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All Vietnam Xuân Trạch Hang Son Doong
AO Edited

Hang Son Doong

World's largest cave was only discovered in 1991, and now offers tours to the public.

Xuân Trạch, Vietnam

Added By
Nick Jackson
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About

Hang Son Doong — which roughly translates to Mountain River Cave — is the world's largest cave and it is so large that it could hold a modern-day skyscraper inside of its caverns, and has its own small jungle.

Located near the Vietnam-Laos border, the cave was found by a local man named Ho-Khanh in 1991. The locals, it is said, were too afraid of the cave to go exploring because of the sound coming from the fast-moving underground river, as well as the huge vertical drop. 

In 2009, a group of scientists from the British Cave Research Association began an extensive survey of the cave's depths. According to Howard Limbert, the man leading the survey, the cave is five times larger than Phong Nha, which once held the title of the largest in Vietnam. The biggest chamber, his team found, is over five kilometers long and 200 meters tall.

The jungle found inside of the cave has formed underneath a collapsed roof in one of the caverns. After the roof collapsed, enough light spilled into the cavern that vegetation was able to creep in slowly from outside. As the vegetation took hold, larger and larger plants began to grow, and now hornbills, flying foxes, and monkeys dwell in its branches. 

In 2013, public visits started to be offered by Oxalis that offer the chance to spend days inside exploring, as well as camping, in this massive cave. 

Related Tags

Caves Natural Wonders Architectural Oddities Subterranean Sites Architecture Ecosystems Nature

Know Before You Go

Tours start around $3,000 USD and reach upwards of $5,000.

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Flavors of Vietnam: Fish Sauce, Pho & Royal Tea

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Community Contributors

Added By

nbj914

Edited By

mannoverboard, Edkpr, Allison, planan...

  • mannoverboard
  • Edkpr
  • Allison
  • planan
  • daynix
  • hoangpmqn96

Published

January 3, 2011

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Sources
  • Gizmodo: World's Largest Cave Is Big Enough To Fit a Skyscraper And Even Had Its Own Jungle: http://gizmodo.com/5722223/worlds-largest-cave-is-big-enough-to-fit-a-skyscraper-and-even-has-its-own-jungle
  • TechEBlog: Hang Son Doong: The World's Largest Cave: http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/hang-son-doong-the-world-s-largest-cave
  • National Geographic: Conquering an Infinite Cave: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/print/2011/01/largest-cave/jenkins-text
Hang Son Doong
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park
Xuân Trạch
Vietnam
17.537222, 106.15125
Visit Website
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Nearby Places

Vịnh Mốc Tunnel Complex

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