Discover Son Doong Cave, the world’s largest cave, nestled in Quang Binh Province, Central Vietnam. Explore its breathtaking dimensions from the crystal-clear turquoise lake to the Garden of Edam, immerse yourself in the diverse ecosystem, swim in underground rivers, and conquer the Great Wall of Vietnam within this natural wonder. Son Doong offers an unforgettable adventure when travel to Vietnam.
Son Doong Cave
Son Doong Cave is recorded as the largest cave in the world, located in Son Trach Commune, Bo Trach district, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam. It was first found by a local farmer, namely Ho Khanh in 1991 but he then forgot the way to come back. The cave was recently discovered in 2009 by British cavers, led by Howard Limbert. The name “Son Doong” means “mountain river cave”.
The Son Doong Cave in Vietnam’s Quang Binh Province is said to be 9 kilometers long, 200 meters wide and 150 meters tall. The cave was created 2 – 5 million years ago by river water eroding limestone underneath a mountain.
- Son Doong Cave has been recognized as the largest of its kind in the world by three international organizations, including Guinness (based in the UK), the Association World Record (based in Hong Kong), and WorldKings (based in the US and India).
- Ranked first in the list of 15 most magnificent caves in the world as voted by Bored Panda.
- Son Doong Cave was recognized as one of the 10 of the best caves in the world 2024 by TimeOut magazine.
Ideal time to travel to Son Doong
Diving expedition inside Son Doong Cave
Oxalis Adventure organizes Son Doong tour from January to August every year. From September to December, tour organizers close tourism and exploration activities due to bad weather to ensure safety and give time to restore the ecosystem.
January – March: The atmosphere is still chilly when the trees are green, helping you save energy when trekking through the forest all day long.
April – May: At this time the temperature is quite high and the sun is hot, ideal for cooling off in the streams inside the cave.
June – August: you will see clouds floating and comfortably immerse yourself in the cool water.
Son Doong Cave Travel Experience
How to get to Son Doong cave?
An adventure trip to the cave of Son Doong should be from Quang Binh province which is 180 km from Hue, nearly 570 km from Hanoi. There is an airport in Dong Hoi City (Dong Hoi is the provincial capital of Quang Binh) and it takes 1 hour for a flight from Hanoi or 1 hour 30 minutes flight from Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City.
The official Son Doong Cave tour price
Currently, Oxalis Adventure is the only unit licensed to organize adventure tours inside Son Doong Cave. The tour includes picking up at the airport/train station, meals, place to stay before, during, and after cave exploration, safety equipment, travel insurance, and other services.
- Tour organizer: Oxalis Adventure
- Package tour price: 3.000 USD/person
- Tour opening time: From January to August every year
- Tour schedule: Lasts 6 days and 5 nights
- Participants: Maximum 10 guests/tour
- Participation conditions: Requirement of trekking experience in the last 12 months, and requirement of regular physical exercise.
What to prepare for your Son Doong Cave tours?
The tour organizers will prepare most of the items used on the expedition. Travelers only need to prepare luggage and some necessary items such as trekking clothes, waterproof jackets, sunscreen, swimsuits, climbing shoes, sunglasses, sunscreen, and personal items like mosquito repellent, towels, hygiene products, power banks, medicine.
Highlights of Son Doong
Son Doong Entrance – Hang En
Camping Son Doong Cave
Hang En, the third largest cave in the world, serves as the only access route to the Son Doong cave. The entrance of Hang En is impressively large, allowing sunlight to stream in, acting like a colossal natural lamp. This sunlight illuminates the crystal clear turquoise lake within the cave, creating a magical and breathtaking spectacle. This unique experience is part of what makes the journey through Hang En to Son Doong a truly unforgettable adventure.
Diverse Ecosystem Inside the Cave
The landscape inside Son Doong Cave creates a majestic scene with mountains, rivers and with a unique ecosystem. Deep within Son Doong, there’s a sinkhole known as the Garden of Edam. It allows natural light to filter in, creating a lush environment. The space in the cave is large, creating conditions for many tree species to grow sky-high, some of which are up to 40-50 meters tall.
The ecosystem inside Son Doong Cave
This place not only has a diverse range of plants but is also home to many animal species, such as flying foxes, snakes, and monkeys that come looking for food. Inside the cave also hides a large stream and a deep lake, which is the habitat of many species of fish and other creatures. There are newly species, with transparent bodies and no eyes to adapt to the dark water environment in the cave.
Cave Pearl – A special cave formation in Son Doong Cave
Cave Pearl
In addition, people also discovered the world’s largest cave “pearls” (created by a concentration of calcium salts that form concentric layers around a nucleus) in Son Doong. Normally, these “pearls” are only about 1cm in diameter, but in Son Doong, they are as big as a baseball.
Immerse yourself in the water
With many underground rivers and lakes, swimming in Son Doong Cave is a must. The water in the cave is very clean and cool because it flows continuously. However, in some areas the flow is quite fast so you must follow the tour guide’s regulations.
Unique camping area
Both campsites inside Son Doong Cave are located at the edge of natural sinkholes. That’s why you can admire the stars and sunlight when the sky is clear. These are definitely two of the most unique campsites in the world.
The Great Wall of Vietnam
Conquering the Great Wall of Vietnam in Son Doong Cave is a fascinating challenge. The wall is a massive stalactite, up to 90 meters high, is the final challenge for visitors. A team of experts has installed a system of iron ladders and protective belts to climb over the rock. After the first 20 meters of climbing by ladder, visitors will continue to climb with the support of assistants team to reach the top of the all.
