Hà Tây province (west of Hanoi) is home to the majority of Vietnamese craft and industrial village clusters, such as the Van Phuc silk village, Dong Ky village for inlaid mother-of-pearl furniture, Ha Thai village for painting, Chuyen My village for paintings on mother-of-pearl, Truong Thinh for bamboo handicrafts and Bat Trang village famous for its ceramic wares.

Quoc Oai district in Hà Tây quickly caught our attention.  As you drive west from Hanoi you’ll hit Quoc Oai in about 15 km just as the first isolated cliffs and mountains start to rise from the landscape. Quoc Oai is close enough to Hanoi for a relaxed day-trip – it’s close enough to justify even a short afternoon’s worth of climbing. 
The rocks of Quoc Oai are situated around a hollow central massif with two entrances and magnificent skylights, allowing shafts of sunlight to enter the large cave that forms its center.  There are ponds, rice paddies, gardens, and lush vegetation behind the cave (although the latter is being increasingly cut back by people living in the area).

How to get there

Hanoi to Quoc Oai : about 15 km, 30-45 min.
The fastest and easiest way to get to these cliffs is to take a motorbike from Hanoi.
Heading out of Hanoi towards the south-west, take the large thoroughfare Tran Duy Hung, then take Hoa Lac road for about twenty kilometers.  Pass a set of toll booths (free for motorbikes), and take the first left, about 50 m past the booths.  On this small road (heading south, i.e. perpendicular to the Hanoi-Hoa Lac route), take the first right possible.  This is a narrow lane, partly paved, partly cobble-stone and partly dirt, with two small pillars at the entrance that prevent cars from entering.  As you first enter the village it is immediately on the right – careful, it’s easy to miss.  It heads between homes in the village towards the escarpment.  Stop when you are in front of the entrance to the large cave that opens into the mountain; you will see the tomb of an honored soldier.  Most of the climbing lies through the mountain, on the far side of the cave.

Quoc Oai bouldering guide

In front of the cave; village side.

Problem 1, FB 4C
Slab, sit-start. 
Right hand on an undercling in a relatively low hole.  Follow the system of vertical and then horizontal cracks, two-finger hold for right hand, finish up at a jug. 

Problem 2, FB 5A
Traverse (left to right).  Both hands in a large hole (just right of the staircase) enter a tiny cave, then exit with a jug for the right hand.  Climb up towards a large hole (same finishing jug as problem 3). 

Problem 3, FB 5C
Traverse (right to left), sitting start.  Start seated to the right of the rock that juts out, follow the two-finger holds and pockets, then climb up to arrive at a large hole (same finish jug as problem 2).

Problem 4, FB 6B
Very low sit-start at the base of the jutting rock which you climb up to reach a crack on the right face.

Problem 5, FB 5C
Traverse (left to right), sitting start, follow a narrow crack to the right, when it finishes, look for a jug higher-up, then the crux to finish in the delicate holes in the orange area (same finish as problem 6)

Problem 6, FB 6A
Traverse (right to left), sitting start.  Climb up using the jugs, then to the left.  Left hand on a small hold, match hands, left hand gaston (grab with thumb-down), then same crux and finish as problem 5.

In the cave

Problem 7, Project
In the cave, a low boulder shaped like a platform sits near the exit and is usually illuminated by shaft of light (from the ceiling).  Traverse left to right, sit-start, mantle up at the end of the boulder onto a hump. Check out the video below.

Problem 8, FB 5B
Facing problem 7. Difficult / uneasy stand up

Problem 9, FB 5C
Right to left traverse to the left of problem 8; underclings, edges, stand up to get to the top.

Problem 10, FB 5B
Sitting start.  Right hand in a pocket, then one-finger pocket, cross-over, and arrive on a low wall. 

On the other site of the cave; the same side as the pond with the gazebo in the middle

Problem 11, FB 5A
On the tall boulder (about 6m) facing problem 9.  Sitting start.

Problem 12, Project
Go down the stairs and after a few meters you will notice a massive roof with a miniature temple on its summit. Check out the video below.

Problems 13, 14, ...
These descriptions are not exhaustive; there are more problems at Quoc Oai.  If you find others, please share them with the community.

Videos

Map

 
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