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Trinh
Nu Cave
 The
Trinh Nu Grotto or Virgin Grotto is situated on the island range
of Bô Hon in the system comprising the Sung Sôt Grotto,
Dong Tiên Lake and Luon Grotto. It is 15 km south of Bai
Cháy Beach. For fishermen, the Virgin Grotto is their house,
but for young lovers, it is considered as the symbol of truly
love, and is the romantic place for taking oath of love.
Entering Trinh Nu Grotto, one finds in the middle of the grotto
a stone statue of a lying-girl with her long hair hanging down
who is looking to the sea in a vain hope.
Situated opposite to Trinh Nu Grotto, Trong (or Male) Grotto has
a stone statue of a boy who turns his face to Trinh Nu Grotto.
One still hears his vain scream in tune with the wind blowing
into the cliff somewhere.
Legend has it, there once was a beautiful fisherman's daughter,
whose family was so poor that it was in the service of the rich
administrator of the fishing zone. He forced the family to give
him the girl as a concubine. She already had a lover who at that
time was on the high seas catching fish to prepare for their wedding.
The administrator, angered by her refusal, exiled her to a wild
island where she suffered from hunger and exhaustion. On one frightening
night, amidst terrible rain and winds, she turned to stone.
It was also the night that her lover knew of her danger, and he
rowed his boat in search of her. On the terrible night, the tempest
destroyed his boat and he floated to one of the islands. In a
lighting flash he saw his mate in the distance, but his calls
were driven away by the wind. He used a stone block to hammer
down on the mountain cliffs to announce to her he was nearby.
He struck until blood flowed from his hands, and in his final
exhaustion, turned to stone (today’s Trong Grotto).
Tourists also find Trinh Nu Grotto attractive partly because of
its association with a fanciful love legend: “Once upon a
time, there lived a boy and a girl who deeply loved each other.
However, they were so poor that they could not be able to get
married. The boy decided to go offshore fishing with a hope that
he could get enough money for his marriage. And the girl painfully
waited in vain for her fiancé. She finally took a small
boat and rowed to the sea to look for him. So immense is the sea,
and so many are the islands, the boy, therefore could not hear
her doleful call, though he was just several canals away. Exhausted,
the girl lied in a grotto, looking to the sea and got petrified
after the last call. The boy got lost in a grotto nearby, shouting
to call the girl in vain. The echo of their call through the cliff
was so moving. At last, the boy became exhausted and petrified
in the grotto - present-day Trông Grotto.”
Today, whenever passing this place, tourists can still hear his
faint call.
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