Enduring health
Regular exercise before going will be helpful for you when exploring Son Doong cave, because there will be a series of different activities throughout the journey: walking, wading through streams and forests (about 30 km of walking) - climbing hills - climbing ropes (Vietnam wall) - swimming (although it is not necessary to know how to swim because there will be support equipment)... Therefore, your endurance will be the key to overcoming the main activities above. To have that endurance, you need to maintain a regular exercise regimen for the sport you are playing (cycling, jogging or playing badminton, tennis will often bring more advantages). Especially in the month before the start of the trip, you must practice more regularly and diligently.
Knowledge of caves
Preparing your knowledge about caves in advance will also make your journey deeper into Son Doong more interesting. You should read scientific information or watch science films on reliable channels (such as National Geographic) to add information to your luggage before the trip. During the trip, take the opportunity to discuss more with cave experts or tour guides to make your exploration more interesting.
Walking shoes
A suitable pair of shoes will protect your feet throughout the journey? No, there is no such shoe. Because the terrain is diverse and contains many different activities such as trekking, wading, climbing, climbing cliffs, swimming, swinging... the suitable shoes will usually be trekking shoes with soft soles from toe to heel (not too hard like hiking shoes, but need to be softer because you will be walking on different terrains), the toe has a protective layer to avoid hitting the toe on hard rocks, anti-slip sole spikes and lightweight drawstrings. Salomon shoe lines such as trail running shoes or wading shoes are my favorite models, choose the type with a high enough collar to cover the ankle. You also need to let your feet get used to the shoes, so it is best to buy shoes and wear them gradually 1-2 months before departure.
In addition, you should also choose tight socks to limit sand/gravel from getting in and causing discomfort when crossing the stream. You will spend three nights sleeping in the cave, so you will need a pair of socks each day. Thin, high-neck socks to keep warm at night are also very useful. In addition, to protect your feet from itching (because the stream water in the forest can easily cause itching for many people who are not used to it), you can bring along talcum powder/anti-itch cream.
In my experience, you should wash your feet and soak them in salt water (sea salt - coarse salt) after returning from Son Doong to avoid the phenomenon of “foot rot”. Another thing to note is that you need to bring an extra pair of sneakers to use when walking around the overnight campsite for convenience, otherwise you will have to go barefoot or wear special sandals of the porters!
Sun protection items
Son Doong tours are organized from January to August. In the summer, from late April to the end of July, the weather in Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park is quite hot during the day, so visitors need to cover up carefully.
A sun-protective baseball cap with a face and neck visor (which can be removed to become a normal baseball cap if needed) will be helpful when trekking through the forest, especially on the first day from the starting point to enter En Cave - the overnight campsite and the last day - and the stretch after conquering the Vietnam Wall to the pick-up vehicle.
On hot days, a thin, wet towel wrapped around the neck can also help reduce heat and cool the body.
Food
What to eat when visiting Son Doong? Of course, the tour chefs will cook fresh, delicious dishes from local food sources for tourists in their daily meals. However, to avoid "lack of food" or need to supplement energy during the daily tour, tourists should proactively add convenient foods such as cereal energy bars - dry form or energy gel packets. These need to be purchased/prepared in advance (can be found at sports stores specializing in running, cycling or some supermarkets in big cities like Saigon, Hanoi), but are not available in Phong Nha at the moment.
Environmental awareness
Environmental protection and cave conservation activities are promoted before the trip and thoroughly implemented throughout the journey under the supervision of cave experts, tour guides and porters in the group. Therefore, the preparation of supplies must consider this issue. For example, choosing environmentally friendly toothpaste or shampoo also contributes to the protection of rare and endemic animals and plants found only in Son Doong.
Hopefully, with this information, you will have a perfect dream in Son Doong!
