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Explore Hang Son Doong, the world's largest cave

Jarryd Salem, for CNN • Updated 16th August 2017
Read the full article here: https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/vietnam-hang-son-doong-
cave/index.html
I smile at our guide's warning and enter the lush jungle growing inside Hang Son Doong, a 3-million-
year-old cave in the central part of Vietnam. Water drips from a gaping scar in the ceiling over 100
meters (328 feet) above us. A spectacular sunbeam starts to creep down the side of the serrated
cliffs. The shrill call of birds and macaque monkeys echoes off the limestone, drifting in from the
unseen world beyond the skylight.
"Watch out for dinosaurs. That's what we called this place when we first discovered it," caving
expert Howard Limbert, elaborates. The prehistoric atmosphere made the reference obvious.
We continue on, stepping deeper into the void that is considered by some to be the largest cave in
the world.

The discovery
Located in the heart of the UNESCO-listed Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in Vietnam's Quang
Binh province, Hang Son Doong is one of the most captivating destinations that can be experienced
in Southeast Asia.
More people have stood on the summit of Mount Everest than have witnessed the surreal beauty
inside these enormous chambers. Translated as Mountain River Cave, it was first discovered in 1990
by Ho Khanh, a local farmer who was seeking shelter from a passing storm in the jungle.
He noticed clouds and the sound of an underground river gushing from a large hole in the limestone,
and reported his findings to the British Caving Research Association (BCRA), who were stationed in
Phong Nha at the time.
Unfortunately Ho Khanh lost his bearings during his return, and the exact location of the cave
remained lost for 18 years. In 2008 while hunting for food he stumbled across the entrance again,
and returned the following year with Howard and Deb Limbert from the BCRA.
They began the exploration of the cave, and in 2010 determined it to be the largest ever discovered
in terms of the size of its cross-section. The news shook the caving world.

The expedition to Hang Son Doong

Campsite in the cave: Hang Son Doong expeditions are physically demanding.
Alesha Bradford
Stretching more than five kilometers (three miles) long and reaching heights of 200 meters (650
feet), the main cavern of Hang Son Doong is large enough to house an entire New York City block.
In 2013 Hang Son Doong was opened to the public for the first time, with the adventure tour
company Oxalis running the exclusive five-day expedition. Limiting the tour to only one operator has
protected the cave from mass development. Only 10 customers per departure are permitted. Tours
run once per week between February to August per year.
The eco-system inside Hang Son Doong is as unique as it is large, and it even has its own localized
weather system. Rare limestone cave pearls are scattered in dried pools, and the largest stalagmite
ever found stands 80 meters (262 feet) tall.
Collapsed ceilings have created openings known as dolines, allowing foliage to grow inside the cave.
Microscopic organisms thrive in the darkness.
The journey to Hang Son Doong is not for the faint-hearted. Involving two days of intense jungle
trekking and river crossings to reach the entrance, nights are spent camping inside the cave and the
nearby Hang En, now known to be the third largest cave in the world. Once inside hikers are
expected to abseil, climb, crawl and swim through underground rivers to arrive at the end of the
cave. It's an adventure like no other.
Despite the physical demands guests are perfectly cared for, two caving experts, three local guides,
two chefs, two park rangers and 20 porters join every expedition. The scale of the operation is
phenomenal, and this ensures everyone's safety and welfare, along with the preservation of the
cave, is looked after with expert precision.
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