Tam Coc. Riding a bicycle to Bích Động and Hang Múa.
I certainly had an excellent day, although I started out late in the morning. I fell asleep very early last night, but was woken a few times during the night, first by a 1:30 am phone call of all things, which I didn’t answer, but I subsequently dreamed I got a second phone call, which I thought actually happened until I woke up and looked at calls received; that second call seemed so real. I couldn’t quite get the temperature right. It is humid here, as I knew it would be – this is Vietnam, but the air conditioning was too cold, the fan too noisy, and too hot and humid if I used neither. Having the windows opened helped some, until about 3:30, when multiple roosters started crowing, and they didn’t let up, period. They were still cock-a-doodle-doodling non-stop, until well into mid-morning, and they were joined by a couple dogs barking around 5 am, followed by the sounds of workers by 6, and a loud radio around the same time. My sleep was intermittent, and I was up for good around 5:45. What will tonight be like, or, more to the point, tomorrow morning, starting around 3:30-4 am?
This blog takes a long time to write, including editing photos as well as the writing, and I took much of the morning to catch up on the last two days. The more I do each day, and the more photos I take, the more time it takes to write the blog. That’s why I wasn’t sure I could keep this blog up when the trip first started, although I have been able to. Sometimes, like this morning, it’s a choice between doing the blog or going out, but the more the blog falls behind, the more time it takes to catch it up, and the more photos accumulate (and I usually take a lot of photos each day, if there’s anything interesting to photograph). Plus, I like writing the blog; it’s my external memory, and allows me to actually learn something about where I’m visiting, as I also take time to do a little research as I’m writing it.
So, after a refreshing (but kind of cold) shower, and responding to the call I got at 1:30 am, etc., I started to edit photos and write the blog. I have two more full days in Tam Hoc, so can afford to be relaxed about things, and it felt good to not have to be up and at ’em for a change. That’s partially why I changed my itinerary to only go down as far south as Da Nang, and not all the way to Ho Chi Minh, flying back to Hanoi instead, so I could have more leisurely time in each of the areas I’m visiting.
I ambled down to the lobby late morning, and Zuyen, the owner, told me I should rent a motorcycle tomorrow and take a bicycle today, and suggested a couple of local places to see within easy cycling distance. I took her advice. I haven’t ridden a bike in at least 20 years, and wondered how it would be. It was easy, mostly because it’s pretty much flat around here, and certainly where I rode, as well as being safe once out of town, away from the risk posed by the crazy traffic in town and other well-trafficked areas. But I had no problems on this single speed bike, and adjusted the brakes, which weren’t so good, and handled stopping with care as the brakes were not the greatest. The basket was really useful. I rode a little over 11 miles in all, again, all flat, and wondered if my legs would be like jelly or sore, but no problem. Maybe I’ll think about getting a bike when I get back – except there are plenty of hills back home.
The bicycle ride was easy and smooth, and exhilarating to be in this beautiful countryside, with Karst cliffs around, among ponds, streams, and fields of rice paddies.
My first stop was the Bích Động Pagoda, and this region is often called Tam Coc-Bích Động as the pagoda is a major landmark, and justifiably so. The ride there was very pleasant, riding a little under 2 miles southwest along the main road, and arriving at the village of Dam Khe, where I parked the bicycle for a fee of about 19 cents (5,000 Vietnamese dong).
Bích Động is wonderful, translating to “Green Grotto” or “Jade Cave.” Even before entering through the main gateway, the scenery and grounds are stunningly beautiful, and classic Vietnam.
Bích Động is a series of three Buddhist temples, dating back to 1428, built into the mountain. It is three-tiered, with the first pagoda, Ha Pagoda (Lower Pagoda) at the foot of the mountain, the second, Trung Pagoda (Middle Pagoda), at the next level, reached by climbing about 120 steps, and the third, Thuong Pagoda (Upper Pagoda), at the highest level, and requiring a steep climb, first passing through through Hang Tối, the Dark Cave, which is filled with ancient statues and incense smoke, and the sound of bats, as well as a large bell when first entering. It’s about 170 steps to the top of Ngu Nhac Mountain, where the pagodas are located, where there are wonderful views of the surrounding valleys, rice paddies, and karsts. Beautiful.
