Last week I spent three days in the Phu Long Commune on Cat Ba Island. The people were kind and welcoming, the food was delicious and the community was interesting; all-in-all the trip was a great success. But the most notable part of the trip, in my opinion, was the incredible natural beauty of the area.
Phu Long Commune is situated in the buffer zone of Cat Ba National Park. On Monday afternoon, shortly after lunch, we were invited to travel by boat to the site of a massive cave known as Thien Long Cave (or “Heavenly Dragon” Cave). We started our tour at the Phu Long bridge port, just next to the Phu Long market area, where we caught two speed boats and sped off to the cave, winding between the many islands in the area. We toured the cave with a very helpful local tour guide who pointed out the historical significance of the cave to the local people as well as the most interesting feature of the cave; the naturally-formed musical instrument which we were able to both listen to and try playing.
The cave was gorgeous; high ceilings with incredible rock formations shaped by years and years of trickling sea water. This left the rocks with the bits of salt in them that made them sparkle in the light and created an overall effect that was quite magical.
A short walk from this cave was a small, rocky hill that we climbed (although on our way back down it seemed more like a rocky cliff edge) in order to get a better view of the area. Getting down was a bit scary, but the view was well worth it! From Thien Long Cave we took boat to Mr. Thanh’s shrimp ponds – the strictly protected area of Cat Ba National Park. We ate dinner with Mr. Thanh’s family in the park and watched the sun set over the surrounding shrimp ponds and mango trees.
I cannot forget the trip back. The boat was navigated by the light of a very bright moon in a very clear sky. It was a beautiful!
The next day we did some more touring, including a visit to the Ma cave (“Grave” cave) area and a stunning but forgotten-looking beach. The motorcycle ride also provided us a chance to admire the countryside and appreciate how varied and interesting it is.
We also spent a lot of our trip at the Garden Cafe in the Phu Long Commune. The cafe itself is mostly outdoors; a mix of different covered sitting areas, gardens and well-placed hammocks. It backs on to even more shrimp ponds; I had a chance to wander quietly through them, following the small soil paths separating the ponds. The whole place has a tranquil, relaxed atmosphere and the owner and his family are friendly and keen to help.
Cat Ba islands are known for their beautiful scenery and, while I saw only a small part, I believe that the Phu Long Commune and surrounding area hosts a surprising number of these beautiful sights and at the same time is home to a friendly community that has not been overrun by tourism. It is definitely a must-see location for the responsible traveler.
Melissa Stockton