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The Hang Son Doong cave in Vietnam's Quang Binh Province, within Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, is now the world's biggest known cave. With proportions of almost three miles (5 kilometers) in length and 660 feet (200 meters) in height, this natural wonder could contain 15 Great Pyramids of Giza within its massive chambers. Its massive tunnels are so wide that a Boeing 747 could theoretically fly through portions of the cave. The cave's limestone construction has unusual "skylights" that enable sunshine to flow in, sustaining two rainforests nested within it and generating an environment unlike any other on the planet.
A Discovery decades in the making
According to a recent LiveScience post, a local resident named Ho Khanh found Hang Son Doong, which means "Mountain River," in 1990. Khanh discovered the cave while hunting, noticing the rush of wind and the sound of water echoing from within. However, due to the high forest, he was unable to relocate it until 2009. That year, Khanh successfully guided a team from the British Cave Research Association, including cave specialist Howard Limbert, to its entrance. Limbert, technical director of Oxalis Adventure, which now arranges tours to Son Doong, characterized the finding as enormous, with the crew rapidly recognizing its enormity and importance.
A cave with record-breaking dimensions
Following extensive investigation, experts found that Hang Son Doong has a total volume of around 1.35 billion cubic feet (38.5 million cubic meters). This is the biggest natural cave ever measured. Divers discovered an underwater tunnel connecting Son Doong and Hang Thung in 2019, increasing the amount by 57 million cubic feet (1.6 million cubic metres). Limbert compared the discovery to "finding an additional peak on Mount Everest," emphasizing the cave's unparalleled size in the underground realm.
A Natural Masterpiece and Ecosystem
Son Doong has outstanding geological structures, in addition to its large size. It has one of the world's highest stalagmites, reaching 260 feet (80 meters) high, as well as the Great Wall of Vietnam, a calcite barrier that posed a difficulty to explorers during their first expeditions. The cave's fossil tunnels provide a peek into the area's old marine past, containing remains from sea species that formerly lived there. Inside the Passchendaele Passage, named after a World War I battlefield, explorers face muddy terrain that replicates the ancient fighting conditions.
In the middle of the cave, the fallen roof creates skylights that allow light to reach its depths, sustaining lush jungles and completing Son Doong's strange scenery.
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