son doong cave day trip

Son Doong Cave Tours 1 Day, 3 Days and Price (Trip Cost and Booking)

Son Doong Cave is the world’s largest natural cave located in the heart of the Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park in Vietnam. It is a must-visit destination for adventure seekers and active travelers who are looking for an unforgettable experience. In this article, we will discuss the details of Son Doong Cave Tour and if it is feasible to do in 1 Day, the alternatives, and the pricing of 3-day tour.

1. Can I do Son Doong Cave Tour in 1 Day?

Many visitors wonder if it’s possible to do the Son Doong Cave Tour in just one day . While it may seem like a good idea to fit the tour into a tight schedule, it is not feasible. The Son Doong Cave is the largest natural cave in the world, spanning over five kilometers in length and up to 200 meters in height. It is impossible to explore this cave in just one day without missing out on the highlights and the unique experiences it offers.

Instead of trying to squeeze everything into one day, we highly recommend considering the 3-day tour to Son Doong Cave. This will allow you to fully experience the cave and all its natural wonders without feeling rushed or missing out on any highlights.

During the 3-day tour, you will have ample time to explore the cave and its stunning formations, swim in the underground rivers, camp in the cave, and take in the incredible sights and sounds of this natural wonder. This tour is designed to give visitors the ultimate experience, providing ample time for rest and relaxation while exploring the cave.

If a 3-day tour isn’t feasible for your schedule, there are still other day trips and activities in the area that are worth considering. For example, you could visit the Paradise Cave, Phong Nha Cave, or Dark Cave, all of which offer unique experiences and natural beauty.

2. Son Doong Cave Tour 3 Days and Price?

2.1. son doong cave tour 3 days.

If you’re looking for an adventure of a lifetime, the Son Doong Cave Tour 3 Days is a must-do. This tour takes you deep into the heart of the world’s largest natural cave, Son Doong, and provides you with an experience that you’ll never forget. Here’s what you can expect from the tour:

A. Tour itinerary and highlights:

Day 1: Your adventure begins with a pickup from your hotel in Phong Nha, followed by a drive to the park entrance. After a safety briefing and final preparations, you’ll start trekking through the jungle towards the entrance of the cave. The hike takes around 4-5 hours and covers 10km.
Day 2: After a night spent camping inside the cave, you’ll explore different parts of Son Doong. This includes visiting the Garden of Edam and the Great Wall of Vietnam, two of the cave’s most impressive natural features.
Day 3: The final day of the tour involves a trek back through the jungle to the park entrance. You’ll arrive back in Phong Nha in the afternoon, where you can relax and reflect on the amazing experience you’ve just had.

B. Activities in the cave:

The Son Doong Cave Tour 3 Days is not for the faint-hearted. The cave is challenging to explore, with steep climbs, slippery terrain, and unpredictable weather. However, the experience is worth it, as you’ll get to see some of the most incredible natural formations in the world. Some of the activities you’ll participate in include:

Trekking through the cave and jungle
Climbing steep walls and boulders
Swimming in underground rivers
Camping inside the cave

C. Requirements and restrictions:

Minimum age for the tour is 18 years old
Participants must have a good level of fitness and be able to hike for several hours each day
Maximum group size is 10 people
Visitors must obtain a permit to enter the cave, which is limited to a certain number per year

D. Recommended gear and clothing:

Sturdy hiking boots with good grip
Lightweight, breathable clothing that dries quickly
Waterproof jacket and trousers
Hat and sunglasses to protect from the sun
Head torch with extra batteries
Personal medication and toiletries

Insider tips:

Book your tour in advance, as spots fill up quickly
Be prepared for the physical demands of the tour by training beforehand
Bring a waterproof camera to capture the stunning scenery inside the cave
Listen to your guide’s instructions carefully and follow safety protocols at all times
Leave no trace behind by taking all trash and belongings out of the cave with you

Overall, the Son Doong Cave Tour 3 Days is an adventure of a lifetime. By following the recommended gear and clothing, and insider tips, you’ll be able to make the most of your experience and create memories that will last a lifetime.

3, Son Doong Cave Tours Price

If you’re interested in taking the Son Doong Cave Tour, it’s important to understand the cost and what’s included in the package. Currently it costs US$3,000 per person in a join-in tour.

3.1. Inclusions and exclusions:

The Son Doong Cave Tour is an all-inclusive package, which means that most of the expenses are covered in the price. This includes:

Park entrance fees
Camping equipment and gear
Food and drinks (except alcohol)
Professional guides and porters
Transportation to and from the park entrance

However, there are a few things that are not included in the price, such as:

Travel insurance
Personal expenses (such as souvenirs or snacks)
Alcohol or other beverages not provided by the tour

3.2. Additional costs and fees:

In addition to the tour package, there may be some additional costs and fees that you’ll need to consider, such as:

Flights or transportation to and from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City
Accommodation in Phong Nha before or after the tour
Tips for guides and porters
Fees for permits or visas (if applicable)

3.3. Booking and payment process:

To book the Son Doong Cave Tour, you’ll need to contact one of the tour companies that offer the package. You can find a list of authorized companies on the National Park website. Once you’ve selected a company, you’ll need to provide them with your personal details and pay a deposit to secure your spot on the tour. The remaining balance is usually due a few weeks before the tour begins. It’s important to read the company’s booking and cancellation policies carefully before making any payments.

Consider booking well in advance to secure your spot and avoid price increases
Compare prices and inclusions/exclusions from different tour companies before making a decision
Bring some extra cash for personal expenses or emergencies
Don’t forget to factor in additional costs such as flights and accommodation when budgeting for the tour

Getting from Hanoi to Son Doong Cave

Getting from Hanoi to Son Doong Cave is relatively straightforward. The best way to get to the cave is by flying from Hanoi to Dong Hoi, which takes around 1 hour. From there, you can take a shuttle or private transfer to Phong Nha, where the Son Doong Cave tours depart from. The journey from Dong Hoi to Phong Nha takes around 1 hour by car. Alternatively, you can take a train or bus from Hanoi to Dong Hoi, but these options take longer and may not be as convenient. It’s important to plan your transportation in advance to ensure a smooth and hassle-free journey.

Final Thoughts

Visiting Son Doong Cave is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that offers breathtaking scenery and unique adventure activities. It’s important to choose the right tour package that fits your schedule and budget. We hope this blog post has provided you with all the necessary information to plan your trip to Son Doong Cave. Book your tour now and get ready for an unforgettable adventure!

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Son Doong Cave Tour 5D4N

Expedition tours
Meals included
Tour Day(s)
Weather dependant

Our Son Doong Cave Expedition will take you deep into the heart of Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park in Quang Binh Province, Vietnam, on one of the most thrilling adventure tours in the world.

With our team of more than 25 porters, safety experts and guides, you’ll explore over five days the entire length of Son Doong Cave, Hang En Cave, as well the Ban Doong ethnic minority village.

Imagine trekking straight into the depths of the world’s largest cave on an expedition unlike any other. A cave that can fit a 747 flying through its largest cavern – a truly foreign landscape, with enormous stalagmites and statuesque stalactites, hanging from the ceiling and rising from the ground like an alien species.

A jungle within a cave, that’s almost so unreal that you have to see it to believe it. Misty clouds enveloping the whole scene, evidence of the cave’s own weather system. Fossil passageways that give proof of the cave’s ancient existence.

There is no rush on this tour and there is plenty of time for photography and to enjoy the cave. However you need to be very fit, and have previous trekking experience (but not necessarily caving experience) to enjoy this adventure tour.

Cha Loi Cave ADVENTURE Tour

Additional information

Phong nha - doong village - swallow cave.

Enjoy breakfast at 8:00 am with your guide before departing at 9:00 am for the first leg of the expedition. You’ll leave extra luggage and any valuables at the Oxalis headquarters before heading to pick up the porter team and setting off for adventure.

Walk for half an hour along a small stream to the minority village of Ban Doong, which is a real highlight for many on this expedition. Learn more about this unique ethnic group of people and enjoy lunch beside a small river.

Conquer Duong Cam Waterfall 01 day adventure tour.

After this point, you will be in the sun all afternoon with about 2 hours along a river, with very little shade. You’ll cross the river many times and so please expect to have wet feet for the whole day. In the summer, the water is only usually knee deep, but Gore-Tex boots will fill and hold the water so therefore they are not recommended.

The group should arrive at camp by 3:00 pm where you can enjoy swimming and washing within the underground river. Dinner will be served at the spectacular campsite with numerous photographic opportunities.

Anyone who is unable to complete any stage of this first day comfortably will be turned around to Phong Nha and will not be permitted to continue the expedition. This will be the decision of the cave experts on your tour. Should you be turned around, all tour costs will be forfeited.

Swallow cave - Son Doong Entrance - Hand of Dog - Son Doong Camp 1

You’ll again begin your day with a delicious breakfast at around 8:00 am. You’ll be in for a very tough day today so its best to enjoy a big breakfast, as you’ll need your energy!

Start your trek at 9:00 am through Hang En Cave for about 30 mins to reach the magnificent exit, made famous by many photographers over the past few years. You’ll scramble down to the river valley and then it’s an hour walk through the river, so your boots are going to be wet for most of the day; it is unavoidable, yet part of the fun!

You’ll then start climbing a steep hill for about 45 minutes with some rocky sections to start. At the top of the hill you’ll enjoy lunch, a safety briefing and fit your safety harness and prepare for your big journey underground! A steep descent with a couple of short rope climbs brings you at last to Son Doong entrance.

With your safety harnesses, you’ll then start the 80 m descent into the cave by making a number of short climbs, using ropes and safety lines with your guides’ assistance. There is no rappelling or abseiling at any point during the expedition. You’ll then enjoy a few more climbs and bouldering to reach the first and second river crossings inside the cave, which are no more than knee-to-thigh deep depending on the water levels. You should have a wash here, as it will be the last washing place for the day.

On your way to the first campsite in the first large passage of the cave, you’ll have to be extra careful as there are a number of big drops and scrambling over boulders along a rocky path before reaching one of the most spectacular views: Hand of Dog and daylight streaming through the cave thanks to the first doline! You will then scramble down to the first campsite of Son Doong around 3 – 4 pm and have the afternoon to soak up the views and rest your weary bodies. You’re in for another big meal with your team before turning in for the night.

Please note that there are no washing facilities at camp on this day.

Son Doong Camp 1 - Watch out for Dinosaurs - Great wall of Viet Nam - Son Doong Camp 2

Your day begins with a hearty breakfast with your team before a 9:00 am departure towards your second campsite in Son Doong Cave.

You’ll start with some rocky climbs, which are quite steep in some places, as you reach the first jungle within the cave at Watch Out for Dinosaurs. It will take about 1.5 hrs to travel within the cave from Camp 1 to Watch Out for Dinosaurs. After a short break you’ll be trotting down the rocky path to reach the enormous Green Gours, one of the most magnificent and famous photography spots on the tour!

A light lunch is provided with an incredible backdrop of the first doline. If you are lucky you may even catch some sunbeams, which make for truly spectacular photos!

It is then an easy walk through the cave past gigantic formations and plenty of cave pearls towards the light of the second doline and main jungle within the cave. Follow the path past the beautiful foliage reaching towards the light, to reach the underground jungle, unlike anything you could experience on the planet! Cross the jungle for around 45 minutes to reach the steep and sometimes slippery path down to your second campsite within Son Doong Cave. You will reach camp around 2 – 3 pm.

After a short rest at your campsite, you are back on your feet and heading deeper within the cave towards the Great Wall of Vietnam. You’ll pass through a very large dry passage with huge stalagmites and great views back to the second doline. Many new creepy crawlies have been discovered within this passage including white spiders, fish, woodlouse and shrimp species, so be sure to keep your eyes open.

You will reach at this point either a very large beautiful underground lake (where you’ll then paddle to reach the Great Wall of Vietnam) or you will find a fantastically adventurous muddy pit (at which you will need to trudge your way through for a few hundred meters to reach the wall). It is entirely optional if you wish to go further and reach the actual wall, as you will get very dirty in the mud and there are no bathing facilities on this day at camp (pack plenty of wet wipes if you decide on the plunge!).

You’ll be back at camp again around 6 pm to enjoy a sensational dinner with your team and delight yourself with an evening of games and entertainment, or simply relax and soak up the views at what is quite possibly the very best campsite in the world.

Quick note: you may use a pair of dry boots on this day, as aside from the mud, there are no water crossings!

Son Doong Camp 2 - Fossil Passage - Nat Geo Viewpoint - Swallow cave

Once you have reached the first campsite around 11 am, you’ll have time for a short break before climbing down to the ancient fossil passage, where you will witness 350 million year old coral fossils! Enjoy a small wash in the pools and a hearty lunch before descending back to the main passage, crossing the river twice and proceeding to climb up to the entrance, again strapped in with your harness and safety lines.

Your group will appear out from the entrance of Son Doong around 2 – 3 pm, at which point you’ll have a chance to enjoy a small break and some snacks. Then head back towards the river valley, where you can enjoy a well-deserved and refreshing wash. Walk along the river back to Hang En for your final evening and celebration with porter team at this underground campsite. Feel free to bring any entertaining games or fun activities such as Jenga, a frisbee, card games, etc for everyone to join in together.

Swallow cave - Ban Doong Village - Phong Nha

Wake up early and start your 10 km trek back to Road 20 after breakfast. You’ll follow the river along the valley and back through Ban Doong Village. You will enjoy snacks and fruit along the way before starting on what is quite a difficult climb back up the mountain for the last hour of your big adventure. Cold drinks await you at the top of the hill before a 45 minute drive back to Phong Nha. You will have a brief stop at the office to collect your luggage and valuables before transferring to a local hotel in Phong Nha.

You can then enjoy the shower you’ve been awaiting for so long, or you could even go for a dip in the river. In the evening, you can enjoy a group farewell dinner with your fellow expedition team members.

Please advise our sales team in advance of your departure time for the following day so that they so they can arrange the logistics of your transfer back to the airport or train station. If you would like to extend your holiday in Phong Nha, let our team know so that we can assist you in booking extra nights at the hotel.

Tour Reviews

Our departure date is 04.02.2017 HUE .2 travelers want to go Son Doong Cave trip about 2-3 days (no mountain climbing). Which is the price and conditions? Best regards, Helen Vosu

sightseeing

Beautiful Son Doong cave, but can not come here

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TIEN SON CAVE - PHONG NHA CAVE

How to explore the world's largest cave, Hang Son Doong, in Vietnam

Jun 2, 2019 • 5 min read

Inside the world's largest cave ©Ryan Deboodt/Oxalis Adventure Tours

The world’s largest cave, Hang Son Doong (Mountain River Cave) in Vietnam , has suddenly become a lot larger thanks to the remarkable discovery of an underwater tunnel connecting it to another cave.

