Serenity amidst bordered city

The bus stops in front of Tam Thanh Pagoda, which, from the outside looks like other ancient mountain pagodas. The street in front of the pagoda is home to wine and medicine vendors catering to the pilgrims. However, entering the pagoda, a wonder world amazes tourists with mysterious Nhi Thanh Grotto.
Nhi Thanh Grotto is situated on Nhi Thanh Street about one kilometer from Lang Son City, Lang Son province. Nhi Thanh is one of the most beautiful grottoes in the province besides Nhat Thanh and Tam Thanh.
Stepping through the gate, tourists first catch a view of Tam Giac Pagoda which lies in a stone cave and is surrounded by groves hiding the grotto from the sun. The pagoda, which was built in 1779, is also called the Pagoda of Triple Religions as it is dedicated to Confucius, Buddha and Laotze. Except for a single wood table, everything inside the pagoda is made from stone.
After burning some incense and praying for good health and luck, tourists can leave the sanctuary for Nhi Thanh Grotto. Legend says that Poet Ngo Thi Si (1726-1780) first discovered the grotto in May, 1779 while he was a Mandarin guard in Lang Son and that he carved one of his poems on the grotto wall. The poem praises the magnificent natural beauty of the area and, more specifically, the sound of the stream falling onto hundreds of rocks, almost like a graceful murmur.
At that time, the grotto was untouched and blanketed by plants and trees, so he asked people to make a 500 meter corridor from the front entrance to the back entrance decorated with beautiful pictures of the surrounding landscape.
Thousands of stalactites and stalagmites in different shapes and sizes sparkle in the sun. Along the grotto is the Ngoc Tuyen river, a striking carpet amidst dark-colored rocks that helps visitors indulge the grotto as a scene in a fairy tale.
Inscriptions engraved by famous personalities and poets from different epochs can still be seen here. These inscriptions serve as sources of precious historical record and literature of the province. There is also a beautiful statue of Ngo Thi Si dating back to 1779.
Another recommended attraction in Lang Son Province is Vong Phu mountain which resembles a woman holding a baby. The mountain is also known as Lady To Thi after a character in a legend who must wait patiently for her husband to return from war.
After strolling around the splendid landscape, tourists should stop by Dong Kinh market and Ky Lua market to purchase indigenous specialties.