An expedition to world’s largest cave

An expedition to world’s largest cave

Since the broadcast of En Cave and Son Doong Cave in the north-central coast province of Quang Binh on the ABC’s Good Morning America program last week, many people have been captivated by the spectacular images of Son Doong.

Son Doong is appealing to adventurers because of its unique beauty and structure as well as the danger and difficulties associated with the trip. It is located in the heart of the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in Quang Binh Province. Discovered in 2009-2010 by the British Cave Research Association, the cave has only been opened to the public since 2013.

According to the Good Morning America program, the cave’s chamber is big enough for two 747 Boeing planes and high enough to fit in an 80-storey skyscraper. The cave was established by a flowing river through a limestone mountain for two million years forming the largest underground chamber on earth.

To get to Son Doong, firstly people have to pass through En Cave. However, many adventurers have had to quit their journey halfway due to strength problems. Tourists need both mental and physical fitness and skills for the trip, from letting themselves soaked in stream water to climbing up high stone walls, holding ropes and groping on slippery stone surfaces.

Any mistake could leave consequences, from injury to life threat. Thus, a trip to Son Doong is ranked as an expedition not an adventure. And what you experience in this journey is something beyond your imagination.

There are days you are half in the water wading the stream or river while the rest of the body is soaked in sweat. There are also days you don’t have a chance to take a shower and have to stand your dirtiness and stinking smell.

To get to some instant beautiful places in the cave, including Edam Garden or Hand of Dog, tourists have to go in the dark of the cave’s entrails with only a light equipped on their specialized hats.

The first camping night inside En Cave is something that you have never imagined as you are exhausted after a long day in a soaked body. It is not the same feeling of admiring wonderful pictures of the caves on the Internet that were created by expensive cameras and lighting systems.

According to Howard Limbert from the British Cave Research Association, who joined Ho Khanh, the cave’s finder, to help bring Son Doong to the world in 2010, what photographers have captured of the cave is more beautiful than reality. Those who wish to take wonderful pictures of the cave should consider the possibilities of bringing their devices during a tough journey like this.

However, the attraction of a trip to Son Doong is its difficulties and challenges to explore the beauty of Mother Nature. The trip isn’t made to please normal tourists who wish to have a comfortable experience. It is said that the journey to Son Doong is a big challenge compared to the conquer of Fansipan, called the Roof of Indochina, which is located in the northern province of Lao Cai, about 9 km from Sapa town.

There are at least ten people who are cave and security experts to serve a trip of 30 explorers, apart from porters who help carry goods, do the cooking and filter water.

To prepare for such a challenging trip to Son Doong, people are recommended to practice short journeys to Tu Lan and En caves which are also in the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.

According to Limbert, there have been hundreds of caves discovered in Vietnam but just a few of them are for people with special interest and good health to explore, such as Son Doong. Some caves like Phong Nha and Thien Duong are popular for normal tourists to come to take pictures. However, the numbers of people who can come to the final point of Phong Nha Cave are rare and they are only cave explorers.

So it is a reminder for all tourists that they should not be mistaken the Son Doong trip is a simple and pleasant experience.

Tourists can contact Oxalis Adventure Tours, a leading adventure tour operator in Vietnam with its headquarters in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, to book a seven-day, six-night trip to Son Doong Cave at a price of VND64.5 million (US$3,000) per person.

Source: SGT

Bài viết liên quan

	Heritage Journey contest 2015 opens The Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists (VAPA) and the Heritage Managize launched the annual “Heritage Journey 2015” photography contest in Hanoi on January 5. Detail >>

	Mau Son Winter Tourism Festival 2015 (TITC) - On 10 January 2015, in Mau Son Tourism Area (Lang Son Province), Lang Son Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism will organize Mau Son Winter Tourism Festival 2015 to promote tourism potential of Mau Son, and also attract tourists and investors to Mau Son Tourism Area. Detail >>

	Primeval charm of Con Vanh Con Vanh is located inside the Red River Delta Biosphere Reserve recognised by UNESCO in 1994 and is one of the places in Viet Nam that preserves its primeval ecology and beaches, attracting a large number of discovery lovers. Detail >>

	Global media spotlight Viet Nam’s tourism attractions Viet Nam’s credentials as an international travel destination gathered momentum in 2014 after the nation received kudos from the global media as a must see travel destination on many occasions. Detail >>

	Yen Tu listed in UNESCO heritage nominations The website of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has included Yen Tu relic site in Vietnam ’s northeastern province of Quang Ninh in the list of nominated heritages in the coming time. Detail >>

	Detail >>

	CCV to introduce Viet Nam’s cultural heritage and tourism in France (TITC) – On 23 Jan 2015, Viet Nam Cultural Center in France (CCV) will held a program introducing “Vietnamese cultural heritage and tourism development” in Salons Hoche, Paris, France. Detail >>

	Diving, pearl mollusk exploring tours a recommendation for visitors to Nha Trang A local firm is offering tours that provide tourists with the chance to experience sea diving and behold pearl-yielding mollusks in the city, which is the capital of Khanh Hoa Province, according to Radio the Voice of Vietnam. Detail >>

	Viet Nam promotes tourism at Norwegian fair Viet Nam showcased traditional fine arts, photos, maps, brochures, and flight promotions at the Reiselivmessen Tourism Fair in Oslo, Norway, to promote tourism in the country. Detail >>

	India restores My Son cultural heritage site As scheduled, in April 2015, experts from India will come to the central province of Quang Nam to support the preservation and restoration of My Son Sanctuary world cultural heritage site. Detail >>

« First « Previous 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 Next »« Last Page 7 of 29

Most popurlar tours

Video

Day & Short Tours