Stone formations with stalagmites and stalactites, underground rivers and lakes, in addition to delicate natural world have made the enormous Son Doong cave in central Quang Binh province one of the charming places on the earth, the Vietnam News Agency reported.
Located in the guts of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, the cave, which is over 200 meters wide, 150 meters high and roughly 6.8 km long, was explored by the British Cave Research Association in 2009–2010 and has been open to the general public since 2013 yr. It is believed to have formed between two and five million years ago.
Son Doong Cave has been recognized as the most important of its kind on the earth by three international registry organizations – Guinness, Association World and Worldkings.
It was recently ranked third on the world tour list for 2019 by Lonely Planet, a prestigious travel guide magazine.
The cave was visited by 243 tourists from 34 countries and territories of the world, who in 2013 took part in 32 pilot tours “Conquering Son Doong – the most important cave on the earth”, conducted by the management of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park and Oxalis Adventure Tours. through the eight-month trial period, it generated over VND15 billion ($645,600) in local tourism.
The tours created stable jobs for 40 residents, whose average income on the time was VND6 million ($258) a month. Drawing inspiration from adventure tours, local tourism services have also been developed.
In addition, tours to Son Doong have helped popularize the UNESCO-listed Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, in addition to the province’s tourism worldwide.
Possessing essential scientific values when it comes to geology, geomorphology and ancient climate, the cave has change into the main focus of many scientists and science channels world wide.
The ecosystem inside Son Doong is as unique because it is large and even has its own localized weather system. Rare limestone cave pearls are scattered throughout the dry pools, and the most important stalagmite found is 80 meters high.
The collapsed ceilings created openings called valleys, allowing leafy plants to grow contained in the cave. Microscopic organisms thrive at the hours of darkness.
According to preliminary research by the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, along with the 161 plant species present in Son Doong, the cave accommodates coral fossils dating back 300 million years, that are worthwhile for analyzing the changes in geological layers over the centuries.
Source: Vietnam News Agency
