Summary
- Son Doong Cave is the largest and most unexplored cave in the world, with a depth of 150 meters and a length of 5.6 miles.
- Inside the cave is a large ecosystem with underground rivers, wildlife, and a rainforest, creating a world within a world.
- Due to conservation efforts, only 1000 guests are allowed to enter the cave each year, with tours run by Oxalis Adventure costing $3000 per person.
Cave exploration is an exciting adventure that never gets boring because the world is full of interesting caves, many of which have not even been discovered yet. From caves with prehistoric paintings to risky underwater caves, and incredibly long caves, the list is endless.
Son Doong Cave is just one of these numerous caves spread out across the earth, but it stands out for being the largest cave in the world that is still under-explored. For those who can’t wait to go on this exciting adventure, here’s everything to know about Son Doong Cave, the largest and most unexplored cave on the planet.
Son Doong Cave Is The Largest Least Explored
Rays of light inside Son Doong Cave
- Name: Son Doong Cave
- Location: Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam
- Depth: 150 m (140 ft)
- Length: Approximately 9 kilometers (5.6 miles)
Ever since its entrance was found in 1991 and explored in 2009, Son Doong Cave has continued to surprise explorers from all over the world. With a depth of 150 meters and a length of approximately 5.6 miles, it is the world’s largest natural cave and that’s not even all.
Inside its massive depth is a large ecosystem that comprises underground rivers, rich wildlife, and a large rainforest. The interior is so large that several skyscrapers along with roads could comfortably fit in.
Kayaks on a lake in Son Doong Cave
Between two and five million years ago, an underground river went to work, carving out this magnificent wonder. No one knows where this river originates from but today, the cave it carved is the perfect definition of a world inside a world.
It has its own climate that’s rarely affected by the outside world. Forests filled with monkeys, birds, and some unique species of fish and insects have even been discovered in the cave, and scientists believe there could be more waiting to be discovered.
Related: Top 10 Under-Explored Places In The World That Make Travelers Feel Like They've Discovered A New World
What Is It Like To Explore The Son Doong Cave?
For those lucky to be among those visiting the cave soon, there’s so much that awaits. The tour of Son Doong Cave takes four days and three nights and the journey involves trekking through forests overwhelmed with bird sounds, crossing rivers with knee-deep height on average, walking and scrambling on slippery rocks, and camping inside the dark cave.
Phone signals are literally non-existent on the tour, but the tour guide always comes with a satellite phone for emergencies like dinosaur attacks. There are no dinosaurs here obviously but the prehistoric-looking place just seems like it’s hiding something sinister one can never be too careful.
A person on a stalagmite in Son Doong Cave
After getting dropped off and trekking for hours, a step further greets the eyes with a prehistoric-looking landscape which is characterized by 80-meter-high stalactites, and overwhelming darkness that makes it impossible to move comfortably without artificial light.
Moving further inside, guests will be entertained by the sounds of the rushing river which must be crossed to get to the other side of the cave where there is a large cavern. At this point, there will already be audible sounds of birds and some of the creatures that inhabit the cave because a little bit further are several sinkholes.
Some have openings that allow sunlight in and these have vegetation while others are dark and hidden from sunlight hence they have been left barren.
A person standing on an elevated part of Son Doong Cave
Further, into the cave, one will be met with denser forests that have formed as a result of the wider opening above. From there, the tour makes its way into the darker part of the cave where guests will get to float with a kayak on a lake to the Great Wall of Vietnam which is officially the end of the expedition.
Throughout the tour, guests will be provided basic things like food, water, good campsites, and snacks. In addition, tour guides will follow guests around the entire cave, explaining everything important information about the cave to make the experience even more enjoyable.
Surely, this is a once-in-a-lifetime travel experience every visitor should have.
Why Hasn't Son Doong Cave Been Explored?
A person inside Son Doong Cave in Vietnam
Since it was first explored in 2009, only a few people have been allowed inside Son Doong Cave. With such a massive size and so much to see and do inside, one would think the Son Doong Cave would interest the entire world and get millions of people to visit every year.
Of course, it interests the world, but there are a few barriers when it comes to exploring the cave. The cave is under serious monitoring as the local government and environmentalists are trying to protect it from the damage that comes with mass tourism.
Can You Tour the Son Doong Cave?
Due to regulations, only 1000 guests are allowed to enter the cave in a year and each tour takes 10 guests who are accompanied by a team of up to 25 people, sometimes a little more. So for every single tour, up to 40 people enter the cave at once.
Currently, only Oxalis Adventure has permission to take people on tours to Son Doong cave, and they charge $3000 per person.
That high cost coupled with the fact that the tours get sold out very quickly has made the cave largely unexplored. In many ways, that is a good thing, especially for the cave and its unique ecosystem.
What The Future of the Cave Looks Like
40 people per tour inside the cave? One would say this might even cause more harm than good but when compared to opening the cave for mass tourism, this is actually way better. This might help preserve the cave for a long time.
As for the future of the cave, no one knows what it looks like. Recently, plans to build a cable car through the cave were being considered but eventually abandoned due to the strong opposition it caused.
Due to its potential to boost tourism in Vietnam and contribute to its economy, this cave might be opened soon, and then it would not be long before the unique ecosystem is destroyed.
Inside Son Doong in Vietnam
With such an unpredictable future awaiting, organizations and photographers have gone to capture the views while it’s still pristine to preserve it for future generations. Martin Edstrom’s 360-degree capture of the Son Doong cave is perhaps the best way to actually see the cave without ever going there.
Those who really want to see the unique cave in person can head over to the Oxalis Adventure Tours website to book a ticket. Keep in mind that the cave is only open for tours from January to August.
From September to December, it is closed to the public due to flooding that makes exploration impossible and allows the ecosystem to recover.