Sunlight shines down through an opening in the cave into a clear green pool of water

The discovery was made in April by a trio of British divers, who were invited to explore the cave in central Vietnam’s Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park by Howard Limbert, leader of the caving team that first mapped Son Doong in 2009.

The three divers – Jason Mallinson, Rick Stanton and Chris Jewell – were part of the team that rescued the Thai soccer team in 2018. Tasked with exploring Son Doong’s extensive network of waterways, they discovered a previously unknown tunnel linking it to another giant cave called Hang Thung.

A large cave with water and boulders near the entrance. The size of this cave is put into context by the silhouettes of several people standing at various points within the cave

How big is Hang Son Doong?

At more than 200m high (up to 503m in parts), 175m wide and 9.4km long, Son Doong was already huge – so big that it could easily accommodate any of the world’s other largest caves and you could fit several forty-storey skyscrapers standing upright. The new discovery adds an extra 1.6 million cu metre of volume to its existing 38.5 million cu metre, which is the equivalent of climbing Mount Everest’s 8848m and discovering a mound that made it 1000m taller, as Limbert recently told CNN.

Son Doong was first discovered by a local man, Ho Khanh, in 1990. Taking shelter from a storm at the base of a huge cliff in the heart of the jungle, he found a deep hole at the base of the rock that was emitting wind and even puffs of cloud. He didn’t explore further, and its location was forgotten for 19 years until he rediscovered the entrance and led Limbert and his team of divers to it.

'We were the first people to enter the cave,' Limbert told Lonely Planet. 'There is no evidence that anyone lived in Son Doong in the past. Usually it’s easy to see this in a cave… also, all the entrances and exits involve near-vertical descents of at least 85m using technical equipment.' By contrast, a 5000-year-old stone axe was discovered in a nearby cave, suggesting that Son Doong’s relative inaccessibility might indeed have deterred prehistoric explorers.

An opening to the cave system looks out over woodland

What is inside Hang Son Doong?

However, the cave is rich in other forms of life. 'We have seen monkeys that are able to climb down 200m to visit the jungle within the cave where they collect snails,' says Limbert. 'We’ve also seen snakes and other animals including squirrels, rats, flying fox as well as birds and bats.' He and his team also discovered seven new species of fish, spider, scorpion, shrimp, wood lice and plankton – all of them completely white and without eyes, the evolutionary consequences of existing in complete darkness.

Yet there is plenty to see in the cave, with parts of it illuminated by two dolines – or sinkholes – that can flood the cave with beams of spectacular sunlight. Within its depths are the world’s largest stalagmites and a jungle with trees up to 50m high. 'You can see up to 1.5km,' says Limbert, 'but the cave’s own weather system can make clouds that are spectacular but cut down visibility.'

Although he has explored the cave over 100 times, Limbert’s enthusiasm for the cave’s beauty remains undiminished. 'There is nowhere like this place anywhere in the world,' he says. 'It is not just the size – though it does matter (as they say) – but the variety of unusual and amazing locations within the cave, such as swimming pools in the dark and 400-million-year-old fossils.'

A row of tents is lined up on the rock in the cave, while sunlight beams in through an opening.

How can I visit Hang Son Doong?

The cave is open to visitors, but access is strictly controlled and limited to 1000 a year. All tours are organised and led exclusively by Oxalis Adventure Tours , for which Howard Limbert is one of the technical directors along with his wife, Deb. Visits are restricted by the rainy season to the months between the end of January and the end of August, after which the cave becomes impassable.

The entrance to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is accessible from Son Trach town, which is 50km north of Dong Hoi . There are regular bus connections to Dong Hoi from Hue , Hoi An and Danang . A typical tour costs $3000 (of which $660 goes to Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park) and lasts four days. All groups are capped at 10 visitors and include a guide (all tours are led by at least one of the British cavers involved in the original exploration), a safety assistant, cooks, porters and a park ranger. A degree of fitness is required, warns Limbert, but you don’t have to be an experienced caver or climber – some trekking experience is enough.

Central Vietnam’s network of caves has transformed the region. Once one of Vietnam’s poorest, it is now the world’s most popular spot for cave exploration and the country’s fastest-growing tourist destination. For Howard Limbert and his team this is all well and good, but conservation remains a paramount concern, especially as 70% of the region’s caves remain unexplored. 'All customers must follow strict rules to protect the fragile caves,' he reminded us.

As for Son Doong and Hang Thung, Limbert says the plan is for the divers to return in 2020 and use special mixed gases to explore even deeper than the 503m plumbed in April. The world’s largest cave may have gotten a lot bigger, but there’s the possibility that it may get bigger still.

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Son Doong Cave

Son Doong Cave, located in the heart of the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in Vietnam. It’s one of the World’s most awe-inspiring natural wonders. Discovered in 1991 and opened to the public in 2013, this colossal underground cavern has quickly become a bucket-list destination for adventure seekers and nature enthusiasts alike. With its massive chambers, pristine underground rivers, and unique ecosystems, Son Doong Cave offers an unparalleled opportunity to witness the raw beauty of our planet’s subterranean realms. This comprehensive travel guide will provide you with essential information and tips to make the most of your journey into this extraordinary cave system.

1. Planning Your Trip

1.1 When to Visit

The management opens Son Doong Cave for visitation from February to August, which is the dry season in Vietnam. The most favorable period for visiting is from February to April when the weather is mild, and the probability of rainfall is lower. However, it is crucial to plan your trip well ahead because the authorities issue only a limited number of permits each year as part of their conservation efforts.

1.2 Obtaining Permits

To explore Son Doong Cave, you need to book a tour with a licensed tour operator, as independent visits are not allowed. The authorities strictly regulate the number of visitors, so it is crucial to secure your permit as early as possible. Select tour operators can help you obtain permits and handle the logistics of your journey.

1.3 Physical Requirements

Son Doong Cave trekking tours are physically demanding and require participants to be in excellent physical condition. Trekkers should be prepared for long hikes, challenging terrains, and unpredictable weather conditions. It’s essential to consult with your tour operator and doctor before booking your trip to ensure you are physically fit for the expedition.

2. Getting There

2.1 arriving in vietnam.

The most common entry point to Vietnam is Hanoi, the capital city. From Hanoi, you can take a domestic flight to Dong Hoi, the nearest airport to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. Alternatively, you can take a train or bus to Dong Hoi from major cities like Ho Chi Minh City or Danang.

2.2 Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park

Upon arriving in Dong Hoi, you can hire a taxi or take a shuttle bus to Phong Nha town, the gateway to the national park. This charming town offers various accommodation options, restaurants, and tour operators who can help organize your trip to Son Doong Cave.

3. The Son Doong Cave Expedition

3.1 Tour Operators

As Son Doong Cave can only be explored with licensed tour operators, it’s essential to choose a reputable company that follows sustainable tourism practices. Look for operators with experienced guides, excellent safety records, and a commitment to environmental conservation.

3.2 Tour Itinerary

The Son Doong Cave expedition typically lasts 4-5 days tour in Quang Binh and involves trekking through the jungle, crossing rivers, and navigating inside the cave. Each day presents unique challenges and rewards as you traverse the diverse landscapes. The highlight of the tour is spending time inside Son Doong Cave, witnessing its colossal caverns, ancient stalagmites, and the breathtaking beauty of its formations.

3.3 Accommodation and Meals

During the expedition, accommodation will be in tents inside the cave or campsites along the trekking route. Meals are typically provided by the tour operator and are designed to provide sustenance for the physically demanding journey. The tour operator typically provides meals and designs them to provide sustenance for the physically demanding journey. Vegetarian and vegan options are usually available upon prior request.

4. Inside Son Doong Cave

4.1 the enchanting chambers.

Son Doong Cave’s vast chambers are a testament to nature’s grandeur. The first chamber, called “Hand of the Dog,” is a massive space adorned with impressive stalagmites. As you delve deeper, you’ll encounter “Watch out for Dinosaurs,” a chamber with ancient fossils, and “Garden of Edam,” featuring lush vegetation thriving inside the cave.

4.2 The Great Wall of Vietnam

One of the most iconic features of Son Doong Cave is the “Great Wall of Vietnam,” a towering calcite formation that spans an impressive length. This natural wonder creates a surreal backdrop for photographers and a humbling experience for all visitors.

4.3 The Underground River

Flowing through the cave is the mesmerizing underground river. You’ll have the opportunity to wade or swim through certain sections, adding an extra layer of adventure to your exploration.

5. Responsible Travel

Preserving the fragile ecosystem of Son Doong Cave is of utmost importance. Visitors are urged to adhere to strict guidelines. Such as refraining from touching or damaging any formations, carrying out all waste. And respecting the natural environment and local cultures.

Son Doong Cave is a true marvel of nature that offers an unparalleled adventure. And a chance to connect with the raw beauty of our planet. Explore the magnificent chambers and witness the stunning formations of Son Doong cave. These experiences will undoubtedly leave you with memories that will last a lifetime. By respecting the cave’s fragility and natural wonders, we can ensure that future generations also have the opportunity to experience the magic of Son Doong. So, pack your sense of wonder and embark on an extraordinary journey into the heart of Vietnam’s hidden gem.

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Son Doong Cave Expedition - The Biggest Cave In The World!

Caving & safety gear: caving helmet, caving headlight, harness and gloves
Camping gear: tent, sleeping mat, pillow and sleeping bag. Basic camping facilities with eco-friendly compost toilet using western toilet seat
Use of 3 x 43,000 lumen LED filming lights
Phong Nha National Park Entrance Fee
Accommodations (single or twin-shared) at Son Doong Bungalow & Chay Lap Farmstay & Resort.
Round-trip transfer Dong Hoi – Phong Nha before and after the tour
1 Professional English-speaking tour guide, 5 safety assistants and 2 chefs
1 Safety advisor (member of the British Cave Research Association)
Porter team to carry all gear and prepare all meals
First Aid Kit, Rescue Equipment & Satellite Phone (application by tour guides only)
Entry/Admission - Son Doong Cave
Entry/Admission - Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park
Arrive in Dong Hoi by no later than 2 pm on the afternoon of your briefing day, where you will be met by our driver and transferred to Son Doong Bungalow (included in tour price) in Phong Nha. Upon arrival, hospitality services will be happy to help you plan your extra time there. You’ll then have the rest of the day to rest, relax and wander around the village of Phong Nha. You will be required to arrange your own breakfast and lunch on this day.
Dong Hoi Airport, Dong Hoi Vietnam
Not wheelchair accessible
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Travelers should have a strong physical fitness level
Not recommended for children under 18.
Not recommended for travelers with asthma or respiratory problems.
Not recommended for adults over 70.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers
All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.

