Ninh Binh attracts a large number of domestic and foreign tourists with various types of tourism: spiritual tourism, cultural and historical research. It just wouldn’t feel complete without the most fascinating part of your cave exploration, you have not discovered and admired the magic, shimmer and illusion of the Galaxy Cave – Thien Ha cave in Ninh Binh
Why Galaxy Cave in Ninh Binh?
This place may be heaven cave (Phong Nha- Ke Bang) where have both dry and water caves, skylights, underground rivers … making this place like Thien Duong cave (in a tiny miniature Phong Nha).
It looks just like you are lost in a vision of a fairy tale land. The reason Thien Ha Galaxy Cave has often been likened to “the milky way in the mountain” that there is an underground river through cave and limestone stalactites shining over the river.
Have a look at:
- Best Time to visit Ninh Binh for Your Amazing Trip
- How to get from Hanoi to Ninh Binh? Easiest and Best Way To Travel to Ninh Binh
Location
Thien Ha Grottoes is located in Son Ha commune, Nho Quan district, Ninh Binh province. The cave is a cave complex on Tuong Mountain. The mountain is considered as a garrison of the outpost guarding Hoa Lu citadel during the reign of King Dinh Tien Hoang and King Le Dai Hanh.
Attractive beauty, less touristy than other places in Ninh Binh
Thien Ha Galaxy Cave was not discovered until 2007 because it is very small and covered by trees. The total length of the cave has 700 meter include the dry cave is 200 meter long and the wet cave is 500 meter long. It is a large space with up to 12,000 m2. Which is equivalent to Sung Sot cave (Ha Long). The stalactite system is diverse and continues to be formed and developed.
Thien Ha Cave and Thien Thanh Cave are two natural heritages in the world heritage complex of Trang An. Thien Ha is a beautiful cave, including both dry and wet caves, with a diverse range of stalactites and stalagmites. Galaxy cave is also known as the Milky Way in the mountains.
The Cave is not only beautiful but also contains great historical value when people have discovered many fossils that prove the development of mankind hundreds of thousands of years ago. The cave is a focal point of the cave tourism for visitors to explore and experience. At present time, Galaxy cave has been invested and exploited and become a famous tourist destination of Ninh Binh tourism industry.
Entrance Fee Ticket
- A child’s ticket costs: 40.000 VND/person
- The adult ticket price: 120.000 VND/person
What things to do in Thien Ha cave
There are two boat routes you can choose to explore Thien Ha Cave and the wonderful scenery of the area.
- Route 01: Nha Le Pier with rowing boat along Tuong Mountain, then stop to go sightseeing, after that you will sail over the rive to look around But cave . At the end of the journey, you will return to the pier Nha Le.
Total spending for travelling and boat is VND 120,000 / person and a boat with 4 guests (foreigners) & 6 guests (Vietnamese). This route takes about 1.5 hours (mostly watching caves and overlooking the mountains compared to route 02).
- Route 02: Nha Le pier with rowing boat along Tuong Mountain, stop to visit Thien Thanh cave, Thien Ha cave and then paddle across the But cave to admire Thung Nham Bird Garden – Ghe cave – Chua cave. After that, the end of our journey will be at Thung Nham boat station
Entrance & boat fee is VND 200,000 / person / one way (drop at Hai Nham pier, don’t return to Nha Le pier). This route is a landscape connection – similar to Tam Coc and Trang An and you will spend about 2.5-hour for this journey.
Apart from caves of Route 01, this boating trip is extended to Thung Nham bird sanctuary, you will have more chance to explore many mountain views and other caves. It will take more time for going back to Nha Le pier so they will charge double if you want to return (you need comfirm the price before buying tickets).
Dry cave – prehistoric castle
Dry cave has a width of about 40m, a length of 200m. There are many stalactite stalagmites filled with natural light shines into the yellow, shimmering silvery colors with diverse into the cave. Travelers can imagine this place sound like a “stone castle” with elephants, tigers, fox, monkey … Going deep inside, the space was expanded and magnificent with the stalactites of various shapes evocative. Tourist will have a vivid imagination.
