Harboring a marvelous system of hundreds of grottos which are crossed by grandiose underground rivers, resting below the oldest karst mountains in Asia, the National Park of Phong Nha – Ke Bang is truly a heaven for natural explorers. This giant park was declared as a World Heritage in 2003 – the second natural site in Vietnam to achieve this status since the recognition of Halong Bay in 1994.
Journey to a land of wonder
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park lies within the Annamite Mountain Range in the province of Quang Binh, Viet Nam. To reach the heritage site, tourists can choose among the variety of transportation, including: travelling by road along the National Route 1A or Ho Chi Minh Highway, taking a train at the Dong Hoi Railway Station or journey by air at the Dong Hoi Airport. All information are available at the Son Trach Commune’s Tourism Service Center, which will inform visitors about the entrance ticket fee or price for package and boat services. Upon entering the area of Phong Nha – Ke Bang, tourists are offered a boat trip, which is the major mean of transport in the park, to visit various rivers and caves.
Diverse and unique feature
The national park covers a vast area of 123,326 ha comprising aboveground and underground habitats. This is seen as one of the world’s largest and most diverse limestone ecosystem. Here rest the most ancient karst mountains in Asia with scientific claim that the formation of karst has dated back to over 400 million years ago. Surviving through significant tectonic changes, the karst shapes have grown to various complex forms, creating such a splendid feature.
The world’s largest cave
Phong Nha – Ke Bang is also famous for its extremely diverse system of underground caves consisting of suspended caves, dry caves, intersecting caves, dendritic caves and terraced caves. Stretching over 44.5 km, Phong Nha Cave is the highlight of the boat tour with gorgeous scenic karst landscape lying above sapphire water. However, Son Doong Cave, recently discovered in 2009, has now become the true diamond of this natural heritage site. This cave is announced to be the world’s largest cave, containing its own small world of immense tropical forest, vast savanna, grand mountains, deep valleys and boundless rivers within. An exploration into Song Doong Cave is a life experience for travelers – to be overwhelmed by the breathtaking marvel of nature and discover the masterpiece of God.