Jeff G 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Life’s great adventure Amazing underground adventure. Once in a lifetime experience. Must scratch this one off your bucket list before it is closed - or worse, commercially exploited. Read more Written May 3, 2024
Quest32319117883 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Thanks to our guide loc and Ann Big thank to our guide loc and Ann , make Thai trip perfect and beyond our expectations. They are very reliable and provide such a good service Read more Written May 3, 2024
HBSnowFlower 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Excellent guided adventure swimming through Tu Lan caves Starting with being promptly picked up at our hotel in Phong Nha to our excellent guides, safety equipment and delicious barbecue lunch, what a spectacular, fun adventure we had swimming through Tu Lan caves. The driver and our fluent English-speaking guide (Huu) picked us up first on the route, and then the10 other guests, for about a one hour drive to Oxalis headquarters in Tan Hoa village where we were outfitted with safety equipment for our hiking and swimming cave adventure. We were advised to wear pants, long sleeves and running shoes to protect our arms and legs along with a helmet with light, and a life jacket. After another short drive to the trailhead, crossing a river and making a short steep climb, we came to the entrance of Rat cave. Here, we jumped into the river, paddling and floating through tall, dark caverns dripping with stalactites and spotted with sunlight peeking through. The river averaged about three-to-five-feet deep in most places with a slow current. Emerging from the caves a half hour later, we clambered out to a beach along the river. Staff had prepared a delicious lunch of barbecue pork and chicken banh mi and drinks. After more swimming and hanging out (port-a-potties provided), we voted to swim back through the cave, rather than hike the trail. When we emerged from the river, we took another vote on whether to hike or ride back – and we unanimously decided to take a ride. Back at the Oxalis office, there were snacks, flush toilets and showers to change for the ride back to our hotel. Read more Written May 2, 2024
P1950HSvictorias 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles A Experience of a Lifetimt! An experience of a lifetime!! I finished the Hang Ba Deep Jungle a few weeks ago and the entire experience blew me away. I cannot recommend doing a tour with Oxalis enough! My four day, three night adventure into the Hang Ba Jungle was incredible- a truly unique experience. It was made even better by the EXCEPTIONAL Oxalis team that made the experience possible. Exploring the jungle itself and its various caves was thrilling! Then after each exciting day of exploring, we’d arrive at our campsite each evening—and wow!! The campsites are located in the most picturesque, mind-blowing places. To sleep in the mouths of caves, deep in jungle was amazing. Then to top it off, the food that we served during our tour was some of the best, most delicious food I’ve eaten in all of Asia. (In the middle of the jungle—what?!) A highlight for me was awaking each morning and enjoying some freshly ground Vietnamese coffee while listening to sounds of nature. To listen to the birds chirping and the monkeys chattering was serene, tranquil and divine. And yet even with all the fantastic things, my favorite part of this trip was the tremendous people I got to share it with. They are the reason the entire experience was possible. From my initial contact with Ty Na, who was lovely and so helpful in helping me book this excursion to then meeting so many others from the Oxalis team, I could not be more impressed with this organization. H’Anetta was a wonderful guide! She was so knowledgeable, caring, and I adore her quick wit and sense of humor. Oxalis is lucky to have her and I felt even more fortunate to have her as our fearless leader. ❤️ We were even treated to a bonus guide, Seven, who was training on this tour. Seven also provided so much knowledge and care. The rest of the team was equally great. From our porters to our safety guides, the entire team was exceptionally kind, caring, and simply fun! I was exceptionally fortunate that Bryan and Tra, who normally work in the office, happened to have picked this tour to join. They were a huge reason this trip was so special. We shared so many laughs and meaningful conversations. This trip would not have been the same with out them. 🥰 Oxalis is a strong supporter of environmental sustainability and a priority on every tour is to ensure the impact on the jungle is minimal. This company also believes in giving back to the local community and a portion of its profits are donated to organizations that are making a positive impact in the community. Outstanding! I could not be more impressed with this company if I tried. Oxalis is an example of what every company, no matter what industry, should be striving for. For me, the quality of a company is shown by the people who make up the team and Oxalis has assembled the highest quality team, made up of exceptional human beings. Do yourself a favor and book a tour with Oxalis. A trip to Vietnam would not be complete without it! Thank you so much Oxalis team for such an unforgettable experience. I can’t wait to come back! Read more Written May 2, 2024
bahlakriti 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Once in lifetime experience The Hang Va Cave Expedition comprises of exploring 2 caves and jungle trekking. The experience taught me a lot about Mother Nature. The views and scenery is breathtaking. From hot challenging jungle trekking and some harness climbing to swimming in crystal clear pools, I had it all. This was a different level of experience. The Expedition is conducted by Oxalis Adventures. All details and price can be fetched from the website. The Oxalis Team is making this experience even more wonderful and fun. They understand the customer so well. Both mentally and physically, they stand as an extremely strong support when I needed a hand. Our guide Dong was so much strong, enthusiastic, compassionate, kind, professional, always gave crystal clear instructions, provided perfect guidance and even for one moment he didnt let our smile go anywhere else. The team of safety assissitants walking with us were strong pillars. Without them this was not possible. Receiving medal from them is an honour. The porters were so sweet and caring, they made sure of our comfort. The chefs laid such terrific meals. They fed us with so much love. Kudos to the entire team. Big Thank you for such wonderful experience 😊 Hope to see you soon :) Read more Written May 1, 2024
CaseyV108 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Incredible overnight caving Did the Hang En Cave overnight hike. Was an incredible experience. The views and the cave was amazing. The guides ( Hung, Quyen and Hoai) were very friendly and helpful and made the trip a good time! Read more Written April 29, 2024
katieannac2024 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Trip of a lifetime! We did both the Hang Va and the Hang En expeditions and throughly enjoyed both trips! The tour guides (Dat, Hung, Hoai and Quyen) were so kind and really made the whole experience spectacular, they had so much knowledge to share with us about the national park and the caves we explored - it truly felt like a once in a lifetime opportunity getting to see the beauty of vietnamese nature. They also looked after us really well the whole trip, regularly giving out water and electrolytes during challenging walks in the sun and making sure everybody was comfortable in the campsites (the food was delicious too!). I would 100% recommend booking a trip with Oxalis, its a unique experience you can't get anywhere else in the world and the views are amazing - I'll remember this trip for years to come. Read more Written April 29, 2024
Cuong Q 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Wild Tu Lan 3-Day Tour My partner and I trekked the Tu Lan 3-day tour at the end of April, and we had an amazing time. This tour has a lot of swimming, which was a nice reprieve from the hot jungle. The first day was probably the most difficult, but there were definitely treacherous parts throughout all the mountain and cave treks. Our guide Mr. Hùng was the best! He was very knowledgeable about all the flora, fauna, and geology of the area, and his English was great. He made the trip very memorable, plus he was really good at setting up and taking pictures. Would highly recommend. Read more Written April 27, 2024
Alina L 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Hang En - one of the best in experiences of my life An unforgettable experience!! My boyfriend and I did the two day trek to Hang En through the jungle. It was INSANE. Our guides, Hung and Dat, were very knowledgable, helpful and funny. They motivated us and ensured we felt safe and happy. The trek took us downhill towards a village which inhabited a small community of local people. There, we had lunch and a small break. We continued in the jungle towards the entrance of the cave via ~15 river crossings. The climate was hot and humid and the terrain was tough, we the motivation to reach the third largest cave in The world kept us going. When we reached the cave, we put on our helmets and lights and honestly it was absolutely breathtaking taking. After a photoshoot, we crossed the river cave and had time to swim and set up in our tents. In the evening, we ate delicious freshly prepared food and chatted with fellow trekkers. The following day, we explored the inside of the cave; STUNNING. We then hiked back which was rather touch as we were in direct sunlight in the peak of the day. What comes down, must come up; the trek back to where we started was hard. A 1.5hour uphill segment nearly killed my thighs, but it was an unforgettable experience and I’d do it all over again if I could. At the top of the jungle, we were greeted with cold beer. My boyfriend and I absolutely loved the experience and will definitely be back. Read more Written April 27, 2024
G3261NXmail 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Amazing tour The tour was amazing with amazing views. It was hard for me because I have not done this before, but totally worth it. The tour guide Hung was really funny. He speaks English very well. Read more Written April 26, 2024
andypandythepaddy 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Amazing experience - 1 Day trip left us wanting more! You have to do an Oxalis tour if you are in any way adventurous! There are so many different types and durations to choose from in the region around Phong Nha. Oxalis is the main driver behind this kind of tourism in Vietnam in the last decade and you can see how they do it with their professionalism, commitment to sustainable tourism and touring, huge focus on safety and fun at all times. The equipment used and the knowledge of the guides is fantastic and really an education too!Oxalis is so thorough and looks after everything! We just did the one day tour through the jungle and into Hang Nutt cave, but this was awesome! We wished we had done at least one overnight camping tour. We swam at a waterfall in the cave and the food for lunch was delicious! The trip left us wanting more. Our guide Chi, and the chef who accompanied our group were really knowledgeable and friendly! Highly highly recommend! Read more Written April 26, 2024
rachelkK6405UD 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Top notch company, crew, and experience! Oxalis is top notch at what they do! You can arrive completely unprepared and they’ve got most of the gear available to use for free (backpack, trekking boots, headlamp, helmet, dry canister for any electronics/valuables) and a couple items you can purchase for low price (shirt and trekking pants). The tours are super well organized and comfortable. They’ve got knowledgeable (English-speaking) guides, a safety crew, and porters to carry gear/food. Our guide, Loc, provided an A+ experience! He has a wealth of knowledge about the caves and was able to shed a lot of light on the local people on the Phong Nha area. It was also super cool to learn about Oxalis’ missions for environmental conservation, adventure, and boosting, empowering, and growing the local economy! I hadn’t known much about the company prior to taking my tour, but I was even more stoked on it after learned what a mission driven company oxalis is! Thanks again to Loc and crew for an extremely memorable and notable experience! Read more Written April 25, 2024
O2139DWthomass 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Best cave tour in vietnam Amazing tour, I did the 1 day tu lan experience (TL1). Our guides Loc was great, he spoke good English and gave us a lot of information on what we were seeing throughout the tour. Would 100% recommend! Read more Written April 25, 2024
Curious40845405185 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Trải nghiệm tuyệt vời I attended Tu Lan trip 2 days with 1 night camping, this is my first adventure trip but Oxalis bring a wonderful experience. Phi is our tour guide and he did very well. I love this tour and definitely come back to Oxalis for another trip. Read more Written April 25, 2024
V9258WWpeters 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Highlight of our Vietnam Trip What an incredible experience and a highlight of our time in Vietnam. Did the one day Tu Lan cave experience. Our family of five (in our fifties and early twenties) felt in safe hands from start to finish. We had not been caving before but were blown away by the beauty of the scenery and caves. A huge thanks to our guides and porters. Read more Written April 24, 2024

More to explore in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park

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Son Doong Cave Expedition - The Biggest Cave In The World! provided by Oxalis Adventure

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Ultimate Guide to Sơn Đoòng Worlds Largest Cave

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The world’s largest cave was found in Vietnam, of all places. That is a truly beautiful country and a visit to Sơn Đoòng would be a once in a lifetime experience.

Ultimate Guide to Sơn Đoòng Worlds Largest Cave article cover image

This is certainly not an easy trek – and if you are lucky enough to be one of the 1,000 people that are allowed to tour it a year, you are in for an experience like no other.

Ultimate Guide to Sơn Đoòng (Tours, Pricing, History)

This is the cave of all caves – and one that any true caver would be ecstatic to experience. If they can afford the ticket, besides the travel expenses. It is actually on my bucket list – if my name ever makes it into that elite list before I am too old to actually manage the trek involved.

What does Sơn Đoòng mean?

Son Doong is native to Vietnam and means “mountain river cave” as over 2 to 5 million years ago, a river eroded the area, and underneath the limestone was weakened, and the ceiling collapsed.

History – When was Hang Sơn Đoòng discovered?

Son Doong’s entrance was discovered by Hồ Khanh, a resident, back in 1991 while acquiring agarwood which is an expensive type of timber wood. However, while Khanh was on his mission, the rain began to fall, and he needed a place to shelter.

As he stepped against the entrance of the now popular cave, he heard a whistling sound – made by the wind and a rushing stream on the inside of the “tunnel.” This was more than enough reason for Khanh to turn away and not enter.

However, it was not until 2009 when a team of cavers from the British Cave Research Association decided to survey Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng. The little tour went from April 10th to 14th of the same year. But then it came to life when they discovered a large, tall, and interesting 600-meter flowstone-coated wall.

The wall was nicknamed the Great Wall of Vietnam, and in 2010, the team managed to walk straight to the end of the cave passage. The Son Doong Cave is situated in Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park in Quang Binh province.

link to article on white nose disease in bats

Fun Facts – The biggest cave on Earth

There are lots of fun facts you will love to know about Son Doong Cave and the interesting things you will experience if you decide to take a grand tour…

Discovered During The Rain – We have to say if the rain wasn’t falling on that day, local farmer Ho Khanh may not have found this unique spot. In 1991, the farmer stumbled on the entrance to the cave as he was doing what he normally does to take care of his family.
Missing For 15 Years – After discovering the cave entrance in 1991 and leaving when the rain ended, no one managed to cross that path again until 15 years later in 2006. Still, not much discovery was made during the research team’s tour, and it was Khanh who eventually found the entrance again a couple of years later.
The Largest Cave – Can you believe Son Doong can hold as much as an entire block in New York City? Some sections go up to 200m tall and an average of 150m wide. Interestingly, the ground goes up to 38.5 million cubic meters and can store well over 68 Boeing 777 aircraft. Well, scientists believe it can hold a lot more as the full measurement of the cave is yet to be fully measured.
Paradise In A Cave – Taking a tour of Son Doong will provide you more than a nature-filled environment of a cave setting, but rich vegetation like you have never seen before. Several biological landscapes with diverse forestry, which many expert cavers and researchers have likened to the Garden of Eden. The beauty is unmatched.
The Tour Price Will Catch You – We are sure you have heard a whole lot about Son Doong and would love to visit, right? Well, the average price doesn’t really go under $4,000 US. Yeah, you saw that figure as it is! You have to book well in advance as not many people are allowed to be there throughout the year.

Sơn Đoòng Wildlife

When it comes to Son Doong, we can say the animal existence has been divided into two groups- those who live in the forest areas of the cave and those that live in the darker regions. A portion of the cave had collapsed, but it was not all doom and gloom as it ended up flourishing with greenery and more.

This forestry area became home to numerous plants and animals, similar to those in surrounding jungles and forests. This region has become the habitat for animals such as monkeys, birds, snakes, and much more. Not many researchers have gone through the cave immensely, so it is not clear to state all the species that live there.

The darker areas of the cave are home to species of the albino group and other endangered animals and critters. Not many researchers have done an extensive review of these animals. Still, one German caver and biologist, Anette Becher, has noted her closer look at the cave’s dark regions. It revealed animals such as woodlice, millipedes, and much more.

Sơn Đoòng Geological Formations

Going through Son Doong, you will see many interesting features that will make the experience unique and a standout. As you take the grand tour, you will come across a unique and very delicate ecosystem. What I find most intriguing is that this ecosystem has its own weather system with lots of limestone formations all around.

Stalagmites and Stalactites – There are many stalactites and stalagmites in the Son Doong Cave, with the largest stalagmite measuring over 80 meters or 262 feet tall.
Fossils – Going through the cave will show you how many fossils could be present in one environment.
Dolines – Portions of the cave ceiling have collapsed over the years and have formed dolines. This has allowed foliage to grow in a section of the world’s largest cave.
Jungle and Rivers – In other areas of the cave, you will come across a jungle and rivers with lots of misty clouds covering the area.

Is Sơn Đoòng cave open to public? – Sơn Đoòng Tours

After the first sheltering at the cave entrance in 1991, the next discovery came through in 2009. However, it was not open to the general public until 2013. Among the major attractions are the two huge dolines and the underground rainforests. Also, many people have come to respect nature’s work known as the Great Wall of Vietnam, which is a 90m high calcite barrier.

Going on an expedition through Son Doong is only possible through one major company, Oxalis, which was granted legal permission to conduct tours. The tour packages generally go for five days, and we have to say, it is only the truly determined, and those with willpower who will manage to go through the tour completely.

Seeing mostly scientific tours and research is conducted at this cave, not many permits are granted by the government each year. Interestingly, only 300 to 500 permits are issued each year, so if you are eager to get a visit, you have to exercise a lot of patience until your name is reached on the list. The tour will be accompanied by a visit through the only village close to the cave…the Bsn Doong ethnic village.

Getting to the cave is slightly challenging. You can expect to undergo roughly two days of immense jungle trekking on your tour. Bear in mind, you have to cross a river to get there, too! The tour on the inside consists of climbing, crawling, and swimming through underground rivers to get the most out of your experience.

To complete your journey, you will also get to camp out as part of the tour package…a great experience if you ask us.

You really get what you pay for and this is an incredible experience as you will be cared for by the cave guides , chefs, rangers, and porters. Your luggage will be kept safe as you journey through so you can get as much information and as many photos as you can.

Tours generally run from February to August once per week.

Sơn Đoòng Prices and Discounts

A visit to Son Doong Cave is a journey for those not so “faint at heart” as the cost can be a little drawback for many people. To book a tour with Oxalis Adventure, you need at least $3,000 to secure a package. Yes, it is that expensive but it is almost a week-long adventure!

They only allow 1000 people a year to tour through the cave, in groups of 10. $660 of that fee is the environmental service fee that will be transferred to the management of the Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park. Add in 22 porters, five safety assistants, one international tour guide, a cave expert, two cooks and a forest ranger who accompany every 10 people who take a tour – well, you can see where your money for this experience goes.

This cost would be in addition to air tickets and other minor expenses you might have. However, the good thing about paying this much is that it will be worth every dollar spent. Note, tax is already included in this amount.

Download our FREE Sơn Đoòng Cave Guide (Unofficial)

Where to stay near sơn đoòng.

There are numerous places to chill out when you plan to visit the Son Doong Cave. But, there are always some cool spots worth hanging out that will create a lasting memory. When you book a trip to the region, here are a few of the top-rated places to lodge…

Phong Nha Lake House Resort

It features some of the most intriguing amenities, such as free parking on site, a business center, free WiFi, and other comfortable chill areas. You will also be graced with the likes of amazing living areas to include lake-view villas, dorm rooms, and bungalows.

The best part is only 10 minutes away from the legendary Son Doong Cave journey. It is the perfect spot to spend time with friends and family and bond and create memorable moments. This resort can be found in Khuong Ha Village, Hung Trach Commune Bo Trach District, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam.

