The moment I took my first backward step on the slippery limestone rock descending into Son Doong cave it was clear this was the point of no return. This marked the beginning of our journey 600 plus feet underground, 3.5 miles long, over the course of 3 days in a world of mesmerizing beauty, physical challenges and mental fortitude. A journey snaking through an intricate maze of jagged rocks, sandy beaches, underground rivers, massive caverns, waterfalls, and prehistoric formations. This is Hang Son Doong in Vietnam, the worlds largest cave.
Point of No Return: Entrance into Son Doong Cave, Vietnam
36 hours earlier our journey began when the Oxalis Adventure Tours van dropped our crew of 10 trekkers, two head guides and 20 porters off on the edge of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, a 476 square mile protected region in North-Central Vietnam filled with mountains, tropical forests, endless flora and fauna and a massive cave system. Our mission for the day was to reach the campsite located inside one of the most impressive caverns in the world, Hang En, over 6 miles from our starting point. One of the initial highlights of the long and very hot trek was our stop for lunch in Ban Doong Ethnic Minority Village, population < 40. The children were all smiles and amazement and the adults went about their daily routine of washing clothes and farming without really noticing us. While it was a glimpse into how people in these remote villages have lived for thousands of years, you could see the influence of the outside world by their branded T-shirts and the one satellite TV surrounded by a majority of the adolescent children eyes glued and focused on the screen.
After the village and the first of many group meals prepared by our team of porters, we set off for another 3 hour trek which had us zig-zagging dozens of times across the Rao Thuong River, through swarms of butterflies, following the canyon floor until we reached the giant gash in the massive mountainside that marked the entrance to our initial campsite, Hang En cave, where for the first time we strapped on our helmets, turned our headlamps on, and ventured into the darkness.
While entering the cave provided some relief from the sweltering June Vietnamese sun and the humid jungle, being swallowed in darkness with zero natural light and ancient fallen rocks lining our path presented a whole new set of challenges. What was initially more of a physical drain turned into mental. Every step required careful consideration as we followed the underground river scrambling over boulders and climbing up rock mountains until at last we reached out destination, Hang En.
Belly of the Beast: Hang En Campsite, night 1
The massive chamber with a 300 foot ceiling was decorated with a turquoise lagoon, wrapping around a sandy beach, multi-colored tents systematically setup in two rows, a raft to help us cross the body of water, a food tent with scrambling porters preparing our dinner, and the echoing cacophony of bats and Swifts in the thousands who claim this cave as their home. They flew around endlessly during the day and perched on the ceiling of the cave throughout the night adding to the otherworldly experience of our surroundings. Dinner was prepared and after a much needed swim in the lagoon we all sat down to discuss the days adventure and eat some Pho.
The next morning, we packed up camp and continued our trek out of Hang En, following along and through the river, back into the dense jungle, scrambling up dirt paths and climbing down tree lined drops until we reached the entrance to Son Doong. At this point, strapping into the harnesses, gloves, and helmets, the nerves started to show just a little bit. While it wasn’t a full on rappel and free fall, the decent was slippery on uneven rocky ground and steep! There were definitely points you needed to hold your full body weight and carefully watch foot placement as you lowered to the next level but with the help of our expert team of guides watching every move, everyone reached the landing zone with no incident.
On our first day in staying in Đồng Hới outside of Phong Nha-Ke park, we met Ho Khanh, the man who discovered the entrance to Son Doong while on a hunting trip to feed his family in 1991. It wasn’t until 2009 that he re-discovered the entrance and led the first group of cavers to explore the cave. The picture below is the first drop into the cave, on your way to 600 feet underground. Nothing but a strong breeze and a desire for discovery guided this group as they became the first people to trek through this cave in recorded history. Our lead guide, Adam Spillane, was one of those initial explorers to find his way from one end of the cave to the other. While the route has been modified over the years, having Adam lead our group gave us not only a sense of comfort but also access to an incredible perspective and information while traveling underground in another world.
The cave, estimated between two and five million years old, was filled with wonders at every turn. Even in complete darkness, using long exposure photography and a team of people helping to paint with light at various features helped to capture some amazing images. Our campsites were always at the edge of a doline (aka sinkhole) that provided the only moments where light was able to enter the cave creating spectacular scenes. Once the sun was present, the earth teamed with life from the fertile ground due to the hundreds of species of birds and bats that call the cave their home. A garden of eden would sprout up from the darkness wowing us all with the contrast of a dark, jagged rock cave and a green life-filled jungle. These were our moments to rest, reflect, bathe in the rivers, lakes and seemingly bottomless canals and of course, enjoy a meal prepared by our incredible team of guides and porters.
While this wasn’t a photography tour, the guides were all extremely knowledgable about the best spots to capture incredible images and enthusiastic about helping to make it happen. Having to rely almost solely on long exposure techniques in complete darkness added a level of complexity and challenges that required plenty of trial and error which isn’t easy with a constantly moving group in a cave filled with haze and intermittent weather system. 10-15 second shutters with 5 or 6 flashlights slowly moving around the subject made it possible to capture images unseen to the eye. With a little direction and a patient team some incredible images were made possible.
Follow the Lights: Doline entrance with a natural path leading up to an enchanted forest
Worship: A giant column formed over thousands of years when a stalagmite and stalagmite eventually connect
River Crossing: Long exposure shot of a river crossing with a waterfall just out of frame
The final challenge was to climb a 600 foot wall, named the Great Wall of Vietnam, to exit out of the cave. The trek to the wall is either a river where you float on boats, or as the rains weren’t heavy enough during our trek, a narrow path in a V shape where your feet would sink into the mud while carefully placing one foot in front of the other as if you were walking on a balance beam. After what felt like a mile, we cleaned off in the small pool of water and took turns climbing a 100 foot ladder to the beginning of the ascent. I’ve climbed plenty of ladders, but the sheer height, darkness, and feeling of being completely alone was intense. The most challenging part was when you reached the top and you had to step over the top of the last rung, onto the slanted, slippery rock, to harness in. My heart was pounding and adrenaline rushing but, there was nowhere to go but up and over. The climb was also intense. 600 feet walking an almost vertical rock was tough, exciting, exhilarating and damn scary.
This types of trip is what I consider Deep Travel. The type of adventure travel that involves overcoming obstacles and various levels of discomfort to accomplish something monumental. It leaves you with a satisfied feeling that re-energizes and refreshes you for daily life. As a travel enthusiast with a passion for capturing images to tell a story, Son Doong Cave was the trip of a lifetime.