Thien Cung Cave
Động Thiên Cung
The cave closest to the pier, with stalactite halls lit in colors and the legend of the Dragon King's wedding; the first stop on Ha Long Bay day tours.
Thien Cung Cave lies on Dau Go Island, about 4 km from Tuan Chau Pier. It was discovered and developed in 1993, and its name comes from its ceiling, which resembles a palace dome. It shares the island with Hang Dau Go, where legend says Tran Hung Dao of the Tran dynasty hid wooden stakes to defeat the Yuan fleet. Thien Cung is the standard first stop on four-hour day cruises. Visitors climb about 100 steps from the pier to enter. The cave is about 130 meters long, and its main chamber covers roughly 10,000 square meters. Dense stalactites cover the ceiling and walls, lit in red, green, blue and purple. Local legend holds that this is the 'heavenly palace' where the Dragon King held his daughter's wedding, and guides point out formations shaped like the 'Dragon King', 'fairies' and 'wedding guests'. An exit at the rear of the cave overlooks the tour boats in the bay. A loop walkway runs through the cave, and a visit takes about 30–45 minutes. Thien Cung has denser stalactites than Surprise Cave, but its commercialization and bright lighting make it better suited to day-trippers with limited time. After leaving the cave, day cruises usually head to Fighting Cock Rock and Dog Island (Hòn Chó) before returning to the pier. Admission is included in the Ha Long Bay ticket for 'Route 1', and the cave is open about 08:00–17:00. Note: between 9 and 11 a.m. the cave is crowded and stuffy, the steps are slippery, and visitors should not touch the stalactites.
Opening hours
08:00–17:00 (depends on cruise schedule)
Nearby sights
- Dau Go Cave
- Fighting Cocks Islet (Kissing Rocks)
- Bai Chay Beach
- Tuan Chau Island
- Sun World Ha Long
- Bai Chay Bridge
- Bai Tho Mountain
- Ti Top Island