Jungle Boss Homestay

Planning a trip to the Phong Nha Ke-Bang National Park and need somewhere to chill? Well, you will love everything about Jungle Boss Homestay as it was designed to create the perfect “home away from home” experience. The amazing amenities are like no other, with air-conditioned rooms, quiet sitting areas, free WiFi, and much more.

Also, their free breakfast offer is a great compliment you will love and enjoy. You can find this abode at Phong Nha Village, Son Trach Commune, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam.

Victory Road Villas

If you are looking for a place that creates a contemporary western style infused with local traditions, then the Victory Road Villas is the perfect spot just mere minutes away from the Phong Nha Ke-Bang National Park. With a backdrop of mountainous terrains and surrounded by local villages, you will get everything that the area’s culture has to offer.

The great amenities were designed to create luxury and comfort with king-size beds, amazing entertainment systems to keep you happy, and so much more. Your stay will give you the perfect view overlooking the calm “Song Son” river. It is located at DT 20 Victory Road, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, 510000, Vietnam.

Sơn Đoòng Details

Length : Son Doong Cave is the largest in the world – roughly 38.5 million cubic meters
Time recommended: Tours generally take days to complete the entire cave
Trail Type : Varies
Difficulty : Extreme
Kid-Friendly : Seeing the terrain can be difficult, it may not be possible to take your child along. Speaking with tour experts could give further details.
Dog-Friendly: No
Accessibility: Mostly walking from the parking area
Fee/Permit: Base tour rate $3,000 (additional funding might be used)
Hours: Depending on granted permission, it could go for days.

How to Get to Sơn Đoòng

Getting to Son Doong means you have to travel through the only known path – a village located inside the Phong Nha Ke-Bang National Park. Interestingly, the Ban Doong ethnic village can only be reached by foot as the closely surrounding area is covered with dense forestry.

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10 thoughts on “ Ultimate Guide to Sơn Đoòng Worlds Largest Cave ”

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Once a life time experience in Son Doong cave

It is US$ 3000/person.

You can wonder why it costs US$ 3000/person for just 4 days? Not cheap at all. The answers are because this price covers 660 USD entrance fee and forest environmental services paid to the management board of Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park; fees for all staffs/attendants, expenses for airport pick up / drop off, hotel, meals; administration and other administrative expenses; 10% VAT.

To reach Son Doong Cave, you need to pass through Doong ethnic minority village which is surrounded by dense jungles and only accessible by foot. The village is home to less than 40 Bru-Van Kieu people. The discovery of the cave alleviated the villager’s hardships by their subsequent conservation partnership with Oxalis. Exploring the village and interacting with the locals are also an exciting part of the journey, in which you can learn a view of a way of life that has been unchanged for centuries.

Underground river near the Great Wall

It takes two days of intense jungle trekking and river crossings in order to reach the entrance of Son Doong Cave. Once inside, you will experience your own skills to abseil, climb, crawl, and wade/swim through underground rivers to complete your journey. Camping, eating inside the cave with taking extraordinary photos make your trip even more amazing. Hang En (En Cave), the world’s third largest cave is also included in the tour where you can enjoy swimming if interested.

The eco-system in Son Doong Cave is very unique because it is large, and even has its own localized weather system. Many rare limestone cave pearls are scattered in dried pools inside the cave.

The Dog’s Foot Block (khối bàn chân chó): This is a massive natural stalactite block in Son Doong Cave. From a distance, the Dog’s Foot Block can be seen, a majestic spectacle of the largest cave.

From this position you can almost admire the panoramic view of Son Doong Cave.

Fossil corridor (hành lang hóa thạch): An area where cave walls are filled with coral fossils dating back 300 million years old. This area is right next to the first campsite.

Campsite in the cave

The first campsite (bãi trại 1): located near 1st cave ceiling collapse or doline. The camp ground is nestled on a fairly flat sandy area and has a beautiful view looking towards 1st doline.

Sunbeam breaking through the Doline

1st Doline – Watch out for dinosaurs (hố sụt 1 – vọng khủng long): Formed by a part of the cave ceiling that collapsed thousands of years ago, sunlight can enter the cave allowing foliage to grow inside the cave and microscopic organisms thrive in the darkness. At 1st Doline, there is also a large stalactite layered block named “Wedding Cake” by tourists. On the other side of 1st Doline is a large cave called “Rat Run”, from here you can see the panoramic view of this cave ceiling collapse. This is the ideal place to take pictures of the most beautiful Son Doong Cave.

Garden of Edam (2nd Doline)

2nd Doline (hố sụt 2): This is also known as “Garden of Edam”. The formation of a sinkhole allows light to enter the cave and creates a small forest with trees and vegetation.

2nd campsite (bãi trại 2): Also known as seaside camping because of its location on a cave covered with white sand like the beach. This is also considered the campsite with the most majestic view in the world.

Great Wall of Vietnam

The Great Wall of Vietnam : is the highest stalactite wall with 90m tall, located at the end of Son Doong Cave. This section of the cave is also the place where the highest ceiling is about 200 meters.

In this journey, you will also discover Hang En, the world’s third largest cave.

Moreover, the cave is rich in other forms of life as well. The cave explores have seen monkeys, snakes, squirrels, rats, flying fox, birds and bats. The team also discovered 7 new species of fish, spider, scorpion, shrimp, wood lice and plankton. All of them completely white and without eyes, the evolutionary consequences of existing in complete darkness.

Son Doong tour welcomes guests from January to August yearly. You can book tours at a time that suits the accommodation, schedule and availability.

The Son Doong Cave Expedition is considered difficult (highest level) and you must be physically active with regular trekking experience. Distance: 17km trekking, 8km caving which includes rope climbs and rocky scrambling, 800m elevation change, 90m climb of the “Great Wall of Vietnam”.

The difficulty in the jungle is very dependent on the weather. It can get very cold here during January to March (8-15oC) and very hot during June to August (32-40oC), not to mention anytime it rains the jungle becomes very slippery and muddy. However, in the cave it usually ranges from 18-23oC in the winter (when a fleece and extra warm clothes are necessary) to 22-25oC in the summer, when shorts and t-shirts will suffice around camp.

Hard expedition but worthy for those who are adventure lovers

Check weather conditions via accuweather.com in advance to get an idea of what the weather will be like during your tour for the best preparation.

Swimming is not a part of the Son Doong tour. You can swim in Hang En and splash in the rivers on certain days when you’re washing up if you wish. However, there are no required swimming sections on the tour.

Guests only need to bring their own drinking water, snacks (trail mix, nuts, protein bars, etc), camera and personal belongings to use during the day. Other items that you use at the campsite every night as well as safety equipment, food and other items will be taken care by the porter team.

There will be a wide variety of different types of food served in the cave, even for those who are vegan or gluten-free. A notification ahead of time is required for better care.

Sun Group – a Vietnamese development company – has been pushing to build a cable car to Son Doong Cave, which could potentially ferry 1,000 visitors an hour to the cave. Staunch opposition from UNESCO and activist group Save Son Doong encouraged the Vietnamese government to temporarily halt the construction permits in 2015. The project will only be proceeded with the approval from the World Heritage Commitee.

Located in the heart of Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park in Quang Binh Province, the closet city to reach is Dong Hoi which is around 1 hour of drive away.

Location of Son Doong Cave (Source: Google Maps)

There are many ways for your travel to Quang Binh from Hanoi (~ 500 km south), Ho Chi Minh City (~ 1200km north) and other cities by airplanes, trains and coaches.

Network of caves in Central Vietnam have transformed the region. Once one of Vietnam’s poorest, it is now the world’s most popular spot for cave exploration and the country’s fastest-growing tourist destination. If you are adventurous lovers and meet all health requirements, don’t miss Son Doong Cave expedition the once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Vietnam Travel team will more than welcome you to visit Vietnam and we are always pleased to assist whenever you set the holiday to our beautiful country!

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How To Explore Son Doong, The World's Biggest Cave

Vietnam is home to many spectacular landscapes—from the cascading rice terraces of Sapa and the thousands of limestone karst isles in Ha Long Bay , to the silky smooth red and white sand dunes of Mui Ne and the maze of rivers and rice paddies in the Mekong Delta , there is no shortage of sights to see. A lesser known fact, however, is that Vietnam is also home to the world’s largest cave. Here is all you need to know.

Hang Son Doong (Mountian River Cave), the largest cave in the world, is located right in the heart of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in the Quang Binh province of Vietnam. It was formed during the Cambrian-Permian geological eras, putting it at a date between 400–450 million years old. No words can do justice to the size of this UNESCO protected cave —it stretches for over three miles (five kilometers), and it reaches heights of 650 feet (200 meters). The main cavern is large enough to house an entire New York City block.

What’s even more amazing is that the ecosystem created within the cave has its own weather system and creates its own clouds. Inside, you will find the largest stalagmite known to man, hanging at 262 feet tall (80 meters), and fossils dating back millions of years. Collapsed ceilings have created openings known as dolines, and this has allowed foliage to grow inside the cave. You will come across jungles and rivers enveloped by misty clouds, and microorganisms thriving in the darkness. It is a whole other world, devoid of much human interaction. You will be walking into an image of Earth as it was hundreds of million of years ago. Think of it like A Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne. Maybe you will find dinosaurs inside.

Son Doong was first discovered in 1990, thanks to a local by the name of Ho Khanh who loves trekking the jungles of the national park in search of food and timber to earn a modest income. He saw an opening, and when he peered inside, he saw clouds and heard the soft gurgle of a river inside. He was apprehensive to investigate further, so he went home. Then he forgot where he found it.

It was then found again years later in 2008, by Ho Khanh again. He took note of the path, and subsequently led Howard and Deb Limbert of the British Cave Association to the cave for the first expedition. In 2013, the cave was opened to the public. Expeditions are allowed only through one company, Oxalis, who have a legal permit to run tours. They run an exclusive five-day expedition that is not for the faint of heart. A tour costs 3000 USD, but it is money well spent. Remember, the cave is mostly used for scientific research, and more people have stood on the summit of Mount Everest than witnessed the surreal beauty inside this cave.

Unfortunately, you need to be extremely fit and patient, as there is a waiting list of about two years. The government only releases around 300–500 permits yearly, and it will take time to get yours.

To reach Hang Son Doong, you need to pass through the only village located inside the Phong Nha Ke-Bang National Park. The Ban Doong ethnic minority village is only accessible by foot, as it is surrounded by dense jungles. The village is home to less than 40 people, and their hardships have been alleviated by the discovery of the cave and the subsequent conservation partnership with Oxalis. Exploring this village and interacting with the locals is also an exciting part of the journey, as there is a lot you can learn. The village offers a view of a way of life that has been unchanged for centuries.

Then you will continue on your journey to Hang Son Doong, and it is not easy. There will be two days of intense jungle trekking and river crossings in order to reach the entrance. Once inside, you will have to abseil, climb, crawl, and swim through underground rivers to complete your journey. Making it even more beautiful is that you will get to camp inside the cave, eat, take extraordinary photos, and laugh along with your crew. Hang En, the world’s third largest cave is also included in the tour.

Only 10 guests per departure are allowed, and each one is perfectly cared for. Your group will include two caving experts, three local guides, two chefs, two park rangers, and 20 porters that will help carry your belongings and other luggage such as tents. Everyone’s safety is ensured, as is the preservation of the cave. Tours run once per week each year, between February and August.

Oxalis also offers expeditions to other caves such as Hang En, Tu Lan, and Hang Va. All of these are spectacular and visiting them is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If there is ever a time in your life that you want to splurge, this should be it. Forget the fancy beach resorts you can find anywhere else in the world. Son Doong cave is unrivaled.

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Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

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A Singaporean's Adventures at Home and Abroad

Doline 1 of Hang Son Doong, Vietnam - RooWanders

Hang Son Doong: The World’s Largest Cave

Hang Son Doong, the world’s biggest cave, has an equally extravagant price to match. It wasn’t easy for me to shed US$3000++ and all the charges for less than a week in the cave.

But even before the deal was sealed, I knew I had to visit Hang Son Doong – the massive Mulu cave systems of Borneo I explored in July 2022 , on top of my previous two caving trips in Waitomo of New Zealand and Lumiang Sumaguing of Philippines , further sparked my curiosity to investigate the world’s biggest cave in Vietnam.

Sarawak and central Vietnam are rich in limestones perfect for caves. Meanwhile, I am stationed in Singapore, a mere one to three hours flight from both destinations on a budget airline. They’re easier to reach than some smaller caves on the other side of the world, so what’s stopping me from visiting them?

Last Day Hang Son Doong, Vietnam - RooWanders

I visited Hang Son Doong in Aug 2023. This post may be updated periodically. Post also contains affiliate links that cost nothing to you but support my blog. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Cheers!

Why You Should Visit Hang Son Doong

How many caves are open to civilian noob-cakes with no caving certs or experience to wander in? Plenty, but with loads of manicured boardwalks and artificial lighting that would have altered the landscapes and scared the cave critters away.

As with my Mulu and Miri cave trips, the less touristy Gua Niah or Niah Cave gave us a much better cave experience than the world-renowned Deer, Lang, Wind, or Clearwater Caves . We had proper trails to follow, sharing with only a handful of visitors, so we got to walk in darkness with our headtorch, smell and hear the bats in the biggest chamber, and see lots of strange insects.

Great Cave, Gua Niah, Malaysia - RooWanders

Of course, this pales in comparison to Hang Son Doong, which:

Opens to max 10 guests per trip. Less people, less noise, less artificial safety structures, more beautiful views.
Max 1000 guests per year. Less destruction from aliens (us).
Min 18 years old to participate. No crying or naughty children scooting off or breaking stuff.
Two jungles and an entire ecosystem in the cave. I’m not sure if there are other caves that visitors can visit with jungles in their dolines.
Quick changing mist and clouds condition in the cave. It was surreal watching the mist escape from the entrance, exit and dolines of Hang Son Doong.
Formations that are hard to grasp in their entirety unless you’re there. Cue the Wedding Cake, the Hand of Dog and the view of Doline 1 from the lunch spot.

It’s secluded by the price and restricted by the pax, so you’d get unobstructed great views and undivided attention from the crew in the biggest cave with million-year-old gigantic formations throughout the expedition.

Also, we’re living amid dire weather conditions brought about by climate change. The cave has an underground river system that floods from Sep to Dec. Typhoons and floods terrorise the National Park and Phong Nha every year. So who knows what the future holds?

Beautiful View of Doline 1, Hang Son Doong, Vietnam - RooWanders

Hang means Cave , Son means Mountain , and Doong has two explanations. It is the valley where the ethnic minority Bru Van Kieu lives and also refers to the cave with an underground river.

