Hang Son Doòng (which translates as “cave of the mountain river” or “mountain cave of Doòng village”), is officially understood to be the largest cave, by volume, in the world. It was discovered by a local man named Mr. Ho Khanh in 1991, however the whistling sound of wind, the roar of a rushing stream in the cave entrance, as well as the steep descent, discouraged the him and other local people from entering the cave. Only in 2009 did the cave become internationally known after a group of scientists from the British Cave Research Association conducted a survey of it, with the help of Mr. Ho Khanh to track down the location.
Hang Son Doong
The cave has the largest known cave passage cross-section in the world and is part of the Hang Phong Nha Cave system. Inside the cave is the large, fast-flowing subterranean Rao Thuong River, which has carved out the cave over millions of years. The main passage is more than 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) long, 200 metres (660 ft) high and 150 metres (490 ft) wide – wide enough for a 747 jumbo jet to fly through it! With these dimensions, the cave took the title of the world’s largest cave. The cave continues for approximately 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) in total and is punctuated by 2 large dolines (areas where the ceiling of the cave have collapsed). The dolines allow sunlight to enter sections of the cave and has resulted in the growth of trees as well as other vegetation. The cave is so large that harbours its own cloud system, climate and it’s own eco-system.
Hang Son Doong can only be visited on the 4 day, 3 night Son Doong Expedition. The cave is not accessible by any other means as it is protected with access only granted to Oxalis, the licensed tour company. The numbers are limited, so be sure to book well in advance. For more information, please contact us or head over to the Oxalis website.