Explore the majestic caves in Vietnam

Quang Binh Province in Central Vietnam is particularly famous for Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, also known by its other famous name, the “Kingdom of Caves”. Last year alone, the area welcomed 3.9 million tourists, an increase of 18.2% compared to the previous year.

"Vietnam has some of the best caves in the world. The average annual temperature is stable, the jungle landscapes are incredibly beautiful and the structures are absolutely stunning. Most importantly, they are untouched and untouched, with nothing destroyed," Howard Limbert, technical consultant at Oxalis, a tour company based in Quang Binh, told CNN.

"My team (UK Cave Exploration Association) has explored more than 500 caves in Vietnam. But we have only explored about 30% of this area. There are many, many more caves waiting to be discovered."

For those who are passionate about Vietnam's underground world, below is a list of valuable destinations that you should consider:

Son Doong Cave and En Cave

Considered the largest cave in the world, Son Doong Cave currently measures 38.5 million cubic meters. This massive cave system even contains an entire primeval forest inside it.

Following the trail of Son Doong Cave, explorers continued to discover that it was connected to another cave called Thung Cave through an underground river, potentially increasing the size of the cave by an additional 1.6 million cubic meters.

Oxalis, a tour company in partnership with the British Cave Research Association, has been licensed to organize tours into this cave, with an average group of 6 to 10 people on a 4-day trip. The tour usually takes place during the dry season, from January to August every year.

On the first day of the tour, visitors will trek through the primeval forest in the cave for an hour before stopping for lunch at Ban Doong village.

After a few hours of hiking, the group will set up camp inside Hang En (the third largest cave in Vietnam), where visitors can swim in the rivers that flow through the cave and enjoy rustic Vietnamese dishes.

The next day, the explorers will continue their journey to reach an 80-meter-high cliff in the cave that can only be climbed by rope.

Once inside the cave, visitors will immediately explore the rich stalactite system and underground river systems during the 2-day tour.

Va Cave and Nuoc Nut Cave

Besides the Son Doong tour, Oxalis also offers tourists a 2-in-1 tour package that goes through two locations: Va Cave and Nuoc Nut Cave.

On the first day, you will trek 2km to Nuoc Nut Cave, which contains a unique underground river system. Swim 100m across the river to reach Hang Va and camp there overnight.

Although more accessible and easier to conquer than Son Doong cave, exploring these caves still gives you a lot of exciting experiences when going through forests, climbing over cliffs and swimming through dangerous underground rivers. Especially Va cave, which is famous for its dangerous stalagmite areas.

Tu Lan Cave System

As a complex of more than 10 large and small caves in Quang Binh province, Tu Lan cave system quickly became famous since 2017 after the blockbuster "Kong" Skull Island" was released and created a fever with fans around the world.

"There are a lot of people who come here because of the movie, but they end up discovering that the landscape is even more beautiful than they imagined," Limbert told CNN.

"All groups camp near lakes or waterfalls so it's great for swimming in cool weather. On the Tu Lan tour, you'll enter through one cave and exit from the forest side of another cave."

Oxalis currently offers tours lasting from 1 to 4 days depending on the area, depending on the flexibility of the visitor's time.

“In this area, we need to keep a tight control, so you will see very few people. But this also means that the whole cave seems to belong to you alone,” Limbert continued.

Within Tu Lan Cave, one of the most famous spots is Tien Cave, named after the shape of the cave as it looks like vast rice fields with stone pillars rising high.

Passing through two caves including Hang Tien 1 and Hang Tien 2, the guide will take you through a vast forest, a dry cave stretching 5.5km and reaching a height of 100m at the top.

“These caves are drier than others in the area so they are popular with tourists who don't want to swim during their tour,” Limbert shared.

Paradise Cave

Another beautiful cave located in the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park system is Thien Duong Cave.

A local man discovered the entrance to the cave, which was then just a small hole in the rock, in 2005. Soon after, the British Cave Exploration Association explored inside the cave and were amazed by its stunning beauty.

Currently, Thien Duong Cave is one of the most visited caves in Vietnam. It is considered the longest dry cave in Asia with a total length of up to 31km and moreover, it is a very large cave, where a jet plane can fit.

Visitors can explore this cave complex in two ways: walk 1km via wooden steps or stay overnight and do the 7km trek.

"I always encourage and recommend people to join the 7km trekking tour because then they will have more time to experience and spend at least 6 hours in the cave to explore. This is truly an extremely unforgettable experience."

Tam Coc Cave

Apart from Quang Binh province, the UNESCO-recognized cultural complex of Trang An is also very popular with tourists from near and far. Located in Ninh Binh province in the North of Vietnam, this is another prominent place for tourists to explore the fascinating caves.

"What I like most about caves in Vietnam is that each cave has its own unique characteristics," Nguyen told CNN.

"The journey is part of the experience. So how you get to the cave system here makes it all the more special. You can hike, climb, swim or take a boat here. Each option offers a completely different experience."

Especially when you explore the Tam Coc (meaning “three caves”) cave complex in Trang An. Tam Coc consists of three caves: Hang Ca, Hang Hai and Hang Ba, all of which can be reached by boat from Van Lam village.

A gentle 3km boat ride takes you past the Ngo Dong River, rice fields and limestone formations before reaching the cave system.

Hang Ca is the largest cave among them with a length of 120m while Hang Ba is the smallest cave with a total length of 45m.

“Because you can only go through the cave by boat, this trip will be very gentle and accessible to all visitors,” Nguyen added.

"The best time to explore Tam Coc is from March to May, when farmers start planting rice in the fields. It is a magical sight of green and yellow rice fields intertwined."

Surprise Cave

Ha Long Bay may be best known for its limestone karsts that rise above the bay, but there are also countless caves that you can’t miss. The updated list of caves here has reached 59.

Among them, Sung Sot Cave is the most famous. Located on Bo Hon Island in Ha Long Bay, this cave was first discovered by a French explorer in 1901.

With a size of up to 10,000 square meters, this cave is extremely large with a system of extremely majestic stalactites, with many unique shapes such as funnel or flower shape.

There are many stories and folklore surrounding the shape of the stalagmites and it would take an hour or two to explore them all.

Luon Cave

Although smaller than Sung Sot Cave, Luon Cave feels like a secret gateway to the magical world of Ha Long Bay.

The cave is 60m long and 4m high and can only be reached by kayak or small boat. When the water level is high, the entrance to the cave becomes very small and it becomes more difficult to enter the cave.

Inside this cave, the cool feeling, clear blue water and narrow exits create a very mysterious feeling.

On the other side of the cave is a lake surrounded by limestone blocks, where a series of wild monkeys live, creating an extremely spectacular panorama.

Nga Nguyen