I followed the rules of the pagoda, including wearing a sari to cover my legs (which were available at the entrance, where the rules are posted), but the wizened elderly lady who seemed to be monitoring the temple (perhaps unofficially) told me I could not go inside. I have no idea why not, perhaps because people were praying in there? She may just have not wanted westerners in there. Who knows?
Back on my bike, for the 5½ mile ride to Hang Múa, also known as Mua Cave. More beauty and serenity along the ride. Can’t beat this.
I arrived in the small village of Khê Đầu Hạ, which is the last stop and the gateway to Hang Múa. Here, vendor after vendor tries to insist you park there, and can go no further, but it ain’t so. I parked just before the entrance, and it again cost me a whopping 19 cents.
A local cop was very friendly and very intrigued by my beard, wanting to stroke it, which he did, and I showed him my ponytail, which he seemed to love even more. Maybe it was because it’s grey and old (like Hang Múa)?
Hang Múa is well known for its incredible panoramic views atop Núi Ngọa Long, or Ngoa Long Mountain which means Lying Dragon Mountain. From there, you view the fields, rice paddies, and streams on one side, and the Ngo Dong River snaking through the valley on the other, which you cannot otherwise see unless near the peak.
There’s a price to pay for the view, though, with a very steep and heavy climb of approximately 500 stone steps that zigzag up the mountain, and are increasingly less defined and so more difficult to climb as you near the peak. Extremely hot and humid too.
Hang Múa is more than the climb, though, and is a beautiful garden complex, wonderfully designed and sculpted, and among other sights has a giant lily pond (and I do mean giant), with a wooden and lengthy multipath boardwalk curving through it.
And then it was time to tackle Ngoa Long mountain, which I could see had a long and endless stream of people climbing it, on its snaking path upwards. I wondered if I could make it – I did.
About half way up, the climb splits to a right summit and a left. To the right is Stupa peak, or Pagoda Lookout, which is somewhat lower than the left summit, Lying Dragon peak, which I picked. I thought I’d maybe do both, but decided not to after climbing the increasingly difficult Lying Dragon.
I reached the summit of Lying Dragon peak, with many rest stops, looking down at Stupa peak, where I was rewarded with beautiful views of the Ngo Dong River running through the valley below, which cannot be seen until you near this summit.
I actually didn’t quite reach the peak of the peak, maybe just 12 feet higher, because there was literally a line of people clambering over rocks to get there, and after about 30 minutes of waiting, moving inches at a time, I decided to head back down.
Once down, precarious but a whole easier and less stressful than going up, I wrapped up my visit by heading to the Mua Cave, which is really more like a relatively small cavernous archway carved through the cliff. Picturesque, but far from a highlight of Hang Múa, which means Dancing Cave due to legend that the 13th century king, Trần Thái Tông, enjoyed watching his concubines and dancers perform in this quiet and cool space.
I headed out of the park, and back toward my parked bike, taking a couple of parting shots on the way out.
I rode the four miles back to town, feeling pretty pleased with the day, and not at all pooped, as I thought I might be after the bicycle ride and the immense number of steep mountain steps I climbed today. In fact, I felt pretty good, reaching town around 5:45. I stopped at the park area in front of the harbor, where I caught the tail end of a martial arts and acrobatic performance, given by members of a local circus. Today is International Workers’ day, and continues Reunification/Liberation Day celebrations.
I walked around Van Lam Wharf, the Tam Coc harbor, and plan to come back here tomorrow morning for a boat ride.
Once I returned to the hotel, I sat on the roof, just about sunset, and spent an hour up there, enjoying the views. It was dark by the time I returned to my room for the night, from where I could see dancing and colored searchlights rising into the sky from the town center, which I’m pretty sure must have been a continuation of the holiday celebrations, but at that point I didn’t feel like venturing out again, and instead hung out, read, and want to sleep around 10:30.
And that was my day. Very nice!