In short, Hang Son Doong refers to the cave in a mountain where a river flows.

In Mandarin, Doong sounds like 洞 Dòng or hole. Cave in Mandarin could be called 山洞 Shān Dòng. So there was a period when I mistook the name for Hang Cave since Hang Son Doong sounds like Han Shān Dòng.

But it isn’t just me. The Mandarin name for Hang Son Doong is either a literal 韓松洞 Hán Sōng Dòng, which is meaningless, or 山水洞 Shān Shuǐ Dòng, which means Mountain Water Cave. 山水洞 sounds poetic and follows the origin better, but sounds nothing like the Vietnamese name.

Size Comparison

Son Doong Cave is nearly 9 km long and 38.5 x 10^6 m3 in size.

To put things into perspective:

An Olympic-sized swimming pool is about 2500 m3. 15,400 pools can fit in the cave.
The cave is 5 times bigger than Deer Cave in Sarawak, Malaysia.
It is home to the tallest stalagmite (80m).
The tallest measurable height is 200 m. The height of Marina Bay Sands is 200 m.
The widest space measured is 160 m. The biggest commercial airliner Airbus A380 has a wingspan of 79.8 m .

Hope and Vision Passage, Son Doong Cave, Vietnam - RooWanders

The Man Who Found It

Hang Son Doong is unusual, but so is the story that led to its discovery!

The cave exists before we do in the deep jungle of Phong Nha. Back then, Phong Nha was a poor village where livelihood revolved around farming, logging and hunting. Village men often combed the deep forest for the extremely rare and treasured Agarwood, known as the King of Incense , which produces Oud oil worth more than gold!

Illegal logging continued despite the forest’s establishment as a protected Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.

Here enters Ho Khanh . The man is like others in search of the Agarwood. Unlike others, he also holds an interest towards caves. Ho Khanh happened to stumble into the entrance of Hang Son Doong one stormy day in 1990. Visions of clouds and cold air floating out of the entrance, coupled with the rumbling sounds of water, spooked him so much that they left an indelible impression.

Decades later, cave explorers from Britain visited Phong Nha in search of more caves. Ho Khanh related what he saw to the team, but they could not locate the entrance from the dense jungle.

Despite the expedition’s futility, Ho Khanh was determined to find the cave entrance. He funded his own trip and traced the route he took in 1990, eventually finding the entrance leading to Hang Son Doong.

The British team returned a year later in 2009. With the aid of laser measuring devices, the team found the cave to be five times bigger than the biggest cave in the world.

Deer Cave, Mulu National Park, Malaysia - RooWanders

Why Is It So Expensive?

This question gets asked a lot and was one of our dinner conversations in the cave.

Why is visiting Hang Son Doong so expensive?

Son Doong Cave is a big cave. Caves are dark with uneven slippery boulders and sharp rocks. One misstep could be dreadful. I had my spookiest and most dangerous cave experience in Lumiang-Sumaguing of the Philippines , and safety is really important! Lots of investment went into managing the safety of the guests , who oftentimes are not caving professionals.
The 10 guests are supported by a team of 27 – 1 cave specialist, 1 lead guide, 5 assistant guides, 1 porter team lead, 17 porters, and 2 chefs. Food, water, camping needs and caving gear are carried in. Human waste is carried out. I saw the men carrying gas tanks for cooking too! Each porter could carry up to 100 kg (that’s what one of them said!).
The guides need to receive proper training from renowned cave specialists frequently.
A part of the three grand goes to cave conservation .

Lumiang Sumaguing Cave Connection, Philippines - RooWanders

My Hang Son Doong expedition feels more glamp than camp. And I could safely rank it the top glamp trip compared to my other multi-day treks to places like Semeru , Ladakh or Nepal.

We had fresh delicious food prepared for every meal – so much so that the food outside of the camp became less tasty! We always ended up eating more than our daily output.

In light of output, we carried the bare minimum , with most of our load (max 7 kg per pax) going to the porters. So the calories you’ll burn would mostly come from fretting over where to place your foot or pulling the rope up some slippery slope.

The guide assistants to guests ratio of 1:2 meant there’s always one of them around us for help – pinpointing the spots to step or grab, or giving me an arm and subsequently pulling me up as well.

Pre Hang Son Doong To-Dos

Here are some tips to save and plan for your trip. While I did mention my trip being more glamp than camp, a certain level of fitness is still required, or it would be a torturous trip for you instead!

Saving Up for the Cave Expedition

To start saving, estimate when you will be going (at least two years in advance!) and set aside an amount every month in a savings account or, if you’re in Singapore, high-interest plans with robo advisors like Syfe or Stashaway .

I’ve been using Stashaway to keep my funds for some time now, and their current rate of up to 5% is attractive . Otherwise, you could chuck some money and start saving with Syfe too ! Both links are affiliated with me – I get to earn some benefits/ coffee money, and you get to keep yours too (so do me a favour :P).

Reservation, Payment, and Follow-Ups for the Trip

I booked my trip to Hang Son Doong exactly one year in advance , a week or two after returning from Mulu National Park . Hang Son Soong is only open for expeditions from Jan to Aug . Torrential rain, and heavy floods for the remaining four months make venturing into the cave extremely dangerous. More about the weather in the later section.

By the time I made up my mind in late-Aug/ early-Sep 2022, the earliest slots left were in June 2023. It was booked solid from Jan – May 2023, and even for June, there were 1 – 2 vacancies left per trip.

My partner and I decided on August 2023, which happened to coincide with a public holiday in Singapore (National Day).

Booking and the follow-ups were straightforward:

We filled our info under the BOOK NOW page in Oxalis (the only company doing Hang Son Doong) .
A generic email indicating our booking code arrived within three days.
Another email from their Adventure Consultant with more info regarding the tour policies, payment terms and bank details came around the same time.
Packing List
Physical Preparation List
A brief overview of the schedule (also a request for you to inform them about your pickup point and time)
Other useful info like shoes to wear and clothes to bring
Special Mentions, like no drones, no wifi
A month before our trip, the Adventure Consultant sent an exact email as point (4). By then we had already informed them about our arrival.
A week before our trip, we received another system-generated email repeating details like check the weather, check your fitness and check the items to bring.
Two weeks after our trip, we received another email from the Adventure Consultant with the contact details of our two lead guides, links to Oxalis social, and a link to a feedback form.

Singapore Flag on the Wedding Cake, Vietnam - RooWanders

Choosing the Time to Visit

Depending on the time you would like to visit, different weather condition follows:

Jan – Mar. A chilly expedition (below 20 dC) and jackets may be needed. I don’t think anyone would appreciate the cold underground river swim. You get stronger and longer sunbeams illuminating into the deeper recesses of the cave.

Apr – May. Nice and warm. But this period is also a slash-and-burn season in neighbouring Laos , so there may be haze depending on the wind direction.

Jun – Aug. Slightly warmer and more humid. But the underground river soak was excellent at 16 dC. For others coming from a dry and cold country, the climate might be unbearable. Hailing from Singapore, I find the humidity and temperature somewhat similar. But walking unshaded under the hot sun before reaching Hang En can be agonising.

Working Out for Son Doong Adventure

You must be in shape to be ready for the expedition! Or be prepared to suffer, or even risk not going at all.

Oxalis has a checklist for physical activities that participants should minimally achieve as a reassurance of their fitness level (gleaned from their checklist):

Training at least 6 months in advance
Walk comfortably 10 kilometres/ 6 miles with at least one hill of 300-400 m/ 900-1200 ft
Walk confidently over rough ground, and be able to scramble up and down rocks and boulders
Do at least 6 training hikes (10 km/ 6 miles with at least one large hill) within the 3 months leading up to the tour departure with the shoes and backpack you plan on wearing to the caves.

They also suggest supplementary activities like Spartan race, rock climbing, yoga, and home exercises like squats, burpees and stairs. Basically, activities that stimulate the muscles needed in the cave.

There’s a statement somewhere in the email or their website that indicates assessing the physical fitness of their participants on the first day. The hike to Hang En, the third largest cave in the world , is marketed as a short overnight trip under Oxalis with mostly forest tramping and river wading and very few caving activities. It’s easy to get back to civilization compared to when you’re deep in Hang Son Doong. If you can’t complete Day 1 with ease, you are really not fit for the entire trip.

Entrance of Hang En Cave, Vietnam - RooWanders

What to Bring for Hang Son Doong

What to Bring is the section I was most interested in before the expedition. Visiting Son Doong Cave is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of trip and you really want to be at your best. What kind of clothes should I prepare? How about the shoes? Should I get a better camera? Here’s all you got to know.

Overlooking Doline 1, Hang Son Doong, Vietnam - RooWanders

Oxalis’ Packing List on What They’ll Provide

Use of 3 x 43,000 lumen LED filming lights → these were used for photos and in the campsite
Camping gear: tent, sleeping mat, pillow and sleeping bag
Caving & safety gear: caving helmet, caving headlight, harness and gloves
Meals: All 6 days, except breakfast and lunch on D1, and lunch and dinner on D6
Water filters (application by guide and porters)
Basic camping facilities with eco-friendly compost toilet using western toilet seat
First Aid Kit, Rescue Equipment & Satellite Phone (application by safety advisor and tour guides only)
1 Safety advisor (member of the British Vietnamese Caving Expedition)
1 Professional English-speaking tour guide, 5 safety assistants and 2 chefs
Porter team to carry all gear and prepare all meals
Accommodations (single or twin-shared) at Son Doong Bungalow before the tour and at Chay Lap Farmstay & Resort after the tour
Round-trip transfer Dong Hoi – Phong Nha before and after the tour

Essentials I Brought for My August Summer Trip

Oxalis provided a packing list as well, which I have sort of incorporated into my list below:

3 sets of quick dry long sleeves. But bringing 4 different brightly coloured ones would be nice. Then you’ll have a variety of colours over the 4 days in the cave. Red, orange, yellow or neon would be ideal for beautiful photos.
4 sets of tights . I wore tights used for hiking and yoga.
2 pairs of socks (I wore darn tough) . I bought another 2 pairs from Oxalis after learning about foot rot. Your feet would be wet throughout the expedition since the shoes are wet. Having a fresh pair of socks to begin the day felt wonderful. No need for fancy socks. Those mid-calf cotton ones would do.
2 bandana/ head wrap . Keep my hair contained. Also, prevent abrasion between my skin and the helmet strap.
4 sets of undergarments.
1 swimwear. For the fish spa at Hang En.
1 set of pyjamas/ camp wear. You could wear them for the next day, but I preferred not wearing long sleeves to sleep. Some participants wore short sleeves paired with arm sleeves.
Sunhat , sunglasses , sunscreen and insect repellant . For the torturous heat on Day 1. There are big mozzies and hungry leeches!
Lightweight outer shell. In case it rained on Day 1.
1 pair of jandals. I took my sturdy ones from Taiwan made for marathon running. Sandals with fabrics stay wet and icky.
Headtorch . For camp use. The torch on the helmet is stuck to the helmet.
GoPro. Gopro are small, nifty and waterproof. So easy to carry! I upgraded from 8, which I extensively used in New Zealand , to 11, and had mine strapped to the shoulder strap of my bag.
Batteries, power bank, cables .
Wet wipes , dry shampoo , biodegradable soap , prickly heat powder , etc. Those sanitary items. You can only use biodegradable soap at Hang En. There’s no washing area for the second and third nights, and this is where wet wipes come in handy.
Sleeping bag liner . In case the sleeping bag is nasty like other camping trips I’ve done. But the sleeping bag provided was clean and smelled fresh.
Earplugs . Very important if someone snores at night! Hang En is home to thousands of swiftlets. The incessant chirping might be a bane for some.

In the tent, Hang Son Doong, Vietnam - RooWanders

Special Mentions for Further Discussion

SHOES! I wore the amphibious quick-draining Merrell Choprock shoes that seem to be phasing out. Decathlon might have something similar. Oxalis has a list of shoes to recommend, focusing on Soloman and trail runners. You need shoes with grippy soles and drains well! Goretex or waterproof shoes are a big nono as they trap water. Oxalis checks your shoes during the briefing. If you fail to meet the expectations of the caving specialist, they’ll lend you a simple archless high-cut canvas one, which may not be comfortable.

BAG! I’ve been carrying my beaten Gregory Juno 25 L for day hikes in Indonesia and Malaysia . It’s comfortable and fits what I need to carry for the day. As with the bags, the specialist will check if they are suitable for the expedition. It needs to fit the helmet and water!

SNACKS! No need for those. You’ll be well fed. Bring hydration salts!

FAN! For a hot summer expedition. Bring along a small portable electric one , or the Asian foldable fans that you can get from night markets.

DRONES! Not allowed!

FEMALE HYGIENE! I would expect the trip to be uncomfortable if you’re still on pads for a summer expedition. You’ll also be missing out on swimming in the underground river and soaking in Hang En. It may be icky too if the water level of some river crossings towards Hang En gets too high. Use a period cup. Simple, easy, and sustainable. Toilets are very clean and convenient for ladies on periods.

Decent Camp Toilet, Hang Son Doong, Vietnam - RooWanders

How to Get to Phong Nha

Transport between Dong Hoi and Phong Nha is provided in the tour package. To take advantage of that, you still need to find yourself in Dong Hoi, the nearest city to Phong Nha.

Dong Hoi has a domestic airport. There are many flights to Dong Hoi from Ho Chi Minh City (1h 35 mins) or Hanoi (1h).

Train rides take about 11 hours from Hanoi to Dong Hoi and a day (24 hours) from Ho Chi Minh City. It makes far better sense to fly if you’re coming directly from HCMC unless you enjoy long train rides…

I took the night train from Hanoi to Dong Hoi to have a full day in Phong Nha. There are five different timings to choose from, and you have the option to pick a soft seat (not recommended for a night train!), a sleeper 4-berth, or a sleeper 6-berth.

The only way to buy directly from the Vietnamese booking site is if you have a local bank account. Else, purchase online from Baolau , or physically from the train station for budget options. You may, however, risk not getting what you want! Travel agencies quote a bit more.

Dong Hoi Train Station, Vietnam - RooWanders

For those looking forward to an overnight sleeper bus experience, book yours online through 12Go , or at your accommodations. Be warned that buses may reach your destination earlier than expected (middle of the night)!

Finally, we reached the meat of the post. My expedition! Here’s a ✨ detailed ✨ collection of my experience in Hang Son Doong.

The tour is marketed as 6 days, but only 4 days were spent in the caves.

Day 1: Dong Hoi to Phong Nha + Briefing

Transfer to phong nha.

