What is the Hospital Cave?
Cat Ba Island in Lan Ha Bay has had a turbulent past hidden beneath and within its beautiful and wild scenery. The island persistently came under attack during the American War as U.S. bomber planes tried to find flight paths towards Hanoi – one of which was over Cat Ba. The Hospital Cave was an ingenious and incredible feat of engineering to treat wounded North Vietnamese Army troops in secret.
The Hospital Cave was built into an existing cavern in the middle of Cat Ba Island between 1963 and 1965. Fortified doors were placed either side of a corridor flanked by basic medical rooms, where troops would be treated in horrendous conditions with very rudimentary equipment. In the upper chambers, the army generals held meetings in command centres, but also ensured to engage in some downtime at the swimming pool and cinema that was also built here to raise the morale of the troops.
Thick vegetation and a lack of major roads obscured the Hospital Cave from sight and the Americans were unable to find it during the 10 years that it was used until abandonment in 1975. Nowadays, the cave is well signposted and is one of the top historical Lan Ha Bay destinations.
What is there to do at the Hospital Cave?
• Take a tour of the insides of the cave with a professional guide, who can explain the various aspects of the cave, its history and its workings. Tours will usually take around 30 minutes and always offer an excellent window onto Vietnamese history.
• Enjoy the views available from the entrance and exit of the cave, both of which are elevated and provide the perfect picture of Cat Ba framed by rocky archways.
How can I get to the Hospital Cave?
There are three main ways to get to the Hospital Cave from the main Cat Ba town:
By Motorbike – Visitors can rent out motorbikes from many places around Cat Ba Island with minimal effort. A ride to the cave will pass outstanding scenery on the way and is an easy 20-minute journey up the island’s only inland road.
By Taxi – A taxi is the safest and most personalised way to make it to the Hospital Cave from Cat Ba Town. Prices are negotiable but around 180,000 VND ($8 USD) for transportation there and back is a reasonable price.
By Shuttle Bus – The shuttle bus is still a bit of an enigma on Cat Ba Island and there is very little information to be found about it. Ask at an information desk at the main town and they will give you a map and timetable of the shuttle bus route, which goes back and forth between Cat Ba town and Gia Luon dock at its northernmost point.
When is the best time to go to the Hospital Cave?
Spring and autumn always provide the most ideal weather conditions for people to Cat Ba Island, so a visit during these seasons would be the preferred option for the temperatures, sunshine and lack of rain. Summer is usually the worst time to visit as temperatures and rates of rainfall soar during this season, but Hospital Cave will provide a fantastic relief from the weather with its cool insides and complete protection from the rain. In winter, views of the surrounding landscape might be obscured by drifting clouds of fog.
Sources: www.escapesails.com