Between Dry cave and southern ridge have a connecting door, it is about 2.5-3m wide, about 3-6m high, called the Sky Well with many beautiful stalactites. This is the place where the Thien Ha cave interact with the outside world. The sun shines daily on the mountain top will strikes a surface of cave and is reflected from it as they shine in bright lights, making large space and well-aired space.
According to the concept of the East, the goal is to create a harmonious coexistence of the sun and earth to make all things of the universe multiply rapidly. This well has saved many vestiges of ancient Vietnamese people who lived about 7,500-10,000 years ago.
Water cave – galaxy
After visiting the dry cave, visitors will sail down the river to explore the water cave. This underground river with a length of 500m appeared as the Milky Way snakes its way through the stalactites. The most special of which is the stalactites named as Hoa Tien island, Breast milk, The carp changes to dragon ..
The deeper you go to the cave , the more attracted by the beauty of thousands of stone masterpieces which were elaborately carved and installation. According to American experts, the stalactite system in Thien Ha Galaxy Grottos is still alive and in the process of developing, unlike stalactites in many other caves in Ninh Binh province.
Thien Thanh Cave
The cave is located near the marina to Thien Ha where there is a path leading to the mountain, visitors step up to 157 stone steps to Thien Thanh Cave. This cave is a dry cave with a length of about 50m, this is like a “stone castle”.
The position and surface of the stalactites and stalactites have contributed to the depth and abundance of the cave. The stalactites with different shapes, white as snow, sparkling, faint, layered layers from the top of the cave down to the foot of the cave, forming attractive iridescent shading curtains.
Nearby Attraction and Activities
Thien Ha Cave – Galaxy Grottoes is one of the most famous sights that you can choose for your trip to Ninh Binh. Besides, there are other destinations nearby, so you can expand your schedule.
Tam Coc – Bich Đong
Tam Coc – Bich Dong, also known by famous names such as “Ha Long Bay on land” or “Nam Thien De Nhi Dong”, is one of the several focus national tourist area of Vietnam. The whole area includes a system of limestone caves and historical relics related to the Vu Lam palace of the Tran dynasty located mainly in Ninh Hai, Hoa Lu and Ninh Binh communes.
- Entrance fee + Boat ticket: VND 195,000 / Pax
Thung Nham Bird Garden
Thung Nham ecotourism area is one of the tourist destinations in the core area of Trang An world heritage site. This tourist area is located in Hai Nham valley with the main highlight is the Natural Bird garden and the typical cave tourist attractions such as Vai Gioi cave, Tien Ca cave, Thuy Cung cave cave, But cave, …
- Entrance fee 100.000 VND / person
- Ticket for an excursion in the bird garden 30.000 VND / person
Bai Dinh Pagoda
Bai Dinh Pagoda is a large temple complex known for many Asian and Vietnamese records, located at the western gateway of Hoa Lu ancient monument, on the National Highway 38B, in Gia Sinh commune, Gia Vien. , Ninh Binh.
It is about 15 km from Ninh Bình city, within 95 km of Ha Noi. The Pagoda is located in the north of the world heritage site Trang An.
- Electric Car tickets 40.000 VND/ person /turn
- Visit tower: 50.000 VND/person
>>> Read more: Bai Dinh Pagoda and Significant Records in Ninh Binh
Trang An Scenic Landscape
It has been recognized by UNESCO as a dual world heritage site since 2014 with a system of limestone mountain ranges of about 250 million years old geology, over a long period of weathered by the change of earth and climate. This landscape is a place to preserve many wetland ecosystems, forests in limestone mountain, archaeological sites and cultural and historical relics.
- Adult ticket: 200.000 VND (a boat of four people)
- Children under 1m: 100.000 VND
>>> Read more about:
- Trang An Grottoes – A uniqueness of Ninh Binh?
