thien Tru Pagoda was by boat on the Yen Stream. Most visitors visited Trinh Temple at the beginning of Yen Stream, then gently glided along the 4 km-long stream to enjoy the scenery.
The way to climb the mountain to Huong Tich Cave is not easy. People have widened the road on stone steps for the convenience of visitors. The roads here are also well-maintained, making it easier for visitors to move. However, the road to Huong Tich Cave, about 2km long, is a big challenge for those who are not familiar with trekking.
The road is about 120 stone steps long. On both sides of the road are cool green forests, creating a pleasant space. To correctly identify the cave, in 1927, local people built a green stone entrance.
Although not large, this cave entrance also enhances the cave’s sacredness. The current cable car fare for both directions is 220,000 VND, and the trip takes only 10 minutes.
What’s unique in Huong Tich Cave?
According to folk legend, Huong Tich Cave is the mouth of a large dragon, and Dun Gao Mountain in front of the cave is the dragon’s tongue.
The deep entrance to the cave has two symmetrical niches about 50m long. Right at the left entrance, there is still the inscription “The most beautiful cave in Vietnam” by Trinh Sam as an affirmation of the magical beauty of Huong Tich Cave.
In the cave, there are many towering stalactites and stalagmites that the locals symbolize as Co and Nui mountains, a golden tree, a buffalo, and a pig… On the right ceiling, there are nine stalactites like nine dragons facing a rock protruding from the ground, popularly called “Nine dragons fighting a pearl”.
In addition to what nature has bestowed on Huong Tich Cave, there are also very delicate offerings from Buddhists, such as a lotus stone pedestal, with a shadow in the corner of a person wearing a loincloth raising his hand high as if supporting the pedestal. This stone lotus pedestal was donated by two concubines during the Later Le Dynasty. The bronze statues on the “Three Jewels” were donated by the Trinh Thi Ngoc Du family in 1705.
In particular, the green stone statue of Bodhisattva was carved during the Tay Son Dynasty (1793). The statue was donated by a military officer named Nguyen Huy Nhat.
Huong Tich Cave is a famous scenic spot that many nature and culture lovers gather here to explore and admire. We hope the information in this article will serve as a useful travel guide for your upcoming trip to explore Hanoi.
Source: collected by An
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