Han Son Doong cave also known as Son Doong Cave, considered as the world’s largest cave is located in Phong Nha-ke National Park in Bo Trach District, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam. The exotic cave was discovered by a certain Ho Khanh, a resident of the said place in the year 1991 and years later in 2009 by famous British caver, Howard Limbert. The cave’s name originated from “Son Doong” which means “mountain rive cave”. The captivating cave came to form about 2-5 million years ago by river water washing away the limestone underneath the mountain.
Song Doong Cave boasts of a natural wonder. Massive in size, it has its own river, jungle, and climate. Nestled in the rugged Phong Nha-ke Bang National Park in a remote region of central Vietnam, and near the border with Laos, the cave is part of a chain of 150 or so caves situated in the Annamite Mountains. Measuring more than 200 m. high, 150 m. wide, and 5 km. long, its adorned with towering ceilings over 200 m. high and explorers share that once inside the cave, you can have a humbling and belittling experience.
Travelers who will get to sneak into the enchanting cave will discover a hole in the ceiling through which an enormous shaft of light which plunges into it like a waterfall. The light cascades at least 300 fee across and penetrates into the mystic cave will reveal the colossal proportion of Hang Son Doong. The ceiling is nearly 800 feet tall and wispy clouds can be noticed near it.
Experience the misty, majestic glory of the Son Doong Cave which is made open for public tours. Getting to the cave itself is a daring adventure of a lifetime for travelers. The tour company, Oxalis runs a 6-day trip for visitors but it is not recommended for the faint-hearted for the journey to the mystic wonder of the world takes a day and a half and you have to go through dense and isolated jungle before you reach 260 feet down to the cave’s entrance.
Visitors can also enjoy exploring other wonders of Son Doong such as the “Hand of the Dog”, an enormous stalacmite which appears to look like a dog’s paw. Sink holes around it provide rare glimpses of light from the jungle above while raging river flows in obscure darkness. It was said that the roof of the colossal cave collapsed centuries ago which created sections enveloped in luscious green.
A deafening silence can be experienced when you’re in the lake section of the cave, barren to all living things, isolated in complete darkness.
The Son Doong Cave in Son Trach, Bo Trach District, Quang Binh Province in Vietnam is located below another cave in Phong Nha-Ke Bang, but the entry passage is quite difficult to traverse. It will take about 6 hours of walking through a 10 kilometer long jungle path from Truong Son Highway to reach the mouth of the majestic and colossal cave.