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very poor and have sparsely furnished houses.
Passing Doong village, we walked around 4km more
through thick banana forest and brushwood to reach En
Cave, the first overnight stop. We walked and walked un-
til we found the entrance to Hang En cave with a spring
running through it. We could not see anything inside the
utterly dark cave. A creepy feeling came over us, but then
suddenly hundreds of white butterflies flew out like we
were in a fairy tale.
We set up camp and prepared food for dinner inside the
giant cave. After a night of poor sleep due to the strange
sound of wind and wild animals, we continued our trip to
Son Doong via thick forest and springs. The path became
ever more hard to follow as the spring became deeper and
faster-flowing. We were covered in mud and water from head
to foot.
Overcoming many canyons with sharp rock cliffs, we
then faced the legendary Son Doong. The cave has an abrupt
entrance so we had to drop down using ropes. We only ex-
plored a small part of the cave due to our lack of equipment,
experience and fitness and a large abyss where we had to
stop. We felt regret, but were still satisfied with what we had
experienced. We had conquered Son Doong - the world’s big-
gest cave.
To preserve the pure and precious nature of the caves, the
local authorities have enacted many regulations. Everything
that is brought into Son Doong must be removed after every
tour. On every tour, large double gas burners are used for the
majority of cooking to save any wood being used. Only wood
that has fallen outside the cave can be collected and brought
to camp. No wood at all the jungles in the cave is used.
Rubbish bags are in position at the camps to help with
rubbish collection. A single path is followed in the cave. No
one is allowed from this path without permission from the
guides.
Nothing is allowed to be taken out of the cave or jungle
and no one is allowed to touch any delicate formations.
Washing and bathing is only allowed in certain places
where contamination can be limited. In Son Doong at least
five new species have been identified in areas that are strictly
controlled.
After leaving each camp the National Park Rangers do an
inspection and sign off a document concerning the state of
the camps.
It is in everybody’s interest to follow the rules and anyone
found disregarding them will not be allowed to take part in
the tour.
These rules will allow Son Doong to be kept in good con-
dition for future generations so they can see this amazing nat-
ural wonder. It is up to all the people taking part in the tours
to assist in the conservation of this new wonder of the world.
If you are one of those denied entry to Son Doong Caves, do not worry
because there are various other natural beauties you should not miss in
Quang Binh province. The province contains forests, hills, plains and a
coastal strip of sand dunes.
It is home to the beautiful Deo Ngang pass and Ly Hoa Pass, plus the
legendary Ho Chi Minh trail.
The Phong Nha -Ke Bang National Park contains hundreds of other caves,
including Phong Nha, Tien Son and Paradise Cave (Thien Duong Cave).
Discovered in 1935, but only opened to tourists in 1999, Phong Nha
Cave was made a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2003. Compared with
its fellow Central Vietnam sites – the citadel of Hue, the ancient town of
Hoi An and My Son Sanctuary – Phong Nha has remained largely off the
beaten track, at least for international tourists.
Like Halong Bay’s rocks, the caves date back to the Paleozoic period,
some 400 million years ago. Indeed, the limestone karst formations will
be familiar to most visitors to Vietnam’s most northerly Heritage Site. The
whole complex is some 65kmlong stretching towards the Laos border.
Paradise Cave (Dong Thien Duong) is the most impressive of all natural
sites in central Quang Binh province. It was formed 300-400 million years
ago. It has been recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Tours to explore the wonderful systems of Phong Nha Cave and Paradise
Cave should not be missed.