During wartime a field hospital was built and put into use inside a mountain in Cat Ba National Park.
Sign board along the way (photos:TT&VH)
Due to its strategic position, Cat Ba Island, which is located near Haiphong City and Quang Ninh Province, is considered as an important guard post to Vietnam's northeast region. Cat Ba Island is surrounded by various limestone mountains.
It takes about 30 minutes by motorbike to get to the Hospital Cave from the centre of Cat Ba. The cave can be easily found by the signs along the road. The three-metre wide entrance is halfway up the mountain, so visitors must climb up a wooden staircase.
Wooden stair leads to the cave's entrance
Inside the cave is a small curved iron door. This bomb blast resistant door is the actual door that led to the hospital, which is about 2,000 square metres.
Previously, the cave was named after Hung Son, after a military general who served during Tran Dynasty. He is said to have been the first person to discover this cave in 13th century.
From 1963 to 1965, as the American War escalated, a field hospital was built to treat wounded soldiers and shelter them from attack. After that, the locals referred to it as the the 'Hospital Cave'.
The iron door of the hospital
This hospital has about 17 rooms for patients and a number of other rooms for doctors. It also has a cinema and physical recovery room. The hospital was able to accommodate about 200 soldiers.
With its uniqueness and value to history, the Hospital Cave has become one of attractive destinations to visitors in Cat Ba Island.
Hospital hallway and the remain of a manhole
Electrical system is kept
The toilet
The water tank
Stair to the second and third floor is designed to prevent the enemy's attacks
The huge common room is used as the meeting room, training room and the cinema
Stair to the third floor
The emergency exit is a huge water tank which lead to the lower floors
Another exit
The backdoor is on opposing side of the mountain