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Only in ASEAN: World's Biggest Cave is Even Bigger than Previously Thought

Only in ASEAN: World's Biggest Cave is Even Bigger than Previously Thought

Thanks to discoveries made during a recent expedition in Vietnam, it appears the world's largest cave, Son Doong, is even bigger than previously thought, CNN reported.

Last month, a trio of British divers -- the same divers who aided in the rescue of the trapped soccer team in Thailand in 2018 -- ventured to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, in the jungle-filled Quang Binh Province of central Vietnam, to explore the cave's waterways. 

During the groundbreaking dive, they discovered a new underwater tunnel that connects Son Doong (meaning "Mountain River Cave") with another enormous cave called Hang Thung. 

Hang Son Doong cave in Vietnam. Image: John Spies/Barcroft Media
Hang Son Doong in Vietnam. Image: John Spies/Barcroft Media

 

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 an additional 1.6 million cubic meters in volume.

"It would be like someone found a lump on top of Mount Everest, making it another 1,000 meters higher," says Howard Limbert, technical advisor of the Quang Binh-based Oxalis adventure tour company and one of the cave experts who helped organize the dive. 

He tells CNN Travel, "Any cave in the world will be able to fit comfortably inside Song Dong when it's connected -- it's just outrageous in size."

The dive included some members of the team that rescued the Thai soccer players from a cave where they were trapped for two weeks last year.

 Inside Hang Son Doong, the world's largest caves in Vietnam. Image: John Spies/Barcroft Media
Inside Hang Son Doong, the world's largest caves in Vietnam. Image: John Spies/Barcroft Media

 

Son Doong is located in Central Vietnam, in the heart of the Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park. It is considered the largest cave in the world, based on volume. It was discovered by accident in 1990 and was only explored by the British Cave Research Association in 2009. It opened up to visitors in 2013 and is currently accessible only through the adventure tour company Oxalis.

The river cave is thought to be at least 3 million years old. It measures more than three miles long, and at its largest, the cave is more than 650 feet tall, and almost 500 feet wide.

The divers plan to return in April 2020. That month is considered the best for diving as it’s when the caves are easiest to explore because of low water levels and high visibility.

Inside Hang Son Doong, the world's largest caves in Vietnam. Image: John Spies/Barcroft Media
Inside Hang Son Doong, the world's largest caves in Vietnam. Image: John Spies/Barcroft Media

 

According Saigon Online, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in the central province of Quang Binh, where the cave is located, is one of the most spectacular wilderness sites in South East Asia and one of the 2 largest limestone regions in the world. 
 
It was recognized as a World Heritage site for the second time for its ecological system and biodiversity at the 39th session of the World Heritage Committee in Bonn, Germany in 2015. The first time was in 2003 for its geological and geomorphologic values.
 
It is home of more than magnificent 300 caves and ranks among the most popular tourist destinations in Vietnam, including the world's largest cave, Son Doong; the world's 3rd largest cave, En cave; and the longest dry cave in Asia, Thien Duong (Paradise) Cave.

 

 

Indah Gilang Pusparani

Indah is a researcher at Badan Perencanaan Pembangunan Penelitian dan Pengembangan Daerah Kota Cirebon (Regional Development Planning and Research Agency of Cirebon Municipality). She covers More international relations, tourism, and startups in Southeast Asia region and beyond. Indah graduated from MSc Development Administration and Planning from University College London, United Kingdom in 2015. She finished bachelor degree from International Relations from University of Indonesia in 2014, with two exchange programs in Political Science at National University of Singapore and New Media in Journalism at Ball State University, USA. She was awarded Diplomacy Award at Harvard World Model United Nations and named as Indonesian Gifted Researcher by Australian National University. She is Researcher at Regional Planning Board in Cirebon, West Java. She previously worked as Editor in Bening Communication, the Commonwealth Parliament Association UK, and diplomacy consulting firm Best Delegate LLC in USA. Less
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