We reached Dong Hoi at 6 AM, and an assistant guide holding a card with my name written on it immediately ushered us to the car with a driver. The journey from Dong Hoi to Phong Nha took almost an hour. I was too tired to notice what was outside, but I did not miss the iconic Hollywood-style sign!

Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park sign on the mountain - RooWanders

Check-in to Son Doong Bungalow + activities

Checking into our spacious room at Son Doong Bungalow was surprisingly quick . We got a room upon arrival at 7-ish AM! Rooms in this bungalow were named after caves in Phong Nha, and we happened to stay in Hang En. Our room had a double and a single bed, and free wifi, but no TV, which really isn’t needed anyway. There’s a pool by the rows of rooms.

Son Doong Bungalow, Vietnam - RooWanders

We had our breakfast (not included) and booked a full-day tour around Phong Nha within the hour with the bungalow. It was a day well spent.

Oxalis requires participants to be at Dong Hoi before 3 PM that day, and ready for the evening briefing by 5.30 PM. We received the red dry bags from the bungalow.

Briefing + Welcome Dinner

Participants on the same tour as ours met by the breakfast table at 5.30 PM , greeted by our lead guide, Vu. We were reminded to bring our bags and shoes and boarded a one-way bus to the Oxalis office.

Briefing and checks took almost an hour while we sipped on complimentary drinks. We went through slides reiterating information from the emails while hungry mozzies feasted (I got two bites that night!). What’s interesting for me were the photos of the foot rot and itchy plants . Then came the shoes and bag checks by cave specialist Deb, getting our helmets fitted, grabbing the water bottles from Oxalis, and buying extra shirts or socks.

Hang Son Doong Expedition Briefing, Vietnam - RooWanders

We had a delicious dinner with an assortment of side dishes paired with rice. Then more drinks, self-introductions, and getting eaten by mozzies, before we walked back to Son Doong Bungalow to rest and prepare for the trip.

Post Briefing Dinner at Oxalis, Vietnam - RooWandders

Day 2: Phong Nha to Hang En Campsite

Breakfast and preparation.

Wearing long sleeves, long tights, and long socks can never be comfortable in a warm and humid environment. Especially so as you indulge in a warm bowl of Pho Bo for breakfast again.

Bags not meant for the caves and red bags meant for the caves were marked and named with special stickers from the day before.

We promptly left at around 8.30 AM on another bus, but this time, with the guide assistants as well. Somewhere along the way to the trailhead, we got off at a bridge of Ho Chi Minh Highway West that overlooked one of the many streams supporting the underground river into Hang En and Hang Son Doong.

Ho Chi Minh Highway, Vietnam - RooWanders

Trailhead to Village Lunch

An easy hour-plus downhill hike through a forest, followed by some minor river crossings for half an hour to Ban Doong village . As we inched closer to the village, we saw free-roaming oxen and lots of cow dung. We even had a family of them enjoying their soak in the river we had to cross. The assistant guides had to chase them away as these oxen may attack.

Trekking in the forest to Hang En, Vietnam - RooWanders

Lunch was underneath a shelter in the village, with a squat toilet some distance away from the spot. We had wet rice rolls paired with a variety of ingredients to be wrapped, watermelon and yoghurt.

The guide also pointed out a two-storey school that Oxalis helped build that can be a shelter for the villagers in times of bad weather. Compared to the old school that was destroyed by the 2020 flood, this new compound has accommodations for the teachers, which is a big advantage. Teachers usually hail from other areas and need places to stay. This new upgrade helps to retain and keep educators happy.

A Merciless Unshaded River Tramp to Hang En

This section was the most taxing walk for me in retrospect . We were under the sun for almost two hours. Wading through the lukewarm river was fine as water levels were mostly beneath the knees (it was summer!). But the heat and humidity can make one dizzy. The assistant guides filled up the bottles of some participants with river water filtered from powerful filters.

To Hang En, River Crossing, Vietnam - RooWanders

We passed by a stream where cold water emerged from a small cave opening. That was the only short respite I felt for those two hours. Thereafter, the cold water merged with the warm water.

We reached the entrance of Hang En around 2 PM and took a small break – putting on our helmets and finding spots for more photos.

Entrance of Hang En, Vietnam - RooWanders

It didn’t take us long to reach the vantage point overlooking our first campsite. Perhaps 10 mins from the rest stop? Then another 10 mins of scrambling without bags to another viewpoint.

Hang En View of the Campsite, Vietnam - RooWanders

Finally, it was back down to ground level. We boarded a hand-pulled float over the river in Hang En and reached our campsite before 4 PM. Time for tea!

Hang En Activities

There are actually many activities to do in this camp. I, for instance, spent a long time playing with the many little fish in the river while rinsing my shoes and socks. Then an even longer time swimming in the river with the fish. Biodegradable soap is allowed here.

Dinner was served underneath a shelter. By then, we had already hung our clothes, checked out the toilet and changing rooms, enjoyed a cup of coffee, seen the colonies of swiftlets fly in and nest above our heads, and watched the light from the gaping hole slowly dwindled.

When night arrived, we sat around a tray of freshly roasted peanuts with a warm Vietnamese tea cupped in hand, while the assistant guides surprised us with another beautiful photo point. The lamp underneath the small dock, and another pointing to it, created another setup for an otherworldly photo.

Dinner at Hang En Camp, Vietnam - RooWanders

Day 3: Hang Son Doong Day 1 | Hang En to Hang Son Doong

Out of hang en, into another forest.

Breakfast was an overkill! We had baguettes paired with beef slices, capsicums and eggs on a sizzling hot plate!

Breakfast at Hang En, Vietnam - RooWanders

The first activity was scrambling to another viewpoint behind the campsite without bags.

Then bags on from the campsite towards the exit of Hang En that leads to Hang Son Doong, as Ho Khanh first explored.

Towards the exit of Hang En, Vietnam - RooWanders

We trekked through rivers, again , before steadily ascending through a forest with steep rocky sections. Lunch was served atop the hill.

River Crossing to Hang Son Doong, Vietnam - RooWanders

Safety Briefing, Descending into Hang Son Doong

Post-lunch, the assistant guides strapped us up in safety harnesses. Next came a short safety briefing conducted by the lead guide, and some demo of half-squat/ abseiling poses that’ll come in useful in the cave.

Safety Briefing for Hang Son Doong, Vietnam - RooWanders

Our lunch stop was in very close proximity to the entrance of Hang Son Doong. After a clumsy – all of us were wearing harnesses! – short and steep descent supported by ropes and ladders, we came face-to-face with the red-painted words indicating the entrance of Hang Son Doong !

Heading down to the entrance of Hang Son Doong, Vietnam - RooWanders

Puffs of mist and cool air erupted from the jagged mouth of Hang Son Doong. We waited for our turns to descend the 80 m slippery calcite rocks , leveraging on the ropes and half-squat positions. For every new safety rope, we clipped and unclipped our carabiners. A slow but easy process.

The 80 m descent into the cave, Vietnam - RooWanders

Bridges, Hand of Dog and Other Big Formations

Sounds of the underground river echoed within the cave chamber. As the water level was too high and dangerous for us to wade through, our river crossing for that day came to an eventual halt. Instead, we waited for our turns to tread over two bridges.

The ground below us changed from rocks covered with thin layers of slippery mud or water to soft wet sand that clung tenaciously over my shoes. We were now walking within The Hope and Vision Passage , where a Boeing 747 could easily fly through.

We stopped and gazed in wonder at a huge cavern where the tallest stalagmite lives (80m) . Behind it, late afternoon light streamed in from the misty and faraway doline 1. Standing between the clusters of gigantic formations was the unmistakable silhouette of the stalagmite funnily termed The Hand of Dog .

Hand of Dog, Son Doong Cave, Vietnam - RooWanders

According to the guide and Oxalis website , this formation should have been called the omnipresent Hand of God . Somewhere along the exploration, however, the person who penned it down misheard the person who named it and the name has stuck ever since.

After a display of these incredulous formations, courtesy of the staff who got there before us with strong lamps, we were back gingerly treading over a track filled with bobby traps in the form of slippery boulders, shaky rocks, and steep or wide crossings.

Our first campsite in Hang Son Doong, The Level Playing Fields , came into attention beneath our feet, enveloped by mist. Beside it stood the large vertical gaping hole of Doline 1, which we’ll enter the following day.

Campsite of Hang Son Doong, Vietnam - RooWanders

Underground River Swim and Fossils

We dropped our bags, changed our harnesses for life jackets, and headed towards the sound of the underground river.

The walls and floors became incredibly smooth, black and slippery as we got closer to the river, with some areas requiring us to sit and slide instead. Prehistoric old coral fossils embedded in the black rock came to view along the way.

Don’t let the cold water shock you! It was a nice relaxing swim after a hard day of walking over unsteady rocks. The cold water, about 16 dC, coupled with the life jacket, acted like a relaxant. We had a fish spa the day before, and now it was a cave cold water spa! We let the chilly water take away the soreness and sweat debris until I was toggling between a state of utter relaxation and a state of cold shivers.

Son Doong Campsite I: The Level Playing Fields

We swam and crawled/ walked back to the campsite – my legs were not mine after the cold soak. Then it was resting on camp chairs facing the magical doline, before another sumptuous dinner, roasted peanuts and tea, and finally black out.

Dinner at Son Doong Cave, Vietnam - RooWanders

Day 4: Hang Son Doong Day 2 | Doline to Doline Easy Day

Towards doline 1: watch out for dinosaurs.

Guess what’s for breakfast? A bowl of soupy vermicelli AND pancakes, complete with chocolate sauce or honey. Bananas were always present. Too bad my stomach isn’t quite awake for a big breakfast.

Breakfast underneath Doline 1, Vietnam - RooWanders

We ascended some rocky climbs towards the first doline: Watch Out For Dinosaurs at 9 AM. The origin story behind this doline isn’t as interesting as The Hand of Dog . A passing remark that a dinosaur may pop out from nowhere in the jungle stuck and remained.

Towards Doline 1, Hang Son Doong, Vietnam - RooWanders

But before we even reached the forest, we had a photo stop with the hole on the wall, or what some may call, The Eye of Hang Son Doong . The climb was not easy – it was very slippery, the walls were like marble – and needed three assistant guides to help. But the photos speak for themselves. A Spiderman, ninja or 007 pose gives perfect results.

Eye of Son Doong Cave, Vietnam - RooWanders

Wandering within the First Doline

The first doline was formed when the weaker areas of the passage carved out by the underground river collapsed. Sunlight gave light and life sprang into action.

Within this doline lies the enchanting Wedding Cake that almost everyone who’s heard of Hang Son Doong would want a photo with. From the photos, the flat and fat stalagmite looks tall when it’s not. It’s all about the angles .

The Wedding Cake from another perspective, Vietnam - RooWanders

After spending countless moments soaking in the sights and sounds, it was time to head down towards our lunch stop.

But first, a quick stop for a photo with the green gours ! I’ve seen phytokarsts from my trip in other gigantic caves at Mulu National Park , but green gours are a first. These are green cave formations with algae growing on them from the ample sunlight exposure.

Green Gours of Hang Son Doong, Vietnam - RooWanders

Lunch over A Heartbreakingly Beautiful View

Lunch was a simple but still delicious fried rice with egg at 12 NN. Before we tucked into our meals, we tucked into the sights at our lunch spot, trying out different ways and angles to record what we’re seeing in videos and photos. But there’s really no way you could capture the magical moment with a device. You have to see it to feel the depth of its beauty.

Lunch view of Doline 1, Vietnam - RooWanders

We saw the mist come and go, sometimes disrupted by the evasive sunbeam, as we munched on the fried rice.

Towards Doline 2: Garden of Edam

With our bellies filled, it was time to head over to Doline 2: The Garden of Edam !

Some of us climbed over a mountain of rough stalagmite to reach a vantage point for a timelapse video, while a few took their positions on the path towards the garden with their headlamps strategically shone in.

View of Doline 2 from a vantage point, Vietnam - RooWanders

The Garden of Edam does not feature as many attractions – if you could say that – compared to Doline 1.

We were down to the dry and sandy Campsite II shortly after, reaching by 3 PM.

Approaching Doline 2, Vietnam - RooWanders

Son Doong Campsite II

The second campsite has a larger view of the sky, and we were earnestly hoping for some night shots. But alas, clouds blocked our view of the celestial sky, so there’s no Milky Way to boot.

As the second campsite is close to the exit, we had beer and canned drinks for dinner, courtesy of the strong porter team!

Last dinner in Hang Son Doong, Vietnam - RooWanders

Day 5: Hang Son Doong Day 3 | Over the Great Wall of Vietnam and back to Phong Nha

Mud-travagant.

The last day began anew as with all days over a crazy breakfast. This time, it was fried noodles with French toast. Bananas were always there.

Breakfast below Doline 2, Vietnam - RooWanders

We strapped onto our harnesses that had more straps than the one we first wore into the cave. It’s time to ‘climb’ The Great Wall of Vietnam !

But first, some more photos of a gigantic stalagmite and – finally! – a stalactite. Also cave pearls – and potatoes – sound and look precious in their dams, but are like regular stones and pebbles out of their dams.

Giant Stalactite, Hang Son Doong, Vietnam - RooWanders

Oh, and the mud-fest! If you were to visit the Wall after a very heavy rainy day, it’s not mud you’ll cross, but a raft to row over a beautiful lake to the bottom of the Wall.

For us, we had muddy trenches and walked like supermodels through a V-shaped valley that has the width of a foot as its breadth. I meant it as supermodels since you walk toes in (to the mud) or shoes gone (in the mud). Some sections had muddy water going as high as my knees.

Walking towards the trenches, Vietnam - RooWanders

The Great Wall of Vietnam

Scaling the wall was very different during the exploratory times. Back then, it took explorers two days to crack their heads for a safe way to climb the delicate flowstone wall . Now, it took us less than an hour with an 18 m stainless steel ladder and climbing ropes over 45-degree slopes with an assistant guide pulling our weight from above.

But before we could even hop onto the ladder, we had to rid ourselves of the mud. The team had cleverly directed a small stream into a bucket with a brush tied to it.

Cleaning the muddy shoes, Great Wall of Vietnam, Vietnam - Roowanders

Climbing the 18 m ladder was easy.

Climbing the first section of the slope was like a warm-up for the half-squat-fall-back position we had previously learnt.

Climbing the second section became increasingly easier after the warm-up. We had the guide assistants pulling our weights from above as well, and I was at the top within minutes. Waiting for our turns took a longer time.

They said lunch, consisting of a yummy beef stew with baguette and cold drinks from outside, was light, and we would enjoy another complimentary light lunch/ snack at Chay Lap. For me, it was the last tasty camp food before we left the caves, and I might have taken more than what was supposed to be a light lunch .

