Hang Sung Sot – Halong City, Vietnam - Atlas Obscura
Places near me Random place

Hang Sung Sot

Halong City, Vietnam

Ha Long Bay's "Cave of Surprises" houses a popular phallic rock formation. 

View all photos
Hang Sung Sot Wybren / CC BY-SA 2.0
amazing sung sot cave Asianway Travel (Atlas Obscura User)
vietnam sung sot cave in Halong Bay Asianway Travel (Atlas Obscura User)
317
346
Related Stories
Sung Sot (Surprise) cave, interior

Standing at Attention: Phallic Statues, Rocks and Landmarks

juliegerstein June 30, 2011
Top Places in Vietnam
The Tomb of Nguyen Emperor Khai Dinh
Hương Thủy, Vietnam
Christ of Vung Tau
Vũng Tàu, Vietnam
The Fairy Stream
Phan Thiet, Vietnam
 See All

Hang Sung Sot, or the “Cave of Surprises” in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam, was discovered in 1901 by the French. The cave is located on Bo Hon island.

One of the most popular in the bay with tourists, the cave requires a separate ticket to enter than the Thien Cung Cave (“Celestial Place”) and Dau Go Cave (“Cave of the Wooden Stakes”).

Hang Sung Sot is filled with unusual rock formations, which are highlighted by colored lights. These formations include a Buddha and a large tortoise, but the most well-known is a massive phallus in the cave’s second chamber, which is lit by a pink spotlight.

The penis-shaped rock is known as a fertility symbol to locals.

Atlas Obscura Trips

Flavors of Vietnam: Fish Sauce, Pho & Royal Tea

Eating your way from North to South in Vietnam.
Book Now
geological oddities caves ecosystems geology
Nearby
Hospital Cave
7.13 miles
Snake Village
78.15 miles
Bao tang Dong vat (Hanoi Zoological Museum)
80.49 miles
Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
Near This Place
Hospital Cave, rear entrance
Trân Châu, Vietnam

Hospital Cave

This cavern was used as a hidden hospital and safe house during the Vietnam War.
Snake Village
Việt Hưng, Vietnam

Snake Village

This tiny Vietnamese village is known for eating snakes and serving their still-beating hearts in shots of vodka.
Mammal Room
Hanoi, Vietnam

Bao tang Dong vat (Hanoi Zoological Museum)

A French-Colonial era collection of taxidermy and wet specimens, secreted away in the National University of Hanoi.
Frog Garden Fountain
Hanoi, Vietnam

Frog Garden Fountain

Unbeknownst to many, this fountain was erected as a tomb and still holds the remains of a Frenchman.
Related Places
Pertosa Caves.
Muraglione, Italy

Pertosa Caves

Ride a boat through this magnificent underground world, which now doubles as a theater.
Peñíscola, Spain

Bufador de Peñiscola

The blowhole bursts spectacularly right next to the buildings in a medieval seaside town.
Cueva Clara.
Quebrada, Puerto Rico

Cueva Clara

An enchanting natural wonder in Puerto Rico's Camuy River Park.
Entrance to Colossal Cave.
Vail, Arizona

Colossal Cave

Legend says train robbers stashed their gold within the depths of this unusual cave.
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

From Around the Web