On a cruise aboard the luxurious Emeraude in Ha Long Bay, we stopped at Bo Hon Island to visit Surprise Cave.
The cave is aptly named. As you approach what appears to be an unremarkable opening in the limestone cliffs, you enter a sprawling underground chamber festooned with a dizzying display of stalactites and stalagmites. Coloured lights designed to highlight the cave’s features only add to the spectacle. That’s the surprise that awaits visitors not expecting much as they approach from the outside.
One of the best parts about visiting the cave is that the air is deliciously cool compared to the outside which can be staggeringly hot.