Regarding the story of foreign experts from Chua Me Dat Company (Oxalis, the unit exploiting Son Doong Cave and Tu Lan Cave in Quang Binh) surveying the volcanic cave cluster in Dong Nai to invest in tourism development, on March 9, a representative of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Dong Nai province said that Oxalis Company had sent a report to the People's Committee of Dong Nai province about the results after the survey.
The area of the Gia Ty forest, where there is a unique volcanic cave system
PHOTO: LE LAM
In the report, Oxalis Company said it had surveyed 3 caves (tentatively called caves 1, 2, 3) in the Gia Ty forest in Dinh Quan district; and 2 other caves on land owned by households in Tan Phu district (cave numbers 10 and 11).
Experts say that caves 10 and 11 are currently flooded and home to millions of bats, making them unsuitable for tourism development. In addition, these caves are showing signs of deterioration, with a lot of trash and erosion due to heavy rainfall.
Oxalis Company experts conducted the survey in early January 2025.
PHOTO: HK
However, if restored, these caves can be developed into small-scale homestay and cafe tourism models, combined with fruit garden tourism activities and tourist attractions in Ta Lai and Nam Cat Tien National Park, bringing great potential for eco-tourism in Tan Phu.
For the 3 caves in the Gia Ty forest area, experts rated cave number 1 as having an airy and wide entrance. However, inside the cave there is water, mud and bat droppings, making the air dense and unsuitable for tourism.
Cave 2 is a continuation of Cave 1 (due to the cave ceiling collapsing). The cave mouth is small, the cave is about 200m long, 3-4m wide, 2-3m high, the inside is dry, there are no bats and the cave floor is flat, easy to walk.
"This cave has the potential to develop a model of accommodation inside the cave (Cave Lodge) combined with sightseeing tourism," according to the report.
Entrance of 2 caves
PHOTO: HK
Cave No. 3 is about 300m long, 2m deep, and has 2 entrances. The cave has beautiful scenery, is clean, and has no bats. Tree roots penetrate the cave ceiling, creating a unique space. This cave can be developed into a volcanic cave tour product, with a visit time of 45 - 60 minutes.
Regarding the Gia Ty forest, according to experts, this is a large forest with many ancient trees, with the potential to develop tourism such as Zipline, treetop in the middle of the forest, attracting tourists on Highway 20 connecting Ho Chi Minh City - Da Lat.
From the above assessments, Oxalis Company proposed 2 tourism models to Dong Nai Provincial People's Committee: Including Cave Lodge model: "Will be the most unique cave accommodation model in the world", here it can be combined for tourists when there are no guests staying.
A corner of the pine forest in the dry season
PHOTO: LE LAM
Accordingly, the company will install 2 houses at 2 cave entrances to prevent subsidence and rainwater from entering the cave. These houses will include living rooms and bedrooms, creating a unique accommodation area for tourists.
This model can attract up to 10 guests, with prices ranging from 3,000 - 5,000 USD/night. When there are no guests, the accommodation will become a tourist attraction.
Inside a volcanic cave
PHOTO: HK
The second model is cave tours: The company will install a lighting system to serve visitors. At the two ends of the cave, two prefabricated houses can be installed, displaying images and videos about the formation of volcanoes and volcanic caves, combined with virtual reality deployment to enhance the visitor experience.
This tour model can attract domestic and foreign tourists, especially groups of students and tourists traveling via National Highway 20 to Da Lat.
With both models, Oxalis Company said it can complete the project in 90 days.
Highway 20 passes through the pine forest.
PHOTO: LE LAM
Previously, in 2013, the Institute of Tropical Biology (Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology) and the Berlin Cave Association (Germany) conducted a survey of this volcanic cave cluster. The team surveyed a total of 11 caves with a total length of 1.8km. Of which, the longest cave is 534m, 10m wide and 4m high.
Thanhnien.vn
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/kham-pha-hang-dong-nui-lua-o-dong-nai-voi-mo-hinh-luu-tru-doc-dao-185250309104602032.htm
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