British journalist shares experience of sleeping overnight in Son Doong cave

Daily Mail travel writer Lauren Sharman said sleeping in Son Doong at night was like sleeping in a dark cocoon and she still hopes to have the chance to return.

Lauren Sharman is a journalist and travel editor for the Daily Mail. The British journalist has experienced the journey to explore the world's largest cave, Son Doong, in Vietnam . The following article published on the Daily Mail tells about the things she remembers after the trip:

As the sun sank below the horizon, I pitched my tent on the sand. My companions were busy setting up their sleeping mats. Leaving the tent flap open, I lay on my sleeping bag and looked out at the magnificent surroundings.

The group pitched their tents on a very special sandbank, deep in Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, inside the world's largest cave, Son Doong. Exploring this place makes you feel like you're walking inside the Earth.

This was truly the most surreal campsite I have ever been to. Looking out from the tent door, I took a deep breath as the sun cast a mesmerizing light across the cavernous space.

The sound of dripping water in the distance echoed like a gentle lullaby at night, and all around me were giant limestone walls.

Early morning, misty space, when seeing the first ray of sunlight through the cave, people think of the dense forest above. Now, after 2 days of climbing over rocks with ropes and ladders, I know this place better.

Underground river in Son Doong cave system. Photo: Oxalis

The journey begins with a minibus dropping the group off at 9am at the top of the valley and then heading into dense jungle. Water seeps through shoes as people wade through streams and rivers, but the shoes have the grip needed to climb the steep slopes to the Hang En campsite.

As soon as I got to the cave entrance, I thought I had been tricked into arriving at Son Doong Cave earlier than scheduled. Hang En is the third largest cave in the world with a ceiling height of 145m and a width of about 200m. The scale of the cave is impressive, the only sound heard is the chirping of swallows. The tour guide said: "The cave is named after the bird because there are many of them nesting here".

At Hang En, while the porter prepares dinner, visitors can swim in the river. After that, we recharge our batteries to prepare for the next day, which requires trekking through caves, wading through rivers, and climbing slopes.

When I descended by rappelling down to 80m, I realized that Son Doong Cave was still hidden deep inside. The entrance to the giant cave gradually appeared as I lowered myself down and the temperature immediately dropped sharply.

After a lot of climbing, everyone reached the second campsite located right inside the majestic Son Doong Cave. It was the moment everyone had been waiting for and shared the feeling of entering another world. The cave walls were so high that no words could describe it and you had to crane your neck to look up.

The sunlight shining through the cave entrance brought out the green of the plants below. The sun was bright but not hot enough so the sand below and my feet were still cool.

In this desolate setting, everyone was surprised to find toilets and changing tents already set up. The night here became more comfortable and I looked forward to a good night's sleep in this "dark cocoon".

Campsite inside Son Doong Cave. Photo: Oxalis

The next day, we climbed steep rock walls and threaded through small crevices to reach the cave’s forest. The air was still and cold, bringing a freshness that was hard to find elsewhere. As we walked, we shared the faint light with bats, spiders, fish, and scorpions. But the only thing I saw were the shadows of bats, as they swooped down from the ceiling at dusk or were disturbed by the headlamps of tourists.

When the guide announced that we didn't have to cross the river, I was so happy. I stopped to change into a new pair of dry socks.

When I came out of the cave, I saw the sun set again and everything was in sight. It was a beautiful moment after many days underground, but I would still trade another dark night to explore Son Doong Cave again.

Son Doong is known as the largest cave with a length of nearly 9km, inside there are dense forests, underground rivers, its own ecosystem and weather, and the space is estimated to contain a 60-storey building. According to Oxalis, the cave may be larger than announced because humans have not yet fully surveyed it.

Although discovered by locals in 1990, Son Doong was not officially put on the tourist map until 2013 with an exploration tour launched that year.

Only 1,000 visitors (divided into groups of 10) are allowed to enter Son Doong each year and only one tour operator is allowed to organize the tour. Therefore, the 6-day trekking trip here fills up very quickly.

Dan Thanh

Source: https://dulich.laodong.vn/kham-pha/nha-bao-anh-ke-trai-nghiem-ngu-dem-trong-hang-son-doong-1381413.html