On June 4, 2025, the live show "Finding the Pearl" officially launched to the public at Ngoc Rong Cave (Cam Pha City, Quang Ninh), marking a new direction for local tourism exploitation. Not just a regular show, this is a "must-try" cultural tourism product, bringing unique experiences to visitors on their journey to explore the Quang Ninh tourist map.
Quang Ninh tourism map has just marked another unique destination: Ngoc Rong Cave (Vung Duc, Cam Pha City), which connects the two wonders of Ha Long and Bai Tu Long with a new cultural experience.
Legendary stories and folk beliefs in the cave
“In Search of the Pearl” is a journey to discover the legends, culture and folk beliefs taking place in the magnificent setting of Ngoc Rong Cave – a natural cave located in Vung Duc, the junction between Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay. Inspired by the legend of Mother Dragon, the play cleverly combines elements of water, rocks, flowers, Mother Goddess worship and the cultural identity of the Northeast region to tell a story full of symbols.
Only 35 km from the center of Ha Long, Ngoc Rong cave is located on the coastal road known as one of the most beautiful routes in Vietnam, connecting Ha Long and Cam Pha.
For about 40 minutes, the show leads the audience into a magical world using a combination of art language: dance, circus, folk music and light show. Artist Le Thanh Phong is the script writer and director of the show, with the participation of young dancers, circus performers and musicians from Hanoi, performing on a live stage hundreds of meters long in the cave.
The program also has the participation of the director and the "veteran" advisory board: Advisor Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen The Ky, Chairman of the Central Council for Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts; Director, People's Artist Le Chuc; People's Artist Hoang Quynh Mai, People's Artist Tong Toan Thang; Music Director People's Artist Nguyen Huynh Tu; Dance Director Le Viet; Circus Director Meritorious Artist Ngo Le Thang.
Ngoc Rong Cave - a vivid natural stage
The performance format of “continuous scene transition” leads visitors on a journey, thereby cleverly displaying the beauty of the cave with pristine stalactites creating a magical setting.
The show is built on three main elements, blending to create a fascinating journey of discovery. First, Ngoc Rong Cave - a thousand-year-old geological heritage, is transformed into a vivid stage with modern sound and light effects. Multi-colored light reflects on natural stalactites, combined with sounds echoing from the cave, creating a majestic world where visitors can immerse themselves in a mesmerizing space and feel the greatness of nature. The pristine beauty but embellished by modern technology has elevated the visual and emotional experience for viewers.
Folklore elements, traditional cultural values, especially Mother Goddess worship culture are included in the program. Mother Goddess worship is one of the long-standing cultures and has profound significance in the spiritual life of Vietnamese people, recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This is the highlight throughout the show, bringing spiritual experiences and helping visitors, especially international visitors, to understand more deeply about Vietnamese identity.
And finally, the culinary experience is typical from Yen Tu golden flower tea to Quang Ninh sea-flavored dinner, helping visitors fully feel the flavor of the mining land. The menu is made from fresh local ingredients and seafood, not only awakening the taste buds but also telling the story of the life and cuisine of the coastal people.
Vietnamese folk culture is unique in its clever integration of traditional cultural values, especially the culture of Mother Goddess worship.
Mr. Nguyen Lam Nguyen - Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Quang Ninh province - said: "This is the first time a program applying modern technology has been organized in the pristine space of a natural cave, opening up a new direction of tourism exploitation based on heritage conservation and cultural creativity". According to him, this product will contribute to extending the journey of discovery of Quang Ninh, connecting from Ha Long to Bai Tu Long, Van Don, Co To and many other destinations in the province.
Mother Goddess worship culture is included in "Finding the pearl"
Potential for developing cave tourism products
APC Corporation has coordinated with departments, agencies and sectors of Quang Ninh to implement the program with the spirit of focusing on conservation and sustainable exploitation. Mr. Nguyen Hong Nhat - General Director of APC Corporation said that the implementation process has been evaluated and adjusted many times with the participation of consultants from many fields. Instead of building fixed infrastructure, APC has taken advantage of the terrain and applied technology, flexibly exploiting space, showing maximum respect for natural heritage.
The product also contributes to shifting Quang Ninh tourism from "sightseeing" to "in-depth experience".
Currently, “Finding the Pearl” is exploited in the form of a package tour combining culinary and cultural experiences. Afternoon tour (15:00-16:00) enjoys Yen Tu golden flower tea, light party and show, ticket price 650,000 VND/adult. Evening tour (18:00-20:30) enjoys the flavor of Quang Ninh sea combined with the program, price 1,450,000 VND/adult.
After the play "Finding the Pearl", the audience will enjoy folk music with a combination of many different instruments.
A segment of the journey to find the pearl
Ms. Ta Thi Tu Uyen, Director of Products and Services of Vietravel Tourism Company commented: "Finding the pearl is a product that connects Ha Long Bay - Bai Tu Long Bay, connecting tourism products: cruise to see the bay, explore local craft villages such as fishing villages or pearl farms, visit the most beautiful coastal road in Vietnam, take care of your health at Quang Hanh mineral spring... The harmonious combination of cultural values - nature - experience helps to keep tourists longer and leave a deeper impression on Quang Ninh".
The appearance of “Finding the Pearl” at a strategic location between Ha Long and Bai Tu Long not only adds a new stop on the Northeast discovery route, but also contributes to regulating the flow of tourists away from areas that are overloaded during peak season. In the long term, this can be the premise for building short-term tours combining experiences, resorts and culture, targeting the high-end domestic and international tourists who love unique products.
In the context of Vietnam tourism trying to recover and reposition itself after the pandemic, new tourism products such as “Finding the Pearl” show the potential of cultural-tourism products in bringing the country’s image to the world. Tourists come not only to admire the beautiful scenery, but also to live in the space of legends, heritage and cultural creation – something that not every place can offer.
Main stage in Ngoc Rong cave
Looking out into the world:
In some countries, many caves have been put into operation, notably underground cave cuisine: La Gruta Restaurant (Mexico), Jeff's Cellar (Malaysia), Grotta Palazzese (Italy)... performance space, concerts, combined with modern technology: The Caverns (USA), Cueva de los Verdes (Spain), The Cave by Ryan Clift (Bali)... In particular, the Cappadocia region (Turkey) is a world-famous destination with cave hotel products, allowing visitors to stay overnight and enjoy folk art and cuisine in caves.
The above models are the inspiration and suggestions for Vietnam tourism to develop products and exploit them sustainably. With outstanding natural resources and diverse cultural heritage, Vietnam has great potential to develop cave tourism products by combining culture, technology and cuisine, turning natural heritages into unique destinations, attracting tourists looking for deep experiences of identity.
