British tourist tells about his experience sleeping overnight in the world's largest cave in Vietnam
Báo Thanh niên•16/08/2024
Laura Sharman came to Vietnam to explore the world's largest cave system and recounted her journey of camping overnight on the sandbar in Son Doong Cave in the British newspaper Daily Mail.
I slept in the world's largest cave, discovered by accident in 1990 and so big that it has jungle, rivers and different weather inside... it could even accommodate a 60-storey skyscraper. Only 1,000 visitors a year are allowed into the cave in groups of 10, for a 6-day journey. As the sun dipped below the horizon, we pitched our tents on the sandbar inside the cave. Zipping up the tent, I lay on my sleeping bag and looked out at the magnificent scenery around me. This place in Vietnam is a sandbar like no other, deep in Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, inside which lies the giant Son Doong Cave. Exploring inside, it feels like wandering through the bowels of the Earth.
Images inside Son Doong cave in British newspaper
The cave was officially recognized by Vietnam and Guinness World Records as the world's largest in 2012, with a claim of 200m high, 150m wide and "at least" 6.5km long. At the time of the certification, the organization said that Son Doong Cave could be even larger because it had not been fully surveyed. What's remarkable is that Son Doong was "hidden" for millions of years before being discovered by accident in 1990. My guide told me that a local man named Ho Khanh stumbled upon the underground wonder while looking for shelter from a storm. He was on a trip to find agarwood and came across a cave entrance below a cliff, but as he got closer, he saw mist blowing out and the sound of a roaring river inside.
Mysterious scenery inside Son Doong Cave
Oxalis
Nearly two decades later, the site of Son Doong Cave was shared with cave experts and the first pilot tours were held in 2013, followed by the official launch of exploration programs for visitors. It was the most surreal campsite I had ever encountered. Looking out of my tent, I took a deep breath as the sun cast a mesmerizing light across the cave. The sound of trickling water in the distance was a soothing lullaby as I lay down for the night, surrounded by the massive limestone walls that surrounded me. In the misty morning, the first rays of sunlight filtered through the cave entrance, reminding me of the jungle above. I knew this all too well by now, after a two-day trek to get there, using rock-climbing, rope-climbing and ladder-climbing skills.
The journey to explore the cave makes visitors think of walking inside the Earth.
Oxalis
The trip begins with a minibus dropping us off at 9am at the top of the valley and then heading into the jungle. Water seeps through our boots as we wade through shallow streams and rivers. But they provide the grip we need for the steep climb to our first campsite at Hang En – the first of two caves on this expedition. According to Oxaxlis Adventures, it is the third largest cave in the world, with a ceiling that reaches 145m at its highest point and a passageway that reaches 200m at its widest point. Its sheer scale is impressive, with a spectral atmosphere. The only sound – the twittering of swallows – is audible but not visible. “This cave is named after the birds that nest here,” says our guide. There is time for a quick swim in the river while our porters set up the kitchen and the chefs prepare some food for dinner. We then recharged for the next day, which included trekking through caves, wading across rivers and climbing steep slopes. I realized that Son Doong had been hidden for a long time until we reached the entrance and descended 80m underground by rope. The giant passageway in the cave slowly appeared as we lowered ourselves down and the temperature immediately dropped sharply. After a lot of climbing, we reached our next campsite - this time inside the majestic Son Doong Cave. It was the moment we had all been waiting for and it felt like we were entering another world. The cave was so high that it left you speechless. Light filtered through the opening into the "room", highlighting the lush green foliage in the distance. But it was not enough to warm the cold sand on the ground between our toes.
Overnight camping area inside Son Doong Cave
Oxalis
In this desolate setting, we were surprised to find toilets and changing tents already set up, making our night most comfortable and I looked forward to a good night’s sleep in this dark “cocoon”. Setting off the next day, we climbed the steep walls of the cave and squeezed through small gaps to reach the inner forest. The still, cold air had a freshness that was nowhere to be found and the faint glimmers of light were cherished in the darkness, which we shared with bats, spiders, fish and scorpions. However, the only glimpses I had of the cave’s inhabitants were the shadows of bats as they swooped down from the ceiling at dusk or were disturbed by the light from the torches overhead. As we emerged from the cave, I watched the sun sink below the horizon once more, this time in full view. After days underground, it was a beautiful moment – but I would trade it for another dark night if it meant returning to Son Doong.
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