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Previously, the plan to bypass the Vietnam National Park and traverse Son Doong Cave, proposed by experts from the British Royal Cave Association to Oxalis Company, was chosen at locations that would have the least impact on the stalactites and the cave environment.
In particular, the 65-meter section crossing the wall using vines only involves walking on a 0.5-meter wide platform and moving one person at a time, thus minimizing the impact on the stalactites on the bedrock… After receiving various opinions, the Quang Binh Provincial People's Committee directed relevant agencies to survey the feasibility of opening the tour using this method.
According to a survey by the Quang Binh Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the installation of a ladder inside Son Doong Cave is a technical solution that may affect geological processes, but not significantly. The ladder installed to cross the cave has three boreholes used to secure the top of the ladder, two of which are old boreholes from expeditions of the Royal British Cave Association.
The ladder has a support point against the stalactite wall, but it is padded with rubber to minimize impact on the wall. The 65-meter-long slope at the top of the ladder still uses ropes for visitors to climb to the summit of BTVN, with 23 drilled holes for attaching safety rope hooks, 15 of which are old holes from previous expeditions.
According to the tour operator, Oxalis Company, the new trial tour route through Son Doong Cave, lasting 4 days and 3 nights (one day and one night less than the old route), was conducted from May 21st to August 31st, with nine tours and 188 participants, proving highly effective. Tourists did not have to retrace their steps to exit the cave, and it suited most tourists as they felt comfortable because the trip was not too long.
The installation of prefabricated ladders to cross the cave has proven effective in cases of sudden flooding, allowing visitors to cross the cave to escape without having to wait several days for the water to recede. The route through the cave also enhances the overall conservation efforts along the entire route, minimizing direct impacts as visitors do not have to retrace their steps.
For the reasons mentioned above, the Quang Binh Provincial People's Committee allowed Oxalis Company to officially operate tours through Son Doong Cave from 2018, with a duration of 4 days and 3 nights.
Reportedly, in 2017, 740 people participated in the Son Doong Cave Conquest tour – visiting the world's largest cave.
