The tour was launched only several years ago but managed to beat several well-established adventures like visiting the Arctic Bay in Greenland and trekking to the South Everest Base Camp in Nepal.
A 9 km cave system is recognized the world's largest by several reputed bodies including UK-based Guinness, Hong Kong based Association World Record and US-based World Kings.
Discovered by a local in 1991, the cave was first explored only in 2009 and opened to tourists in 2013, so it is definitely one of the most recent wonders in the world to explore. The journey to the depths of the cave is rather strenuous and requires a compulsory guide. The number of visitors who can enter the cave is stricktly limited. One of the major tour operators offering guided expeditions into the caves informs that only 20 slots remain available for 2019.
The cave is located near Phong Nha – Kẻ Bàng National Park. From Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh your best bet to hop onto a direct flight to Dong Hoi, some 40 km away. Dong Hoi sits on the Reunification railway line, so direct trains from the both cities are also available.
Earlier, Lonely Planet has named the Son Doong cave system one of five dream destinations in 2019 after the Inca Trail, a famous hiking tail to Machu Picchu in Peru, and the cult Burning Man music and arts festival in Nevada, the US.
Son Doong Cave Tour Named One of World's Best Adventures
News in Asia
The British Dave TV channel listed Son Doong Cave in the Vietnam Central province of Quang Binh in their World's Top Adventures Rating. The tour of the cave received 24 percent of the votes and is placed the 5th among 20 best adventure tours across the globe.