Tien Son, which roughly translates as “fairy moun-tain”, is the name of a pristine limestone cave in Thanh Hoa province that was only discovered last year.

The villagers of Vinh An in Vinh Loc District are boasting that Tien Son is as beautiful as Thien Cung Cave in Halong Bay or even the World Heritage-listed Phong Nha in Quang Binh Province.

To get there from Hanoi and see for yourself, drive along National Highway 1A for 150 kilometers to Vinh Loc District and continue a further 20 kilometers to Kim Son, a relic of the glorious Dong Son civilization. From here you can get to Vinh An by bicycle, or simply walk.

The cave entrance is visible from the foot of the limestone hill but the climb up is a tad difficult. Best is to hire an experienced local as your guide before clambering up the rocky and quite slippery slope that leads to Tien Son.

The cave is known to extend for several kilometers but only the first section has been properly explored; farther in there are passages galore that have yet to see a human imprint.

It’s magnificent inside, what with hundreds of stalagmites and stalactites of all shapes and sizes. If you want to be a true vandal, tap one of the fatter stalagmites and make a deep percussion sound. The grease from your hand will disperse throughout the limestone and leave the stalagmite discolored for good.

The most arresting sight would have to be the 20-meter statue of the Bodhisattva Kwan Yin sitting on a lotus throne. It shines and sparkles, while across the ceiling veins of gold and silver glitter in the torchlight.

Deep inside stand many oddly shaped formations. By climbing up some rocks you can touch “the long fairy hairs” - straw stalactites hanging straight down. On the left are corals and flowers just like the real ones.

A good place to rest and quench the thirst is Gieng Tien (fairy well), so named because it resembles a water jug placed on a large rock. Sometimes a drop of water falls from a stalactite into the jug, breaking the deathly silence of the deep dark.

From Gieng Tien, you can go through a labyrinth of stalagmites to get to Cung Thuy Te Vuong (Neptune’s palace). The place is festooned with limestone shells, oysters and a wealth of marine creatures created from stalagmites and quartz.

There is also a stone instrument that makes a melodious sound at the touch of a hand.

Tien Son, together with four grottos found recently in Vinh An and the ruins of a Ho Dynasty citadel, Trinh Dynasty Palace and Han Temple in Vinh Loc District, is getting popular with tourists so beware.

They’re even making access easier so that more and more people will come and trudge through the cave, muttering words of wonder and admiration as they must.

Le Duong