Why am I writing this blog post?
It's important to state clear my intention in writing this post. I want to preserve Son Doong Cave as it is, despite all of efforts to commercialize into massive tours. Ironically, the way to preserve is through more people seeing Son doong either through small guided eco-tours or by reading about it. Hope you will see that Son Doong is a world treasure belonging to everyone, not just a person or a country. I hope the Unesco sees this cleary as well.
My second goal is to share my own experience in prepping and exploring the cave with the hope to peak your interest and prepare you for the AMAZING adventure!
What makes Son Doong Cave unique?
You might have heard that Son Doong is the largest cave in the world. What does that mean really? Son Doong Cave is 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) long, 200 metres (660 ft) high and 150 metres (490 ft) wide. That's twice the size of the next largest passage in Malaysia. To put that in perspective, you can fit the Giza pyramid inside sections of Son Doong. It is estimated to be between 2 and 5 millions years old.
Source: Oxalis Adventure Tour Co.
Son Doong is also unique because it has been preserved since the Earth creation and was only explored thoroughly starting 2009. When you are in Son Doong, every rock, trees, drop of water, might not have been touch for millions of years. Just there patiently waiting and evolving.
There are two forests within Son Doong, situated at the two dolines (openings made when part of the cave collapsed) along the long cave. Multiple freshwater pools, fossils, vegetation and ecosystem made the ecosystem in Son Doong one of the most ancient and untouched in the world.
The people behind Son Doong Cave discovery:
1990 Ho Khanh
2009 British Cave Research Association led by Howard Limbert
The porters
I was fortunate to speak to both of these adventurers. Howard told me "I've been actively taking people one by one to Son Doong so that they realize how special it is. [That] it is something we need to preserve and protect. The Vietnamese should see for themselves and know what they have."
I would argue that not only the Vietnamese but the world should recognized Son Doong for the natural wonder that it is.
Can't wait to hear more? Email me.