Hua Ma Cave

Hua Ma sits in the limestone above the road to Ba Be lake, a single large chamber running several hundred metres into the hill with columns, curtains and flowstone at substantial scale, lit and pathed since it was opened for visitors in 2010. The name is Tay and is usually translated as horse head, from a story about an official who sacrificed a horse to quiet the spirits heard in the mountain. Reaching the entrance means about three hundred steps up the hillside, which is the work of the visit. It is normally combined with Ba Be lake, which is a few kilometres further on.

Background

The cave belongs to Pắc Ngòi village in Ba Bể district, Bắc Kạn province, inside Ba Bể national park and beside the river Lèng. It opens halfway up a mountain at about 350m above sea level, which explains its other name, Suspension Cave, and it looks down over the waters of Ba Be Lake. The entrance, facing east, is 3 meters wide and 5 meters high, with a passageway leading south. Inside, the cave runs for over 700m beneath a ceiling 40-50m high, and dozens of stone columns 10-15m tall stand in its centre. Surveys took place from 2003 to 2004, and the province has paid for lighting and roads to the cave.

Source: Wikipedia, "Hua Ma Cave"

What's there

• A single large chamber - several hundred metres into the hill.
• Columns and flowstone at scale - lit and pathed since 2010.
• A story about a horse sacrifice - which gives the cave its name.
• Three hundred steps up - to the entrance.

When to go

September to November and March to May. Two hours.

Practical notes

The stair up is steep and hot. Lighting inside is coloured, which some dislike. The floor is wet. It is a short visit and is nearly always combined with Ba Be.

Nearby

Ba Be lake and national park are north-west; Cho Ra is north.

Key facts