It is situated on the south-west side the
bay, 4 km from the wharf outside of Ha Long City.
The way to Thiên Cung is a perilous one, covered on both sides by thick forest.
After entering a narrow gate, the grotto’s 130-meter-long girth opens up. Getting in we are more astonished in front of the very animated and splendid
beauty which is made from stalactite.
On the east wall of the grotto, there is
a grandiose and imposing picture with characters of tales. Going out of the Thiên Cung Grotto, we have a sensation of just watching a unique, meticulous, interesting fine-art museum which is made by nature, get out of the imagine, ability and intellect of man.
This grotto is recently discovered, one of the most beautiful grottoes in Ha Long Bay.
Legend has it, that beautiful young lady named Mây (cloud), caught the eye of the Dragon Prince and he fell in love with her. They were betrothed, and their wedding lasted seven days and seven nights in the very centre of the grotto.
In honour of the wedding, small dragons
flew about through the stalactites and stalagmites, elephants danced together
happily, snakes twined themselves around trees and two stone lions danced with
their manes flowing in the wind. A large elephant, smartly dressed, waited for
the bride and the groom. The genies of the south and north stars also came to
attend the banquet, and the atmosphere was definitely animated and lively. All
these scenes have been seemingly fossilized in the grotto.
In the centre are four large pillars
supporting the "roof of heaven”? From the base to the top, many strange
images seem to live in the stone: birds, fish, flowers and even scenes of human
life. On the north wall of the grotto a group of fairies seem to dance and sing
in honour of the wedding. Under the immeasurably high roof, stalactites make a
natural stone curtain. Somewhere there is the sound of a drum beating, but it
is actually just the noise made by the wind blowing through stone.
Arriving at the last partition of the
grotto, you will see a natural gushes stream of water babbles throughout the
year. Here are three small ponds of clear water. Legend has it, that this was
where Mây bathed her 100 children, bringing them up wisely and happily into
adolescence. One path meanders out of the grotto; it was the way Mây, together
with 50 of her children, took to harvest new lands. The 50 remaining children,
together with their father, were left to build the native land. Left behind by
the mother was the natural stream described above.
