 The Trinh Nu Grotto or Virgin Grotto is situated on
the island range of Bo Hon in the system comprising
the
Sung Sot Grotto, Dong Tien Lake and
Luon Grotto.
It is 15 km south of
Bai Chay Beach. 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.
Entering
Trinh Nu Grotto, one finds in the middle of
the grotto a stone statue of a lying-girl with her
long hair hanging down who is looking to the sea in
a vain hope.
Situated opposite to Trinh Nu Grotto, Trong (or
Male) Grotto has a stone statue of a boy who turns
his face to Trinh Nu Grotto. One still hears his
vain scream in tune with the wind blowing into the
cliff somewhere.
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 on the high seas catching fish 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.
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 his mate 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's Trong Grotto).
Tourists also find Trinh Nu Grotto attractive partly
because of its association with a fanciful love
legend: "Once upon a time, there lived a boy and a
girl who deeply loved each other. However, they were
so poor that they could not be able to get married.
The boy decided to go offshore fishing with a hope
that he could get enough money for his marriage. And
the girl painfully waited in vain for her fiance.
She finally took a small boat and rowed to the sea
to look for him. So immense is the sea, and so many
are the islands, the boy, therefore could not hear
her doleful call, though he was just several canals
away. Exhausted, the girl lied in a grotto, looking
to the sea and got petrified after the last call.
The boy got lost in a grotto nearby, shouting to
call the girl in vain. The echo of their call
through the cliff was so moving. At last, the boy
became exhausted and petrified in the grotto -
present-day Trong Grotto.".
Halong bay tours
Today, whenever passing this place, tourists can
still hear his faint call.
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