7 BEST CAVE EXPERIENCES IN VIETNAM

Vietnam already enjoys a well-deserved international reputation for its cuisine, beaches, rich history, and varied landscapes. It has also become one of the top caving destinations in the globe over the past ten years.

The Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, popularly known as the Kingdom of Caves, is a UNESCO-protected area in central Vietnam's Quang Binh province and is a major tourist attraction. More than 3.9 million tourists came to the area last year alone, an increase of 18.2% from the year before. The caves of Vietnam are among the best in the world. The weather is comfortable year-round, the jungle scenery is lovely, and there are amazing structures... Nothing has been harmed; everything is clean and undamaged. Here are a few worthwhile activities to take into consideration for individuals eager to visit Vietnam's most captivating underground worlds:


Tam Coc

Beyond the well-known Quang Binh province is the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, which is designated by UNESCO. Another lovely cave location is in the Ninh Bnh Province in the north. What we admire about Vietnamese caves is that each one has a different character. The experience also includes the journey. Sometimes, getting to the caverns is more important than anything else; you could choose to walk, hike, swim, or use a boat. It enhances the encounter. That is especially true of Tam Coc, or "three caves," which is located within Trang An. A rowing excursion departing from Van Lam hamlet will take you to the three caverns of Hang Ca, Hang Hai, and Hang Ba. Before arriving at the caverns, travellers take a leisurely three-kilometre boat along the Ngo Dong River between shimmering rice terraces and karst landforms. The longest of the three caverns, Hang Ca Cave, is more than 120 metres long. Hang Ba Cave is the smallest, measuring only 45 metres. It's quite comfortable and simple to get there because all it takes is a boat through the tunnels. The greatest time to visit is from March to May, when farmers will be cultivating rice in the fields. It's a stunning sight to behold, with nothing but a sea of vibrant green and gold.


Sung Sot

The dozens of limestone islands that rise out of the ocean in Halong Bay may be its most famous feature. But there are also many caverns; to date, at least 59 have been listed. Sung Sot, also known as Surprise Cave, is the most well-known. The cave, which is situated on Bo Hon Island in Halong Bay, was first uncovered in 1901 by French explorers. The cave, which covers an area of 10,000 square metres, is broad and roomy and is home to an amazing variety of stalactites and stalagmites, many of which are shaped like various types of flora and animals. there is a lot of tradition and mythology centred on the rock's patterns and shapes, which can be entertaining for tourists. The majority of boat cruises include Sung Sot on their schedule, stopping at the entrance and letting you off to explore for a couple of hours.


Luon Cave

Despite being much smaller than Sung Sot, Luon Cave has the impression of being a doorway to another universe within Halong Bay. This arc-shaped grotto, which is just 60 metres long and four metres high, can only be accessed by kayak or small boat. You have to crouch to pass through the low entrance when the water is high. The cave is cold and gloomy within, with crystal-clear water below and another little exit straight ahead. A tranquil lagoon is bordered by limestone cliffs on the other side of the cavern, and monkey tribes complete the scene.


Son Doong and Hang En

Son Doong, currently measuring 38.5 million cubic metres (or 1.35 billion cubic feet), is reputed to be the world's largest cave. Son Doong is so enormous that it even contains a jungle inside. It may be 1.6 million cubic metres larger than originally believed as a result of the recent discovery of an underwater passage linking Son Doong with the nearby Hang Thung cave. The British Cave Research Association and Oxalis have exclusive access to the cave, and during the dry season, which runs from January to August each year, Oxalis takes small groups of six to ten individuals on four-day hikes. On the first day, hikers spend roughly an hour in the jungle before stopping in the town of Ban Doong for lunch. The group camps within Hang En Cave, the third-largest in Vietnam, where you can swim in underground rivers and refresh with Vietnamese food, after a few more hours of hiking. The following day, hikers carry on their journey to the isolated Son Doong Cave, where they don safety harnesses and use ropes to descend an 80-metre-tall rock wall. After entering the enormous cave, visitors spend the following two days studying its ancient fossils, underground jungle, stalagmites, and underground rivers. The dramatic scramble up the "Great Wall of Vietnam," an 80-metre-tall granite wall that calls for a combination of scrambling and climbing ropes and ladders, serves as the journey's pinnacle.


Paradise Cave

Paradise Cave, also known as Thien Duong Cave, is another gorgeous location in Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park. In 2005, a local resident discovered the entrance, which was little more than a hole in a rock concealed by dense vegetation. Soon after, the British Cave Research Association investigated the cave's chambers, made note of its magnificence and beauty, and eventually allowed visitors access. It is now one of the most popular tourist attractions in Vietnam because of the sculptural columns and unearthly stalactites that cascade like waterfalls from the cavern ceiling. A jumbo jet might fit within the limestone tunnel, which is believed to be Asia's longest dry cave and is more than 31 kilometres long. Travellers can experience it two ways: a one-kilometrewalk via a network of illuminated wooden stairs or an overnight excursion that includes a seven-kilometre hike.


Hang Va and Nuoc Nut

Oxalis also provides two-day excursions of the Hang Va and Nuoc Nut caverns, making it a two-for-one package. The first day will involve a two-kilometre hike to Nuoc Nut cave, which contains an amazing underwater river. You can reach the entrance of Hang Va cave, where travellers set up tent for the night, by swimming via the river tunnel for 100 metres. The cave excursion is still an adventure with plenty of possibilities to travel through dense jungle foliage, climb over boulders, cross underground rivers, and observe strange stalactites and stalagmites, even if it is more accessible than Son Doong. Hang Va, in particular, is known for its extraordinary stalagmite field. It has more than 100 rare calcite rock formations called tower cones. They’re essentially stalagmites that formed underwater – and they’re incredibly rare!


Tu Lan Cave System

The Tu Lan Cave System, which includes more than 10 caves in the province of Quang Binh, has seen an enormous increase in popularity since it was featured in the 2017 movie "Kong: Skull Island." A lot of people visit this area because of the movie, but they discover that the scenery is even more beautiful than they anticipated. Every campsite is next to a lake or a waterfall, making it ideal for swimming in the summer. On one of our Tu Lan tours, you enter a tunnel, leave into a different area of the jungle, and then enter another cave.

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