Hang Hanh is one of the longest grottoes in Halong Bay, lying 9km west of Cam Pha Town and 20km from Bai Chay Beach. It is 1,300m long and stretches throughout the stone mountain of Quang Hanh. Hang Hanh Grotto is extremely beautiful. The small boat will take you through the stone passageway by lamp-light, casting magical colours on the hanging stalactites. The French named it “Le Tunnel” or Tunnel Grotto. The mouth of the grotto is so low one has to go by small boat to pass through. In front of the present-day mouth stands Ba Co (Three Girls) shrine in a towering piece of stone. Legend has it that: “Once upon a time there were three girls who often went to the sea together. One day, they caught a pouring rain and took shelter in a grotto. They found the scenery so captivating that they forgot the time of rising tide. Locked up in the grotto, they passed away and became Water God.” Today fishermen usually went to the shrine to pray for their bestowing favors on them
