Paradise Cave – A heavenly palace on earth

Text and photos:Phuoc Long

Paradise lost in the earthly realm

Just hearing the name was enough to fill me with excitement. Sitting in the car, a colleague whispered:"I wonder what it's like inside, but the name sounds so nice. It must be beautiful!"The tour bus, organized by the tour company, sped along the Ho Chi Minh Highway northwest of Dong Hoi city in Quang Binh province. The scenery captivated us all: on one side, towering mountains; on the other, lush green rice fields. Every now and then, winding streams appeared along the slopes, their clear blue water prompting tireless camera clicks from the bus…

From the center of Dong Hoi city, after more than an hour's journey, we arrived at the cave entrance. We were greeted by pretty girls with lovely, cheerful voices. Four electric vehicles were ready. The larger vehicles could carry 8 passengers, while the smaller ones carried 4, and they began rolling through the approximately 2km long primeval forest. From there, everyone had to climb more than 500 stone steps to reach… paradise.

Once the last step was reached, a majestic limestone mountain range stretched before us, its end in sight. After lighting incense at the altar of the Mountain God, the group began their journey to explore this "paradise on earth." Without the guide's directions, few would have known where the cave entrance was. The cave entrance here was very special; each person followed slowly, step by step, filled with anticipation and excitement.

"Absolutely amazing!" That was the first thing I heard when someone stepped through the narrow doorway. And indeed, a magnificent, mysterious space stretched deeper and deeper inside. Stalactites of countless shapes seemed to "stare" at the unfamiliar group of tourists, giving many the feeling of being lost in another world, a celestial palace on earth.

The wooden walkway led us from one surprise to another; everywhere was beautiful, strange, and full of mystery. Looking at those strangely shaped rocks, I wondered: Why are they so beautiful? Will they fall apart if I touch them? Or how many years did it take for them to take on such shapes?... The more I thought about it, the more I felt the grandeur of this place and discovered so many new things.

A miraculous gift from nature.

It's difficult to find words to fully describe the wondrous beauty inside Thien Duong Cave. Each rock formation, each stalactite column, takes on a strange shape, and they are described according to each person's imagination. It could be the longhouse of the Central Highlands people, a giant waterfall, a kneeling elephant, a unicorn, a curtain, a Christmas tree… or even the image of a mother holding her child in the happiness of maternal love.

During the 1km journey along the wooden path, there were sections where crystal-clear pools of water appeared, their source impossible to determine. And in some places, drops of water fell from above onto the rocks, creating a mysterious sound within the cave. The guide, named Sao, explained:"In this cave, the regeneration of the rock continues."This is further evidenced by observations of rock formations still sprouting from massive slabs of rock. Or stalactites hanging from above, like a newborn child trying to emerge from its mother's body.

According to the Thiên Đường Cave tourism management unit, to preserve the natural space of the cave, a wooden walkway has been built and mostly white light is used. Visitors only walk on the walkway, avoiding touching the stalactites, and the white light makes the place feel more natural. However, some areas feature colored lights, adding to the magical beauty and shimmering effect of this natural world.

According to published information, Thien Duong Cave is hidden deep within the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, a World Natural Heritage site (Quang Binh province), in an ancient karst landscape dating back approximately 350-400 million years. Located at an altitude of 360m above sea level, it has a total length of 31.4 km, a height of 60m, and a width ranging from 30m to 100m, reaching up to 150m in some places.

With its current state, Thien Duong Cave is truly a masterpiece that nature has bestowed upon humankind. Therefore, research, conservation, and tourism development need to be carried out scientifically, especially preserving the cave's structure and landscape. Only then can we maintain the pristine beauty of this magnificent cave.

Additional information:

Paradise Cave was discovered by a local resident of Quang Binh named Ho Khanh. Later, in 2005, the Royal British Cave Association, led by Dr. Howard Limbert, explored the cave within the limestone mountain. At that time, only 5 km of the cave had been explored, but by 2010, the Royal British Cave Association had determined its official length to be 31 km. According to the exploration team, this is the longest dry cave in Asia, and its system of stalactites and stalagmites possesses a dazzling, magical beauty beyond human imagination.

To visit Thien Duong Cave, you can contact us to book a tour at:

Vie Travel190 Pasteur, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (08) 3822 8898. Website: travel.com.vn

Travellive magazine

The Thanh