If travelers choose to visit Sung Sot Cave, they should also ask to see Trinh Nu Grotto. Trinh Nu Grotto, or Virgin’s Cave, is in the same island range as the more popular Sung Sot Cave. It may not have as many fantastical features as Sung Sot, but Trinh Nu Grotto is a very beautiful and enjoyably site. When visitors tour the grotto, they leave with a sense of calm and peace that are sometimes hard to find in such a busy world.
Location
Trinh Nu Grotto is found on the Bo Hon island range. This system of islands also features many popular tourist stops, including Tien Lake, Sung Sot Cave and Luon Grotto. It lies 15 kilometers to the south of Bai Chay Beach, and it is a grotto that is frequented by both local residents and world travelers. It faces the opening of Trong Grotto, which has a story that connects with that of Trinh Nu.
Legends
Trinh Nu Grotto has two similar versions of the story of how it came to be named. In the first story, a rich man falls in love with a poor fisherman’s daughter. She was engaged to marry her lover, who was catching fish at sea to prepare for their marriage. The rich man forced the family to give her to him as a concubine, but she refused him. He was so angry that he banished her to the grotto so that she would reconsider her answer. Hungry and tired, she soon turned to stone as she watched the sea for her lover to return. The night that she was petrified, her lover knew that she was suffering and in danger. He rowed his boat to reach her, but a stormy sea smashed his boat. He was washed onto the shore of an island, where he saw his loved one waiting for him. He cried out to her, but the winds and crashing waves drowned out his voice. He used a stone to hammer on the cliffs to get her attention, but his hands started bleeding and he was turned to stone. His grotto is known as Trong Grotto, and it faces Trinh Nu.
In the second version of the story, the ill-fated lovers were too poor to get married. He decided to go fishing in the sea to earn more money, and she got tired of waiting for him to return. She took a small boat out to the sea, but he could not hear her call. She soon became exhausted and took refuge in a grotto. She continued to call for him, but during her final call, she turned to stone. Meanwhile, the boy became lost in a nearby grotto, and he was calling out for his lover until he also was petrified. Visitors say that they can still hear the mournful calls of the lovers.
Features
Trinh Nu has three chambers. The formation of the girl lies at the entrance, and the chambers contain many different formations that resemble animals and people. Its haunting love story makes it a popular attraction for tourists, and many couples choose to profess their love in this grotto.
Legends are abundant in Halong Bay, but one of the most touching stories is that of Trinh Nu. When the love story is combined with the beautiful scenery, most visitors leave the grotto feeling touched and moved.