 Quan
Y cave, or Military Hospital cave in
Cat Ba
island, built in the American war has become the
pride of Vietnam Military Medicine. Today, the
hospital is no longer there , but the historical
value of the cave still remains. Furthermore, there
are traces of a historic time.
Located about 15km from centre of Cat Ba town,
Military Hospital cave is built in the area of Tran
Chau ward, belongs to Catba National Park, exit from
the cave is on the other side of the mountain with a
sloping path surrounded by trees. The cave was built
with special structure with limestone powder and
quartz formed by coastal sediments plus sparkling
stalactites of natural shapes, creating misterious
and romantic space.
Previously the cave was named Hung Son after a
general of Tran Dynasty who fought in the historic
Bach Dang battle and who discovered the cave. In
American War, around 1960s the cave was built into a
hospital for wounded soldiers and sheltering place
to stay away from bombings for local people as well
as people from nearby Bach Long Vy island, the
hospital was able to host 100 patients. In addition
to 17 function rooms there are also swimming pools,
cinema and a gymnasium. After the war time local
people still came here in typhoons as a shelter.
Military Hospital cave is really a master piece of
the war time, because the construction was
completely built inside the mountain, a makeshift
hospital built in the cave with a capacity to treat
up to 100 peope. The construction is about 120m
above the sea level with the main entrance facing
Khe Sau valley, the hospital is an ideal place for
rehabilitation. The hospital was built with
assistance from Chinese construction experts.
 Through the ups and downs of history, Military
Hostpital cave structures are still intact. The
construction works are self contained with
reinforced concrete, the length between the two
caves about 200 meters, designed to have the front
door in the west and back door facing east. Over
three thick layers of entrance door is the hospital
with 3 floors, of which 1st floor is the main area
with 14 function rooms such as operating rooms,
waiting rooms and medicinal room, 2nd floor is
cinema and practising room, fitness test, 3rd floor
is reception, rooms for guards and officers. Built
as a hospital of war time, Military Hospital cave is
equiped with a system of entrances and exits,
drainage, ventilation ... perfect. In the cave are
traces of the wood stick to the wall as medicine
cabinets, emergency exit from 3rd floor to the first
floor leading to back door is hidden behind big
stalagmites on the back side of the mountain. The
Military Hospital cave represents a big military
hospital of the war time with full equipments and
treatment area for hundreds of people.
There used to be an old soldier working as a guide
in the cave, he entertained tourists with his
attactive stories of war time, the soldier is no
longer there due to his old age. Visitors coming to
the cave find it hard to believe there is such a
modern hospital in the harsh days of war.
In recent years, cave discovery in Cat Ba is
attracting more and more tourists, the system of
caves with eco tours, community, hiking trips... in
Viet Hai, Tran Chau...is practically contributing to
overcome the seasonality of Cat Ba tourism. In
particular, the historical value and architectural
values formed by a combination of natural and human
hands, Military Hospital cave is becoming an
attractive place in itinerary of the journeys to the
beautiful Catba island. A
trip to Catba island can
be combined with a
tour to Halong bay as part of the
package. |
