Son Doong listed among world's best caves

By Phuc Trinh March 5, 2024 | 03:42 pm PT

Son Doong Cave in the central province of Quang Binh is ranked sixth out of the best 10 caves in the world, according to the British travel magazine Time Out.

Sinkhole Camp 1, situated within Son Doong Cave, serves as an overnight camping spot for tourists. Photo courtesy of Oxalis

Discovered in 1990, Son Doong Cave is the world's largest natural cave, with over 38 million cubic meters of space. Situated within Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Son Doong has been open for tourism since 2013.

The cave is 9 kilometers long, with heights up to 200 meters and widths of 160 meters. Stalagmites inside can reach 70 meters high.

Foreign newspapers have described the cave's vastness as a space where a Boeing 747 could fly through without damaging its wings.

Son Doong is one of the three Asian representatives on this list, alongside China’s Reed Flute Cave and Laos’ Pak Ou Caves.

Ranked first on the list is Mammoth Cave from the U.S., which holds the title of the world's longest cave system, spanning approximately 676 kilometers. Close behind are Škocjan Cave from Slovenia, and the Waitomo Caves in New Zealand.

Despite its remote location, the Son Doong Cave tours are highly popular. Oxalis, the only company offering tours to Son Doong Cave, announced that all tours for 2024 are fully booked.

Son Doong Cave tours are the priciest and most popular in Vietnam, costing about VND70 million (US$3,000) per person for a six-day and five-night adventure.