The Virgin grotto are located on Hon Bo Island in the system including Sung Sot Cave, Dong Tien Lake and Luon Grotto. It is located 15 km south of Bai Chay beach. For the fishermen, the Virgin grotto is their home, but for couples it is considered a symbol of love, and is the romantic place of the vow of love. In the cave, one finds in the middle of the cave a stone statue of a girl with long hair tumbling down and facing the sea as if expecting a false hope. Facing the Virgin, the Drumstick (or Roof) has a stone statue of a young boy pointing his face to the Virgin’s cave.
Virgin Grotto – Halong bay
Legend has it, there once was a beautiful fisherman’s daughter, whose family was so poor that it was in the service of the rich administrator of the fishing zone. He forced the family to give him the girl as a concubine. She already had a lover who at that time was going offshore fishing to prepare for their wedding. The administrator, angered by her refusal, exiled her to a wild island where she suffered from hunger and exhaustion. On one frightening night, amidst terrible rain and winds, she turned to stone. (Today’s Virgin Grotto – Trinh Nữ Grotto). It was also the night that her lover knew of her danger, and he rowed his boat in search of her. On the terrible night, the tempest destroyed his boat and he floated to one of the islands. In a lighting flash he saw her in the distance, but his calls were driven away by the wind. He used a stone block to hammer down on the mountain cliffs to announce to her he was nearby. He struck until blood flowed from his hands, and in his final exhaustion, turned to stone. Today, whenever passing this place, tourists can still hear his faint call like the drum echo. That’s why it’s named Male Grotto or Drum Grotto.
The Grottos are situated near Sung Sot Grotto (Amazing Cave) in the area of the world Natural Heritage of Halong Bay. For fishermen, the Virgin Grotto is their house, but for young lovers, it is considered as the symbol of truly love, and is the romantic place for taking oath of love.
Virgin Grotto – Halong bay
Thus Halong Bay is famous not only by its natural beauty but also a place imprinted couples love, history and culture of Vietnam.