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P
aradise Cave is a natural attrac-
tion that is a perfect complement
to Quang Binh province’s won-
derful coastline as tourists appre-
ciate a balance of relaxation and cultur-
al exploration. Since Thien Duong Cave
opened to tourists 14 years ago Quang
Binh has attracted plenty of well-heeled
visitors as it is now easier to get to
this lesser-known paradise than ever
before, thanks to direct flights from
Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
One of the biggest drawcards is
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, a
UNESCO World Natural Site located to
the north of the majestic Truong Son
mountains. One of the world’s two
largest limestone regions, the enor-
mous park includes beautiful limestone
formations, grottoes and caves, and
boasts lush forestland covering 95 per-
cent of its area. The area is considered a
perfect destination for researchers and
explorers of grottoes and caves, and
Vietnamese and British scientists have
so far surveyed 20 with a total length
of 70km.
Paradise Cave was acclaimed by
the British Royal Cave Association as
“the largest and the most beautiful
cave in Phong Nha-Ke Bang Park’s con-
servation area and the longest dry cave
in Asia”. At 31.4 km in length, the
system contains stalagmites and sta-
lactites hundreds of millions of years
in the making.
Discovered in 2005, Paradise Cave is
also known as the Underground Imperial
Palace. It looks like a landscape painting,
making it very attractive to visitors.
Standing at the front entrance, we
felt the cool fresh atmosphere away
timeout
48
The fabulous Paradise Cave, known locally as
Thien Duong, has helped turn impoverished
Quang Binh province into a magnet for tourists.
Words by
Duc Hanh
Another
WORLD