Son Doong

Shondong is the largest and most picturesque cave in the whole world, located in a park area in Vietnam. The cave is over 7 km long, 150 meters high, and 90 meters wide. This natural landmark is so large that it accommodates a river and a certain part of the jungle. The name of the cave means "Mountain River Cave" in Vietnamese.

Until 1991, the Shondong cave was hidden in the jungle until it was discovered by local residents. But the natural factors protecting the cave - the powerful wind breathing along with the noise of the mountain river, created a frightening effect with a terrifying soundtrack, and no one dared to enter. This lasted until 2009. The discoverers who explored the Shondong cave were British scientists led by Howard Limbirth. The territory was measured using laser rangefinders. It was found that the cave was formed about 2.5 million years ago due to the erosion of limestone by river water. An excellent condition for the caves formed was the presence of rocks and abundant water. There are 2 entrances to the caves. But until the end, the entire underground system remains unexplored.

This unique creation of nature creates a maze that consists of more than 150 underground corridors forming separate caves. During the rainy season, they fill with water and become inaccessible to visitors.

Thanks to the flowing river, a unique ornament was formed on the walls, for many years the waves were sculpted, creating an unsurpassed beauty of karst rocks. The underground landscape almost completely converges with the terrestrial one.

Mists and clouds form in the cave due to temperature fluctuations. Sunlight penetrates from the mountain cracks. Giant stalagmites against the background of sunlight have a resemblance to cacti. In the middle of the cave there are not only representatives of flora, but also fauna – birds, snakes, monkeys.

Today, this natural creation is open to tourists. However, getting to the Shondong cave is quite difficult – you need to make your way through the jungle for a day and a half, and then climb down the rope from the cliff. Such a journey is possible for adventurous people. Having overcome all the difficulties of the way, a masterpiece of incredible beauty opens up to the gaze of nature, leaving wonderful memories of what they saw for a long time.