Bidding Hang Son Doong Goodbye

The distance from the lunch stop to the exit was a short and easy 500 m. We also saw bones of an animal (they said it was a deer but who would have known?), already calcite-covered for N years .

Jungle trekking that day was different from jungle trekking on D2 and D3. There were significantly more razor-sharp jagged limestones and unstable rocks. Those sharp rocks were similar to the ones I faced for my Mulu Pinnacles climb , where a woman fell and cut herself deep on her inner thigh. She needed stitches.

It took us probably an hour from the Son Doong Cave exit to Ho Chi Minh Highway. The trek plateaued once we reached the bottom of the hill with many butterflies.

Bus to Chay Lap Farmstay

There’s not much to note for the 45 mins bus ride back to civilization. We were all too sticky with wet feet mushed in wet shoes to pay attention to anything.

The welcome champagne and cold towel from Chay Lap Farmstay excite us for what’s to come – a nice hot shower!

Chay Lap Farmstay Room, Vietnam - RooWanders

Farewell Dinner

After the wash-up, we had our last dinner together with the team. It was the same setting as the dinner of Day 1 with the same people but in a different mood. Food was, obviously, less tasty than camp food. We exchanged contacts (and hundreds of photos and GBs of videos), took farewell photos, tipped, bought a photography book and bade everyone good night.

Day 6: Leaving Phong Nha

Phong nha to dong hoi.

Some participants left in the early morning for the train to Hanoi, or the flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Transport to Dong Hoi was provided, and our lead guide took note of everyone’s departure during the last dinner.

Chay Lap has a decent variety of dishes for their breakfast, but nothing comes close to the overkill breakfasts of the last three days!

For us, we maxed our time in the comfortable room until it was time to leave for our next destination. Unlike others, we booked a private car to take us to Hue, stopping by some stops in the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) . We had the drop-off arranged at Oxalis HQ since Chay Lap was considered out of the pickup zone of Phong Nha centre.

Post Trip Activities

If you have more time to spare in Phong Nha, here are some ideas for post-Son Doong activities:

Kayak/ cycle. Chay Lap offers discounts for kayaking and free rental bikes.
Tour the other caves and attractions around Phong Nha . Some famous ones include Paradise Cave, Phong Nha Cave, and the Dark Cave. There are full-day tours for these at good prices with lunch included.
Massage and relax. Chay Lap has massage services.

Beyond Phong Nha, head North for Hanoi. You could make a stop at Ninh Binh. Head South towards Danang or Ho Chi Minh City, with the conventional stops at Hue, Hoi An, Muine and Dalat. I took the opportunity to tour around the DMZ on the way to Hue.

Paradise Cave, Phong Nha, Vietnam - RooWanders

More Caving Expeditions I Hope To Do

Phong Nha is a cave wonderland with caves providing different challenges and sights to experience. Here are two that I hope to visit someday:

Hang Va . Ho Khanh, the man who found Hang Son Doong discovered Hang Va too. Hang Va has strange cone formations, an underground waterfall, an emerald river, and many impressive stalactites. The entrance of Hang Va is near the exit of Hang Son Doong. There’s only one tour to Hang Va from Oxalis and it costs USD 426 for 4D3N.
Hang Tien. For the strange tornado-like hole in the ceiling of one of its chambers. There are three tours of varying lengths to pick from, but I might go all out for the 6D5N with camping in jungles, an abseil and a flying fox, and eight caves to explore . Prices range from USD 355 for a 3D2N to USD 774 for the 6D5N.

To wrap it up, the USD 3,000 took me a lot of deliberation, time to save, and anxiety when I transferred such a big sum overseas. Money aside, it also took me a year to wait for the trip. Someone in our group waited even longer, having booked before the pandemic!

But the expedition was well worth the wait and moolas. I had a memorable good time that not many would have the opportunity to experience. More people have felt the winds at the peak of Mount Everest than the sunbeams in Doline 1. This is a strange but painfully beautiful part of nature that I’m glad I’ve savoured in real life.

Hang Son Doong Team Photo, Vietnam - RooWanders

Tips To Take Note

Book early. It’s expensive, yet it’s booked months in advance. Make sure you book your transport early too!
Mind your fitness. Or you’ll feel the pain and soreness at the end of the day.
Pack sensibly. Wear light and bright clothes so your photos pop.
Ease into your gear. Make sure the shoes are workable in the river and over slippery surfaces. Have a bag with straps such that they do not move around your torso too much. Waterproof dry bags are great since they don’t collect as much dirt, but the back, where your skin is in contact with, can get hot and stuffy.
Have good cameras. An action camera is small and convenient to carry around. My Huawei P30 Pro may be old, but it has taken countless beautiful photos (since the start of my Working Holiday in New Zealand! ). One of the participants’ Samsung Z Fold was abused for most of everyone’s iconic shots. Iphones do not work as well for night shots or under dim lights.
Have clips or straps to hold your camera. Go hands-free and yet capture the moments.
Electrolytes. For the sweat loss. Thwarts cramps.
Baby powder or prickly heat powder . For the wet wrinkly feet. Also helps fight sticky sweaty skin and gives relief under high humidity.

Hang Son Doong Medal, Vietnam - RooWanders

Day Tripping Mekong Delta From Ho Chi Minh City

The Cu Chi Tunnels: An Unforgettable Trip From Saigon

Hai Van Pass: From Hue to Hoi An

Son Doong Cave Expedition with Oxalis: What To Expect

Filed under Travel Tuesday

May 23, 2023

Guess who’s finally back with a Travel Tuesday post!?!?!? (The last one I wrote was back in December 2022 so this is kinda big news for me.) I recently returned from a ~2-week trip to Vietnam! The main reason for this trip was to go on the Son Doong Cave Expedition — we ended up adding a few more caving trips to our overall itinerary because whyyyy not.

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Son Doong Expedition Tour | fairyburger.com

For the record, this is not a sponsored post (…although if Oxalis Adventure would like to sponsor a future tour for me, I’d be more than overjoyed because I really loved my experience with them, hence my raving about this).

Son Doong Cave Expedition with Oxalis Adventure: What To Expect

Son Doong Cave Expedition with Oxalis Adventure | fairyburger.com

The 6-day, 5-night tour costs $3000 USD (US Dollar), or 72,000,000 VND (Vietnamese dong). $3k is definitely a hefty price (at one point, this sum could’ve fed me for a good 5 years !), so what’s included?

VAT fee (10%)
Entrance Fee + Environment Service ($600)
Management Fee/Supervision ($20)
We didn’t end up utilizing this since we took an overnight bus from Hanoi + had another multi-day tour booked the day afterward.
The porters will carry up to 7kg’s worth of your stuff, so our day packs were very, very light.
Transportation to/from Phong Nha National Park
1st night at the Son Doong Bungalow
3 nights in the cave with tents (can choose to stay in a single or a double)
Last night at the Chay Lap Farmstay
Prepared meals (welcome dinner after the safety briefing/overview on the first night, breakfast/lunch/dinner for all the days that you’re camping, as well as a gala dinner at the farmstay when you return + snacks in between)

This is the lunch we had on day 1 at the village before we trekked over to Hang En (the first cave)!

I bought a pair of trekking shoes on sale before I left, but they ran small and I ended up with 2 still-numb toes + 1 very black toenail after an 8 mile hike the weekend before our trip in my attempt to “break em’ in.” Quite fortunately, if you don’t have suitable trekking shoes, you can loan a pair of army boots from them as long as your shoe size is between sizes 36-46 (EUR). They are pretty minimalistic with no real arch support (they’ll stick in a little insole for you). Wear thick socks to prevent blisters. I have pretty flat feet and wore them daily for 2 multi-day tours (~7-8 days total) and didn’t get a single blister, but YMMV.
Camping gear (tent, sleeping mat, pillow, sleeping bag, camp slippers, water bottle, water pump/filters, semi-dry bag, first aid kit )
We bought additional travel insurance through World Nomads just in case!

Hot food on a cold rainy morning = the best. <3

My brother first read about Son Doong back in 2013 and has wanted to explore it ever since. When he asked me if I’d be interested in going too, in what universe would I have said no?!

Only 1000 people are allowed to visit each year + each group is comprise dof a max of 10 guests! Spots fill super quickly — we filled our applications out back in 5/2022 and hoped for the best!

The Son Doong Expedition’s difficulty level is 6 (hard). The scale is based on an average fitness level, so you definitely don’t have to be a marathon runner/mountaineer to be able to complete this. I wrote that I’d climbed Half Dome , Rose Peak , and the Rae Lakes Loop Trail and was good to go/didn’t find any aspect of it to be very difficult. It’s in your best interest to fill the form out correctly because they can and will turn people back if they don’t seem like they can handle it.

Son Doong Cave Expedition | fairyburger.com

Atop the “Wedding Cake” in Son Doong!

The trek consists of:

When we went, it was pouring rain on the first day so everything was extra slippery. There were also a bunch of river crossings, the highest of which was about waist-deep for me. The last day included climbing down a ton of sharp rocks in the jungle, so we kept our helmets on throughout until we’d passed all of them.
800m (~2625 feet) of steep climbing + 8 km (~5 miles) of caving (involves a good amount of scrambling — harnesses provided for via ferrata + knotted ropes also available at the especially steep locations)
Last day also includes 90m (~295ft) steep climb (up the “Wall of Vietnam) from the bottom of the cave passage to the top!
Swimming (optional – lifejacket required)

Weather/Climate

Tours run from January to the end of August every year. (Rainy season is intense so it’s not safe to operate tours during that time.)

I asked Tha (our tour guide) when his favorite time of year was + he said each season has its own benefits. From what I gather, February is a great time if you really want to capture the ethereal sunbeam photos from inside the cave but temperatures are pretty cold then (especially in the cave). In the summer months, the swimming in the lakes in the cave is likely super refreshing, but trekking in the jungle will be freakishly hot. April/May is when it’s not overwhelmingly hot, things are all blooming or green in the jungle, and mist starts settling in various parts of the cave — I’m glad we went when we did (mid-May)!

The above (turning people back) is mainly due to safety concerns. I really appreciated how much emphasis they placed on safety. Rescue have to be done on foot and could take hours. There is no wifi/reception and no path for a car, let alone even a bike. Several years back, one of the safety assistants cut out leg holes in their pack so that he could carry one of the guests back to civilization after she injured her leg!)

At one of the river crossings!

Our caving expert did have a satellite phone in case of emergency (which our group fortunately did not have to utilize), and the staff can also communicate via walkie talkie across longer distances if needed. The safety assistants were also super proactive/attentive and any time the thought of “Oh, this looks like it could be slippery,” even crossed my mind, one of them would magically appear in front of me to either lend me a strong arm to hold onto or to advise me on where to put my feet, if needed.

Have you ever been to a cave?
Do you think you’d ever go camping in a cave (or on the Son Doong Cave Expedition?!)? I’ll be back next week with more on my actual experiences!
Anything you’d want to know about this trip?
Isn’t it good that we didn’t decide to watch The Descent before going on this trip? (…We did that prior to going on a caving tour in West Virginia and really should not have. I will write about that hopefully-soon too!)

Son Doong Cave Experience in Phong Nha National Park

asia , family , hiking , hobbies , national parks , nature , outdoors , travel , travel tuesday , vietnam

Permanent link to this article: https://www.fairyburger.com/son-doong-expedition-tour-with-oxalis-what-to-expect/

35 comments

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Linda on May 23, 2023 at 9:18 am

This is SO amazing! Thank you for sharing this experience! Captivating, interesting, and so exciting!

Farrah on May 26, 2023 at 12:43 am

Thank you!!! :D It was such a fun trip!!

Jess Drake on June 28, 2023 at 5:48 pm

Hi! I would really like to do this trip! I am a fit and healthy 65yr old – does that matter? I own and ride horses and do all the physical jobs that is entailed in the keeping of horses. I walk my dogs twice daily around our 69 acres of land. Would I be allowed to go?

Farrah on July 1, 2023 at 12:59 pm

Jess on July 1, 2023 at 1:10 pm

Yes I’m currently talking to one now but he is asking me if I’ve on any hiking or trekking which I haven’t- just walking, lots of, on different terrains. Not sure he’ll think that is acceptable 🤔

ShootingStarsMag on May 23, 2023 at 10:33 am

I do not have the physical ability to do this, but that’s exciting you were finally able to go and had a great time. I can’t wait to hear more!

Farrah on May 26, 2023 at 12:55 am

The daily mileage actually wasn’t too bad, although the hiking through the jungle part in pouring rain + leeches was not what I was expecting, hahaha. Minus the leeches though, it was really fun! :D …More to come next week!

Ashley on May 24, 2023 at 5:02 pm

I’ve been to a number of caves but none that look like Son Doong. Loved the photos and great insights you shared. I think the price is quite reasonable for all that is included. Thanks for sharing all the details.

Farrah on May 26, 2023 at 1:03 am

Elyse on May 24, 2023 at 7:09 pm

I looked at doing this last year while in Vietnam, but just didn’t have enough time! Looks absolutely incredible though, definitely do it next trip. Thanks for including all the prices too

Farrah on May 26, 2023 at 1:12 am

Brittney on May 24, 2023 at 8:08 pm

Wow, this looks like quite the trip. I don’t know if I could ever do something like this, but this seems like the perfect trip for the super adventurous.

Farrah on June 4, 2023 at 5:15 am

Karen on May 25, 2023 at 1:37 pm

Wow, this sounds incredible. What a wonderful adventure. Were there places in the cave where you needed to squeeze through?

Farrah on May 26, 2023 at 1:15 am

Hannah on May 26, 2023 at 1:52 pm

This looks like such an incredible experience! Nature is just fascinating! The wedding cake is super cool. Thanks for sharing!

Farrah on May 27, 2023 at 9:28 pm

Isn’t it!? It felt like a whole ‘nother world in that cave! They have lots of fun names for the structures in there! :]

Discover Portugal on May 28, 2023 at 8:18 am

Wow what an experience! I’ve been to some other caves in Vietnam but this one looks so spectacular! I’d love to visit.

Farrah on May 31, 2023 at 9:43 pm

It was such an amazing experience! :D I’d love to check out more of the caves (+ more places in general) in Vietnam!!

A Capone Connection on May 28, 2023 at 2:52 pm

This looks like such a fun adventure. I love the picture of you on top of the “wedding cake”. I want one like that! Thanks so much for sharing!

Farrah on May 31, 2023 at 9:48 pm

Nancy on May 28, 2023 at 6:39 pm

Oh wow! What an experience! I’d love to see the camping setup. I’ll bet it was crazy dark in there. Thanks for giving us a taste of this adventure.

