Hang Son Doong – Mountain River Cave

The Hang Son Doong cavernues, tucked away in the center of Vietnam, call both nature lovers and explorers. The list of eager visitors spans years, and the Vietnamese business Oxalis is the only gatekeeper to this secret world, hence these subterranean beauties are not readily reachable. Only a few number of guests are allowed to descend into the caverns annually due to the fragility of this natural treasure and the necessity to protect its sensitive environment. The demand is so great that tickets for the 2017 season were sold in under 20 hours, evidence of the appeal of Hang Son Doong.

The enormity of Hang Son Doong will astound you. At their highest point, the caverns could readily house a 40-story building, and a Boeing 747 could easily negotiate its widest part. The microclimate the caves have—unique weather patterns that add to their mystique—also contribute to their appeal. An underground river that still flows across the limestone substrate formed this subterranean world over millennia.

Deeper within Hang Son Doong, one finds an amazing display of geological formations. Towering 80-meter-high stalagmites, the largest in the world, decorate the 5-kilometer-long tunnel; gleam in the soft light, spherical calcium deposits the size of baseballs. Sunlight opens paths between gigantic sinkholes that link the ground below to the surface. Amazingly, plants usually seen in the lush forest flourish in these humid conditions, giving the inside of the cave an unanticipated splash of color.

According to estimates by scientists, these cavernues are not more than three million years old geologically. For those investigating the dynamic dynamics of the Earth, this makes them an interesting topic. The young age of the caves helps to preserve their special qualities and maintain their perfect state.

Accessing the Hang Son Doong caverns calls for a journey over the Pong Na-Ke Bang National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site noted for its richness and amazing scenery. Traveling over difficult terrain, crossing rivers, and really appreciating the natural beauty of the area sets guests on an experience.

Ho Khanh, a local villager, accidentally upon an entrance in a limestone cliff while touring the area and unintentionally found the Hang Son Doong cavernues in 1990. His accidental discovery of this secret beauty set off the final exploration and opening of the caverns to a small number of lucky people who could see their magnificence.

Getting into the Hang Son Doong caverns is a privilege with a cost. Visitors have to get a special permit for which 585 euros is paid. This money helps to preserve and safeguard this fragile ecosystem so that next generations may also wonder at its beauty.