- Trang An Boat Ride – A Spectacular Boat Ride Must Do in Ninh Binh
Van Long Nature Reserve
Not only is the nature reserve, Van Long Nature Reserve is also home to fascinating landscapes. Van Long was dubbed the “bay without waves” because when traveling on a boat on the lagoon, visitors will see the water surface as a giant mirror. However, the water surface here is not the color of sea water, the crystal clear moss layer of the seaweed on the bottom.
- Scenic ticket: 60.000 VND / person
- Ferry ticket: 60.000/person/ turn
>>> More detail: Van Long Nature Reserve in Ninh Binh
Cuc Phuong National Park
Cuc Phuong National Park (Cuc Phuong forest) where is a nature reserve, has a diverse flora and fauna system featuring tropical rainforests. Many highly endangered plant and animal species have been discovered and preserved here and this is also the first national park in Vietnam.
- Entrance ticket
- Adult: 60.000 VND/person
- Student: 20.000 VND/person
- Children: 10.000 VND/person
But Cave, Ninh Binh
But cave which is discovered only a short time ago, is one of the most beautiful hydro-penetration pier today. It is about 18km away from Ninh Binh city, in Thung Nham bird garden ecotourism area, Hang But is a natural stone cave with a length of over 500m, a width of 70m and a height of 30m.
The cave is currently located in the heart of Tuong mountain with the height of nearly 200m, which is part of the solid natural wall surrounding and protecting the southwest of the 10th century Hoa Lu capital, associated with historical places, culture such as boat station of the Le reign, Nui Phat Dau Son, Thua Ruong Dau Linh, etc.
How to get to Thien Ha
Tourists will move from the boat dock in Muong Tho Ha village, Dong Tam commune to explore Thien Ha. It takes more than 10 minutes on boat to reach the foot of Tuong mountain – A towering mountain is surrounded by swamps, grass, like a solid wall around to protect Hoa Lu ancient capital.
After the boat landed to Tuong mountain, travelers will walk about 300 m and will climb dozen steps to be halfway up the mountain. With a length of about 1 km in the Ben Dang river then it continued on its way to stone path along the foot of General mourntain to reach the cave entrance with 500 m in length
>>> This is more for you: How to get from Noi Bai airport to Ninh Binh?
From Ninh Binh
You can go to Thien Ha Galaxy Cave in 2 directions:
- From Ninh Binh Center: You can go from National Highway 1A to Tam Diep – at the intersection with National Road 12B. Then turn right to Son Ha commune – then turn right and follow another road sign leading to Thien Ha cave. Parking car in Tho Ha village, you will take a boat down the small canal to start the journey (23km)
- From City Center, you can go from Trang An – Bai Dinh pagoda – the National Highway No. 38B – the National Highway No.12B then turn left to Son Ha commune to explore Thien Ha cave. This route is 32km long, you can visit many places.
From Hanoi
If you depart from Hanoi to Thien Ha Cave, you can go by train, motorbike and bus. It takes you about 2 hours. Thien Ha Cave is only 23km away from the center of Ninh Binh city. So it’s easy for you to catch a taxi get to the hotel/homestay.
For the shuttle bus, there are two options: the buses will pick you up at the fore-arranged address or you can go catch the bus at the bus stations. If you want to catch the bus yourself, you can go to:
- Giap Bat bus station at 6 Giai Phong street, Hoang Mai district.
- Yen Nghia bus station at Highway 6, Ha Dong district.
- Nuoc Ngam bus station at 1 Ngoc Hoi road, Hoang Mai district.
- My Dinh bus station at 20 Pham Hung.
You may interesting:
To get further information and advice on a trip to Galaxy Grottoes, Ninh Binh, please contact us, the Hanoi Explore Travel Team. It’s our pleasure to help you get the best experience while you are in Vietnam!
