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Hang Sung Sot

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

Halong City, Vietnam

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Bswanson
Hang Sung Sot   Mig Gilbert / CC BY-SA 2.0
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)
Amazing Sung Sot   MarkTimeTravel (Atlas Obscura User)
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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.

Related Tags

Caves Geological Oddities Ecosystems Geology

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Added By

Bswanson

Published

May 19, 2013

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Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
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