The Elysium in the hill bed

It is known that the complex was found in 2006. The historic flood at that time helped the local ethnic minority people discover a wonderful landscape that was created thousands of years ago. 

The system of stalactites in the five Ban On Caves is very imposing.

The caves are often located in deep in the mountain peaks; however, five Ban On Caves are in a hill bed on the path to the Heart Tea Hill and only about 5 kilometres from this destination. 

Therefore, after immersing themselves in the poetic beauty of the layered tea hills like gentle green waves, tourists will be surprised, disappointed and even shocked with the rugged path to the system of five Ban On Caves.

To go there, visitors have to park their vehicles at the foot of the hill and walk about 1 kilometre. The distance is probably not far but it is worth mentioning that the path is quite arduous and narrow, just enough for a motorbike to pass. The higher it goes, the steeper it becomes. 

There is absolutely no houses on the long road to the caves, except for a suspended hut on the hill where the locals rest when they come here to cultivate. The path gets more and more zigzagged as it gets higher with many rocky slopes. soil and vegetations shattering into the tourists’ faces. 

In return, they will feel ecstatic with the sweet scent of grapefruit flowers on the hillsides. And then, all tiredness due to the arduous journey will immediately disappear as visitors see the masterpieces of mother nature. 

Normally, there is only one direction to the caves; however, people can come to the five Ban On Caves in two ways. Accordingly, cave no.3 is on the right and cave no.4 is on the left. The three remaining caves are very beautiful but the paths there are too dangerous, so they are not exploited. 

The five caves represent the five elements of the nature: Kim (metal), Thuy (water), Moc (wood), Hoa (fire) and Tho (earth). Hong, the owner of a garage at the foot of the hill said that ancient people worshipped their ancestors in the caves, so there was an altar for Mother Au Co (the legendary mother of Vietnam). 

Visitors will be constantly surprised with mother nature’s interesting designs deep inside the cave complex. It can be said that each stalactite is a talented sculpture of nature that humans cannot recreate. 

“The princess sleeps in the forest”

Despite their pristine and spectacular beauty, the complex of five Ban On Caves has not been exploited for tourism in line with its potential. On the long path to the caves, there is only an introductory sign and a walkway from the hill’s foot to the caves was opened by the locals. The electric system in the caves is very limited so it is very difficult for visitors to admire the sights.

The path to the caves is very arduous.

In addition, the facilities for the caves are very rudimentary, simple wooden moldy ladders that make visitors worry when exploring them. Moreover, the caves are quite humid because they are located deep inside the wilderness.

According to manager Tit, Son La provincial authorities have set plans to invest in the five caves, including the construction of a glass bridge connecting them.

Le Do Luan, a representative from Moc Chau District People’s Committee said that Son La will focus on investing and promoting the five Ban On Caves in the near future. 

The complex can be considered a bright pearl of Moc Chau Town in particular and the province in general as the destination converges all elements to attract visitors, especially those who like experiencing adventurous feelings. 

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Source: NDO