Son Doong Cave - Day 2 (Son Doong Cave)

July 26, 2015 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

We slurp our way through noodles for breaky and set off on Day 2 with helmets and headlights ready for action.

First stop is a viewpoint made famous by National Geographic (via a previous trip through Oxalis). We position team members for creative photos but they're certainly not the same quality. We scurry up and down rocky boulders and approach the exit of Hang En. Although not as big as Son Doong this is still an impressive cave with relaxing swimming spots.

We continue through the jungle and strive to protect our belongings from the rain. We arrive for lunch and the first leech of the trip is picked up by one of the other tourists. A short stroll further and we reach the entrance to Son Doong Cave.

Son Doong Cave was first found by a local jungle guy seeking refuge from a large storm in 1990 (It then took a number of years for him to find it again as the paths to the entrance are erased by floods during the wet season annually. It's classified as the worlds biggest cave and has such attracted the attention of large film crews (Nat Geo, BBC, ABC) from around the world. This is the second year that tourists have been allowed to enter with a maximum number of 500 permits issued each year solely to Oxalis.

It's a steep decline of about 80m into the cave so were fitted with harnesses and attached to a lifeline. The adrenaline continues to pump as we crossing a raging river via foot and another by a highline.

We arrive at the next camp site and take up the option of a short hike to swim in an icy cold crevice. Suki is the only female with 6 guys who've all stripped down to their dacks. It's a amazing short dip with another reason to wash away the days smell just in time for dinner.

After dinner the Vietnamese tour guide Bamboo teaches us a card game similar to 'spoons' which provides hours of entertainment with the loser of each round being face painted with a finger of an ash/water mix by the winner.

Another adventurous day and who'd knows what surprises tomorrow holds.Read more