Located in Phong Nha Ke Bang park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, also recognized by British Cave Research Association as one of the world’s most beautiful cave and longest system, it’s Phong Nha cave. It used to be revered as the largest cave in Vietnam until the discovery of the nearby Son Doong Cave, now as the largest in the whole world.
Formed approximately 250 million years ago, Phong Nha cave is 8km long with 14 grottoes nearby. Only first km is open to the public, but its beauty is enough to make this visit worthwhile.
The only way to reach Phong Nha cave is by boat. You start from son river, after 30 minutes of boating, have time to admire impressive landscapes of lime stones & paddy field, you see the cave mouth with 10 m in height and 15 m in width.
Once enter the cave inside, you will be amazed by abundant stalactites and stalagmites. In a mystic atmosphere, you seem to come back thousands year ago when The Chams* first used the cave’s grottoes as Hindu sanctuaries in the 9th and 10th centuries. The remains of their altars and inscriptions are still here.