Hua Ma Caves (Ba Be National Park) Vietnam

Hua Ma Cave, Ba Be National Park Overview

The Ba Be National Park is an intricate network of caves and caverns, and one such occurrence here is the Hua Ma Cave. Located in the Hua Ma range of Horse Head Mountain, this cave was opened to the public in the year 2014. This cave is a natural formation and has many beautiful stalactites within its bounds.

To reach the Hua Ma Caves, there is a climb of almost 300 metres. The caves themselves are about 700m long and have a height of almost 40-50 metres. The interiors are filled with sparkling stalactites and naturally curving stone terrace-like formations. It also gives a view of the Ba Be Lake through the inside itself.

Legend

The Hua Ma Cave is a mesmerising beauty whose brilliance is only second to the interesting legend associated with it. Locals believe that long ago, a king and his staff were travelling through the jungle. Upon approaching the Hua Ma cave, their horses became paralysed with fear and refused to cross a stream near the cave. Puzzled by the animals' behaviour, the king enquired about the place and learned that the cave was inhabited by the spirits of innocent people who had been killed. The king decided to free these souls from their misery and to do so; he had his soldiers behead the horses and sent their heads downstream as he recited Buddhist scriptures. This ritual freed the souls and purified the cave from their presence.