5 interesting things in Son Doong 3
Recognized as the largest natural cave in the world, Son Doong – Quang Binh province, contains many secrets that scientists have not been able to decode.
1. Discovered on a rainy day
In 1991, Ho Khanh, a local resident, accidentally discovered Son Doong cave when he ducked into the cave entrance to avoid the rain.
Part of the cave roof collapsed several centuries ago.
It was with great difficulty that he found the cave entrance, which was located deep in the jungle with quite rugged terrain, far from the main road and impossible to see with Google Earth.
2. Â Can accommodate a 40-story building
Son Doong Cave is 150 m wide, more than 200 m high, and at least 5 km long.
However, with its recorded size, Son Doong has surpassed Deer Cave in Malaysia’s Gunung Mulu National Park (120 m high, 150 m wide, 2 km long) to be recognized as the largest natural cave in the world.
Because of the vastness of the cave, explorers had to work hard to bring measuring and photography equipment inside to serve research work.
In addition, some sections inside Son Doong cave are up to 140 m x 140 m in size, including 14 m high stalactite columns.
3. Formed 5 million years ago
According to scientific documents, Son Doong cave was formed when river water flowed through a limestone area that was buried along a fault line.
4. Rich world of flora and fauna
Because the ceiling of Son Doong cave collapsed many centuries ago, inside the cave there is a lush forest, named Eden forest by explorers.
Ancient lakes, waterfalls, and rivers inside the cave form a rich carpet of algae and plants.
In particular, explorers also discovered pearls formed during the process of dripping water, creating calcite crystals on sand grains.
5. Why are tourists limited to Son Doong cave?
The reason why Son Doong cave is limited to welcoming tourists is due to landscape and environmental protection factors.
