February | 2014 | Little Lilly Meets the World

Ha Long Bay is recognized as one of the new 7 natural Wonders of the World and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. Ha Long Bay also contains dry and water caves and one of the water caves we explored was Luon Cave. According to our guide it is famously known as James Bond Cave as some of the scenes of “Tomorrow Never Dies” were filmed there.

Luon Cave or James Bond Cave is situated on Bo Hon Island. It has wonderful vertical cliffs and it is an enclosed by a group of islands. From a distance, it looks like a giant bowl which has been turned upside down. It is only accessible when the tide is low,by small boat or kayak because the height of the ceiling of the gap in the cliffs forming the entrance ranges from 2.5 meters to 4 meters in height. In short, it is not accessible when the tide is high because the water fills the mouth of the entrance.When we passed through the beautiful entrance, we saw some traces of fossils of freshwater snail shells on the cliff, which I considered as one of the most interesting and unique attractions of this cave. These traces of fossils also tell us that it used to be a deep freshwater valley.

When we were inside the cave, I was amazed by its poetic nature. It is surrounded by a perfect combination of lush plants, Limestone Mountains with stunning varied formations and a tranquil round jade-green bay. We saw many golden monkeys running to and fro while enjoying the bananas we were giving to them.The cliffs around the cave are also highlighted by many orchids with their beautiful flowers and sweet perfume, by old trees that shade the landscape, by the pristine setting of ferns, by the chirping of the birds and by the life like shrimps and fish under the emerald water. While I savored the beauty of the place, I dreamt up of aesthetic stimulating concert of nature as I was listening to the blissful whooshing sound of the water hitting the rocks.

To me, Luon Cave or the James Bond Cave is magnificent and alluring. We went there at 7am in the morning when the sun was rising. It was a perfect time because everything in the cave was alive. However, I think it is better to visit this cave during the summer because I could imagine that,early in the morning,the cave looks like priceless crystal. At noon time when the sun is at its peak, the lake looks like a large bowl full of glimmering golden coins. When dusk comes, it looks like delicate silver silk and when nightfall comes, the cave looks like a hidden wilderness full of plants and animals which make tourists want to explore.