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Nguyen Dat
Ever since Son Doong emerged on the world map, ranked as the largest cave on the planet, adventure tourism and cave exploration in Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park have grown increasingly popular among travelers.
Travel-enthusiasts forgo modern conveniences and flock to this location to experience the region’s pristine nature. It was not the well-known caves that drew us to explore Phong Nha – Ke Bang, but our desire to trek through diverse, unique, and challenging terrains. Hung Thoong Cave was our tour’s intended destination. We were even more excited upon learning that we would be among the first 20 visitors to explore this newly-discovered cave.
The Hung Thoong Cave system includes various caves set deep within a strictly protected area of Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park. The only way to reach these caves is via trails through the forest. In reality, some of these paths were extremely hard to follow.
We were dropped off at Km17 on Quyet Thang Road. When the guides and porters pointed out a small gap by the roadside, I worried for the other three members of our party since the starting point was a slope hidden beneath dense foliage.
Unlike forest trails through the mountains of the North, the paths through this forest feature many sharp, fragmented, uneven, and irregular rock outcrops of varying heights. They are like clusters of prickly thorns sprouting in the forest. Only the locals can quickly pass over these sharp ‘blades’.
This terrain demands careful and unhurried progress. At times, it’s best to use your hands and feet without hesitation. Over especially challenging terrain, the advance team created ladders from dry tree trunks to make our tour group’s passage safer. The path was entangled with many climbing plants, needle-leaved trees, and sprawling tree roots. The flora is diverse, stunning, and pristine, with barely any signs of human passage.
The first cave I entered was Hung Cave. The names of the caves are typically assigned based on their discoverers. Hung Cave is a relatively spacious dry cave, housing various stalactites formed over thousands to millions of years. To enter this cave, one must crawl, and even slide through a rather narrow and low crevice extending approximately 10 to 15 meters.
Inside the cave, every corner offers a different spectacle. In some areas, the formations resemble a shark’s jaw. In others, they are akin to the ceiling of an opera house beside a statue of an ancient guardian deity, while other formations look like jellyfish floating down from the dome. Scientists might call them ‘curtain shaped stalactites’, but visitors are free to use their imagination to name them as they wish.
What struck us most was the system of crystal straw stalactite, which grow slowly but constantly with every second and minute. At the top of each emulsion tube there’s always a drop of water, clear and pure as a pearl. This was also the first time I laid eyes on such a smooth tray of ‘jade caves’. Typically spherical like eggs of many sizes, these ‘jade caves’ form as water crystallizes, causing them to grow and rotate simultaneously.
The first day passed relatively smoothly in dry areas. We returned to our campsite to eat and rest. Right below our campsite lay a fairly clear and clean submerged pond. A stream fed into this pool, babbling throughout the day and night. Surrounding the pond were rocks covered in green moss, lying silently for millions of years.
The second day would bring many challenges in Thung Cave, the most crucial part of this trip. However, it rained. Raindrops drummed on our large tarp all night long. I had checked the weather forecast before leaving, so the rain did not bother me much. My job was to enjoy the moment without cell service or internet connectivity. Whether it’s rainy or sunny, it only adds flavor to the journey. At 6 a.m., I woke up, brewed coffee, and sat watching the rain in the forest.
When the rain eventually ceased, we continued our journey to explore Hung Thoong Cave. I have run, climbed mountains, and trekked in the rain before, but trekking in this rainy ancient forest was fascinating. The path became more challenging; we had to cross a dry stream, treading carefully on sharp, wet, and dangerously slick rocks covered with slippery moss before approaching Thung Cave. The rocks resembled the sharp stakes used in the historical naval battle on the Bach Dang River. Any carelessness or minor mistake could lead to a painful fall.
Thung Cave presents myriad challenges: swimming in the cave’s cold water lake, rope climbing on rock walls, and swimming across another small lake. To preserve the cave’s scenic beauty, everyone must ‘move gently, speak softly, and smile graciously’, treading cautiously on a matrix of ‘mini bathtubs’ separated by stalagmite rims. Within these ‘mini bathtubs’, there are white fish, which swim around vigorously. Living in darkness, these fish have lost their pigmentation, and their eyes have gradually degenerated.
Our destination came into sight. A sinkhole, as tall as an 8-10 story building, unveiled itself before our eyes. Neither photos nor videos could fully capture its surreal beauty. Only by being here in the moment can one truly appreciate such an overwhelming spectacle.
During our 3-day, 2-night stay in Hung Thoong, we were well-fed as our chef, who also served as a porter, skillfully prepared various delicious local dishes without repetition. Given that our short journey was entirely spent in the forest, we didn’t encounter any other locals. There were eight staff members from the tour company assisting the four guests in our group. All of the porters were locals who were serious about respecting and preserving nature.
It’s truly priceless to experience a cave exploration tour where you can enjoy delicious food, sleep well, wake up early to breathe in and absorb the energy from the green forest, all while disconnected from phone signals and the internet in Hung Thoong Cave. Are you ready to leave everything behind and heed the call of the wild?
