'The third most beautiful cave in the South' is located in Ninh Binh, full of magical stalactites inside.

Dich Long Cave is located halfway up Dich Long Mountain in Gia Thanh Commune, Gia Vien District, Ninh Binh Province. Inside the cave is a Buddha shrine, so local people often call it Dich Long Pagoda.

This place was given the title "Nam Thien De Tam Dong" (the third most beautiful cave in the South) by King Minh Mang during a tour in 1821.

The cave is located halfway up the mountain. Standing at the entrance, you can hear the sound of the wind like a flute. Photo: Tran Nghi

According to historical records, in 1739, a woodcutter went up the mountain to chop wood and discovered this cave. Inside were many stalactites that resembled Buddha images, so he set up an altar here. In 1740, people paved the way to build a temple to worship Buddha with the name "Nham Son Dong Co Am Tu" (meaning Co Am Pagoda and Nham Son Cave).

Dich Long Cave and Pagoda were ranked as national historical and cultural relics in 1990. This complex of scenic relics includes a stone communal house (16 monolithic stone pillars), Ly Quoc Su Temple (also known as Saint Nguyen), Ha Pagoda, and a Buddhist garden.

The front yard of the cave has a shrine to the Lady of the Upper Realm and the Holy Mother. Photo: Tran Nghi

To reach Dich Long cave, from the foot of the mountain, visitors must climb 105 stone steps to reach the cave entrance. In front of the cave, there is a shrine to the Lady of the Upper Realm and the Holy Mother.

Dich Long Cave has 2 areas, divided by the entrance into Light Cave and Dark Cave with countless stalactites in various shapes such as Buddha statue, kneeling elephant, lion, lying horse, elephant drinking water from a jar, tiger drinking water from a jar.

There are many shrines in the cave. Photo: Tran Nghi

Dich Long Cave has 3 interconnected caves, so when standing at the cave entrance, visitors can hear the sound of the wind blowing like a flute.

Folklore calls this a giant stone flute and names it Dich Long ("Dich" means flute, "Long" means wind).

Inside the cave there is also a stone stele engraved with Chinese characters. Photo: Tran Nghi

The pagoda and cave were also revolutionary bases during the resistance war against the French, where weapons were stored and weapons factories of our army and people were produced.

Ms. Nguyen Huong Lan, Deputy Head of the Department of Culture and Information of Gia Vien district, said that Dich Long pagoda is currently managed by the People's Committee of Gia Thanh commune.

Currently, the locality has not built this tour point and the number of tourists coming here every year is not much, mainly locals.

Stalactites create the magical beauty of Dich Long. Photo: Tran Nghi

Every year, on the 6th and 7th of the third lunar month, the people of Gia Thanh commune hold the Dich Long pagoda festival to pray for national peace, good crops, and a prosperous and happy life.

The 500-year-old pagoda is known as the "second most beautiful cave in the South" in Ninh Binh . Bich Dong Pagoda in the ancient capital of Hoa Lu is ranked the second most beautiful after Huong Tich cave and is known as "the second most beautiful cave in the South".

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/dong-dep-thu-3-troi-nam-nam-o-ninh-binh-ben-trong-day-nhu-da-huyen-ao-2317156.html