WORDS ON THE STREET 70th anniversary of Hanoi's Liberation Day Vietnam - Asia 2023 Smart City Summit Hanoi celebrates 15 years of administrative boundary adjustment 12th Vietnam-France decentrialized cooperation conference 31st Sea Games - Vietnam 2021 Covid-19 Pandemic
Home / Travel / Attractions
The reasons that make Son Doong Cave to be a great wonder of the world
Jenna Duong 10:06, 2021/03/04
The Oxalis Adventures has recently pointed out 10 reasons why Son Doong Cave is one of the world’s great wonders that any travelers should visit once among their lifetime.

Much like Mt. Everest, the Grand Canyon and the Great Barrier Reef, Son Doong Cave in Quang Binh province, central coast of Vietnam is now considered as one of the world’s great natural wonders. Let’s discover the ten reasons as listed below.

Size matters

Photo: https://oxalisadventure.com

There are a number of ways that you can quantify the size of a cave, but measuring the cross-section of the largest chamber tends to be the most popular way to do it.

By this measure, Son Doong Cave is bigger than any other cave on the planet. To help put things into perspective, some of the chambers in the cave are taller than the Great Pyramid of Giza in Cairo.

Son Doong currently measures a total of 38.5 million cubic meters (about 1.35 billion cubic feet). When it's officially connected with Thung Cave, it will add 1.6 million cubic meters in volume.

According to the cave expert,Howard Limbert, the cave would be like someone found a lump on top of Mount Everest, making it another 1,000 meters higher.

A subterranean lake

Photo: https://oxalisadventure.com

Toward the cave’s exit sits a gigantic lake. The lake is so big and so deep that you’ll glide across it on small row boats. 

Ceiling collapses

Photo: https://oxalisadventure.com

Son Doong Cave is nine kilometers long, and yet it’s rarely pitch-black. That’s because it’s punctuated by two huge ceiling collapses that invite light to pour into the cave.

Underground jungles

Photo: https://oxalisadventure.com

Beneath these vast holes in the ceiling lie underground jungles. As the microclimate of the cave is different to that on the surface, the jungles are also different from flora species that you won’t find outside the cave.

Prehistoric stalagmites

Photo: https://oxalisadventure.com

Son Doong Cave’s towering stalagmites are nothing short of extraordinary. Some stalagmites are taller than the Arc de Triomphe, and others form outlandish and mesmerizing shapes.

The cave’s tallest stalagmite measures 70 meters high. 

World-beating campsites

Photo: https://oxalisadventure.com

Animal planet

Photo: https://oxalisadventure.com

Vietnam’s great wall

Son Doong Cave has its own ecosystem, and in some ways that’s true. You may come across an array of wildlife while inside the cave, including howling monkeys near the collapsed, translucent cave insects, squeaking bats and blind fish.

Photo: https://oxalisadventure.com 

Unforgettable swimming

Photo: https://oxalisadventure.com

With various underground rivers and pools in Hang Son Doong, expeditions to the cave overflow with wading, paddling and swimming opportunities.

Sunbeams and cloud whisps

Photo: https://oxalisadventure.com

Son Doong cave is so big that it has its own weather, evident by the sunbeams that shoot down from the cave collapses and the mist that floats through the chambers.

Editorial notes:

Son Doong is located in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in Son Trach commune, Bo Trach district. Formed between two and five million years ago, the cave is more than 200m high, 150m wide and approximately five to 6.5 km long. 

RELATED NEWS
TAG: Son Doong Cave Hang Son Doong Son Doong Cave - a great wonder of the world The Oxalis Adventures.
Other news
18:23, 2024/10/08
City for Peace designation boosts tourism in Hanoi
By capitalizing on the advantages of its millennia-old culture and products with a strong local flavor, tourism in Hanoi is expected to take off.
21:31, 2024/09/29
Huong Pagoda complex recognized Hanoi's tourist destination
Built in the 15th century and renovated multiple times, the Huong Son complex has preserved its historical and scenic value.
15:42, 2024/09/02
Suggestions for day trips in Hanoi
Many people opt for day trips during the four-day National Day holiday to save money on lodging and transport, and to spend time relaxing and enjoying themselves with loved ones.
14:06, 2024/07/31
Hanoi received 16.44 million visits in seven months
The Jan-Jul figure rose 11.8% on year, including 3.43 million international visitors and 13.01 million domestic arrivals.
17:45, 2024/07/16
Two destinations in Vietnam top of the list for Korean tourists
Hanoi is also among the top 15 most popular cities for Korean tourists, after Barcelona in Spain and Tokyo in Japan.
21:17, 2024/07/03
Hanoi tourism posts impressive first-half growth
Hanoi's tourism industry is making great strides in the first half of the year, thanks to the ever-innovative way of doing things.