Farrah on June 4, 2023 at 1:43 am

Rhonda Albom on May 30, 2023 at 3:57 am
Farrah on May 31, 2023 at 9:45 pm

Yeah, this one was definitely farrrr from making anyone feel claustrophobic! It was hard to really process just how ginormous it was!

Denise on May 30, 2023 at 10:45 am

Your Son Doong Cave Expedition looks really cool! I usually shy away from caves, but I think I’d like this one!

Farrah on May 31, 2023 at 9:49 pm

Susan on May 30, 2023 at 8:48 pm

What an incredible experience! Definitely adding this to my list – another great reason to make a return trip to Vietnam. I appreciate their focus on safety, things could go south pretty quickly on a trip like this.

Farrah on May 31, 2023 at 9:52 pm

Yay! I hope you get to go sometime!! It absolutely could’ve gone badly in so many ways on this trek — I felt super safe the whole time! <3

Camile Dionne-West on June 5, 2023 at 4:43 pm

I’m booked for February 2024. Your advice is super useful. Working out so much to get ready. I DONT want to be turned back. I’ll be 63 when I go, I’m in good shape for my age, but I’m not 30 anymore.

Farrah on June 9, 2023 at 10:35 am

Ahhh, you got this! Have so much fun!! I hear the lighting in the cave in February is extra beautiful!! (But cold, so def pack layers!) they have a really great packing list and info on what to expect, but I’ll be putting together a post on what I brought and other things I learned on the way soon! Hopefully that will be helpful as well. :]!

Josy A on June 27, 2023 at 12:36 pm

OMG Farrah this looks incredible! I mean it sounds hard, but totally doable (especially with light bags- what luxury!) That amazing food must have made it feel like you were glamping!

Farrah on June 30, 2023 at 5:57 pm

Forreal! I thought it would be a lot harder but it was a really enjoyable experience (other than the leeches, hahaha) and I didn’t feel it was that difficult. I’ve never eaten this well on a camping/backpacking trip!! *-*

Nicole Pham on October 23, 2023 at 10:10 pm

You mentioned crossing a waist deep in the river. Then what happened after the crossing? You stopped to change or continued the trekking in wet clothes/wet shoes?How many river crossings in total? Thanks in advance for your answers :-)

Farrah on November 6, 2023 at 1:16 pm

Hi! Sorry that I didn’t see this comment til now — we just kept trekking in wet clothes since we were walking through a torrential downpour in the jungle anyway. I lost track of how many river crossings we did in total but there were a good amount (maybe 15-16-ish? I remember about 5-6 of them being big crossings and the rest weren’t bad)!

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Son Doong Cave Expedition 7 Days

Son Doong Cave Tour will take you into the heart of Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park in Quang Binh Vietnam, on one of the most thrilling adventure tours in the world. Join this ultimate adventure, you’ll explore the entire length of Son Doong Cave…

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Son Doong Cave Tour will take you into the heart of Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park in Quang Binh Province, Vietnam, on one of the most thrilling adventure tours in the world. Join this ultimate adventure, you’ll explore the entire length of Son Doong Cave, Hang En Cave as well as visiting the Ban Doong ethnic minority village deep in the jungle. Imagine trekking straight into the depths of the world’s largest cave on an expedition unlike any other. A cave that can fit a 747 flying through its largest cavern, a foreign landscape, with enormous stalagmites and statuesque stalactites, hanging from the ceiling and rising from the ground like an alien species.

Day-To-Day Itinerary

Day 1: dong hoi – phong nha ke bang national park..

Arrive in Dong Hoi by no later then the afternoon of day 1 where you will be met by our local guide and transferred to Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park. You’ll be dropped off at the Saigon Phong Nha Hotel where you’ll have the rest of the day to rest, relax and wander around the village. At 5:30 pm you are required to meet in the hotel restaurant where you’ll meet your cave experts and guide team for your safety briefing and equipment check.

Day 2: Phong Nha – Hang En Cave.

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel at 8:00 am with your guide before departing at 9:00 am for the first leg of the expedition. After a 45 mins drive along Road 20 of the Ho Chi Minh Highway you’ll reach your trekking point, where you’ll start trekking for approximately 1 hour downhill through the forest, which is quite steep at times. Walk for half an hour along a small stream to the minority village of Ban Doong, which is a real highlight for many on this expedition. Learn more about this unique ethnic group of people and enjoy lunch beside a small river. After this point, you will be in the sun all afternoon with about 2 hours along a river, with very little shade. You’ll cross the river many times and so will have wet feet for the whole day. In the summer, the water is only usually knee deep, but gortex boots will fill and hold the water so are not recommended. You’ll then reach the entrance to Hang En Cave, home to thousands of swifts. Here you’ll be given your headlight and helmet and trek/bouldering approximately 20-30 mins to your campsite inside the cave. The group should arrive at camp by 3:00 pm where you can enjoy swimming and washing within the underground river. Dinner will be served at the spectacular campsite with numerous photographic opportunities. Anyone who is unable to complete any stage of this first day comfortably will be turned around to Phong Nha and cannot join the expedition. No refund will be offered.

Day 3: Hang En Cave – Son Doong Cave.

You’ll again begin your day with breakfast at around 8:00 am. You’ll be in for a very tough day today so its best to enjoy a big breakfast, as you’ll need your energy! Start your trek at 9:00 am through Hang En Cave for about 30 mins to reach the magnificent exit, made famous by many a photographer over the past few years. You’ll scramble down to the river valley and then it’s an hour’s walk through the river, so your boots are going to be wet for most of the day and it is unavoidable! You’ll then start climbing a big hill with a couple of rope sections where you’ll need to pull yourself up, and in one point strap into a safety line. You’re then at the entrance of Son Doong Cave where you’ll enjoy lunch and countdown to your big journey underground! With your safety harnesses, you’ll then start the 80 m descent into the cave by making a number of short climbs, using ropes and safety lines and with your guides’ assistance. There is no rappelling or abseiling involved. You’ll then enjoy a few more climbs and bouldering to reach the first and second river crossing inside the cave, which is no more than knee-to-thigh deep depending on the water levels. You should have a wash here, as it will be the last place before reaching your first campsite in Son Doong Cave! On your way to the first campsite in the first large passage of the cave, you’ll have to be extra careful as there are a number of big drops along a rocky path before reaching one of the most spectacular views: Hand of Dog and daylight streaming through the cave thanks to the first doline! You will then scramble down to your campsite and have the afternoon to soak up the views and rest your weary bodies. You’re in for another big meal with your team before turning in for the night. There are no washing facilities on this day.

Day 4: Son Doong Cave Trekking.

Your day begins with a hearty breakfast with your team before a 9:00 am departure towards your second campsite in Son Doong Cave! You’ll start with some rocky climbs, which are quite steep in some places, as you reach the first jungle within the cave at Watch Out For Dinosaurs. After a short break you’ll be trotting down the rocky path to reach the enormous Green Gours! A light lunch is provided with an incredible backdrop of the first doline. If you are lucky you may even catch some sunbeams, which make for truly spectacular photographs! It is then an easy walk through the cave past gigantic formations and plenty of cave pearls towards the light of the second doline and main jungle within the cave. Follow the path past the beautiful foliage reaching towards the light, to reach the underground jungle, unlike anything you could experience on the planet! Cross the jungle for around 45 mins to reach the steep and sometimes slippery path down to your second campsite within Son Doong Cave. After a short rest at your campsite, you are back on your feet and heading deeper within the cave towards the Great Wall of Vietnam! You’ll pass through a very large dry passage with huge stalagmites and great views back to the second doline. Many new creepy crawlies have been discovered within this passage including white spiders, fish, woodlouse and shrimp species! You will reach at this point a very large beautiful underground lake, where you’ll then paddle to reach the Great Wall of Vietnam, or you will find a muddy pit for hundreds of meters, at which you will need to trudge your way through to reach the wall. It is entirely optional if you wish to go further and reach the actual wall, as you will get very dirty in the mud and there are no bathing facilities on this day at camp (pack plenty of wet wipes if you decide on the plunge!). You’ll again enjoy a fantastic dinner with your team and enjoy an evening of games and entertainment, or simply relax and enjoy the views at what is quite possibly the very best campsite in the world! Quick note, you may use a pair of dry boots on this day, as aside from the mud there are no water crossings!

Day 5: Son Doong Cave – Hang En Cave.

After refueling with another hot breakfast you’ll pack up camp and start heading back to the first doline, with a slightly different route through a small oxbow passage above the underground river with a very steep drop, where you will need to use a rope and safety line. Once you have reached your first campsite, you’ll have time for a short break before climbing down to the ancient fossil passage, where you will witness 350 million year old coral fossils! Enjoy a small wash in the pools and a hearty lunch before climbing up to the National Geographic viewpoint. You will then descend back to the main passage, cross the river twice and proceed to climb up to the entrance, again strapped in with your harness and safety lines. At the entrance of Son Doong you’ll have a chance to enjoy a small break and some snacks, before heading back towards the river valley, where you can enjoy a deserved wash! Walk along the river back to Hang En for your final evening and celebration with porter team at this underground campsite.

Day 6: Hang En Cave – Phong Nha Ke Bang – Dong Hoi.

Wake early and after breakfast start your 10 km trek back to Road 20. You’ll follow the river along the valley and back through Ban Doong Village. You will enjoy lunch along the way before starting on what is quite a difficult climb back up the mountain for the last hour of your big adventure! Cold drinks await you at the top of the hill before a 45 mins drive back to Phong Nha. You can then enjoy a well deserved wash and either swim in the pool or enjoy the beach. There is also a good spa at the hotel if you would like to treat your body with some pampering! You’re then free to grab dinner at any time you want with a voucher you’ll be provided. Please advise the hotel of your departure time on the following day upon check-in so they can arrange your transfer back to the airport or train station.

Day 7: Departure .

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and your transfer to the airport will be arranged by the hotel reception. End of tour.

Vietnam private tours

Lotussia Travel is a Hanoi tour operator offering a wide selection of multi-activity holidays in Vietnam. Options include countryside cycle, biking, road cycling, jungle trek, trekking homestay, mountain hiking, peaks climbs, motorbike, scouter touring, camping, caving expeditions, kayaking, boat trips, cruise, street food, sightseeing, culture tours. Most of our trips are private customized, and specially designed for small group tours, family vacations. The itinerary above – Son Doong Cave Tour is only a sample that can be further customized to fit your requirements better. Just follow it or contact us for designing your perfect adventure in Phong Nha national park, Vietnam.

Son Doong Cave
Ben En National Park
Mau Son Mountain
Vietnamese rice pyramid dumpling

Additional Information

Itinerary disclaimer.

Occasionally our tour itineraries are updated during the year to incorporate improvements stemming from past travelers’ comments and our own research. The information given in this itinerary may be slightly different to that in the service proposal. It’s very important that you print and review a final copy of your itinerary a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect your plans. If you have any queries, please contact us . We are here to help you!

Please note that while we operate successful trips in Vietnam throughout the year, some changes may occur in our itineraries due to inclement weather and common seasonal changes to timetables and transport routes. This can happen with little notice so please be prepared for modifications to the route. The order and timing of included activities in each location may also vary from time to time.

Depending on the proposed option (semi-guide tour or all-inclusive package tour), the price may include the following services. Please bear in mind Lotussia Travel is specialized in tailor-made trips. Trip cost vary depending on group size and other details.

Car transfers.
Local tour guide. The English-Speaking guide is provided by default. Other language may be available upon request (with extra charge).
Entrance fees.

Unless required most of the following services are usually not included in our tour price.

Flight/Train tickets.
Accommodation.
Tour leader.
Local porter(s).
International travel insurance.
Personal expenses.

Our tour guides speak English or French. They hold a university degree in tourism and national license as a guide. If you wish to send a tour leader along with any group, he or she can fully rely on the knowledge and experience of our local guides.

Remote treks are always accompanied by a local representative to deal with permits and authorities and manage the porter team. They speak the local dialects, know the cultural traditions and give tips on suggested behavior in fragile ecological areas and tribal communities. For some itineraries, the role of tour leader and representative is combined.

Our drivers don’t speak English. It’s possible that a few of them might know some basic words, such as telling time, stop, and lunch. If you’re looking for effective communication throughout the journey, we highly recommend booking a tour guide.

Trip routes

Principally, Lotussia Travel requires all the trip associates to know the destinations well by any means of traveling or enquiry to the local suppliers to figure out all the relative details of any trip. For adventure tours such as jungle trekking, mountain hiking, sea kayaking, river rafting or biking, cycling tours, Lotussia Travel will never add any new routes into available schedule until survey or pre-view it.

Accommodation

Lotussia Travel carefully choose all the hotels, guest-houses or home-stays based on service quality, location, and characteristics, doing best to make the accommodations in the remote small places as comfortable as possible. Please bear in mind that hotels in Vietnam might not be in the same standard in other country. Generally hotels in major cities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh city, Hoian, Hue…are much better than hotels and guest-houses in mountainous areas.

Lotussia Travel take dinning as an indispensable experience to clients since it is an important part in Vietnamese culture. Therefore, Lotussia Travel will not intend take clients to the most expensive restaurants but non-touristy local ones which offer delicious, local food, with nice or interesting atmosphere. The restaurants might be simple in the country but LOTUSSIA Travel guarantee is sanitary and cleanliness. Or even on our trek, we encourage our cook offer client food with new tastes from day to day. During adventure itineraries to mountainous or remote areas, there is sometimes no choice for hotel and restaurants. We will try our best to bring you the best taste of local food.

As the tap water in Vietnam is undrinkable, Lotussia Travel recommend clients to drink bottled water throughout your trip, or boiled water on treks. Lotussia Travel offers bottle water all the day, and soft drinks like Cola, Sprite or Vietnamese Tea or if possible juice in restaurants (if mentionned in itinerary). This is not automatically included in the packages. In simple restaurant or on camping, Lotussia Travel offers boiled water, instant coffee or juice, wrapped milk (Details are confirmed in bottom of your itinerary).

Transportation

In most destinations of Vietnam, all the roads are well paved though the traffic is quite messed up like in Hanoi, Hai Phong… We use proper vehicles, car, minibus or coach in good condition based on the size of the groups. We use 4WD only on the rough road where the other vehicles could not pass through or based on clients requirement on overland journeys or treks. For cycling itineraries, we usually use our support minibus or minibus with support truck. For sea kayaking, river rafting trips, diving packages we use standard boat as support. Detailed information is provided on our service proposal.

We use drivers who are native or local of each travel destination and maintain good safety records for all trips. Most of our drivers can speak English but a little bit. This is just enough to understand basic words such as “time of departure”, “stop”, “restaurants”, “hotels”…If you want to learn more about Vietnamese culture and information about sightseeing sites, booking a tour guide is highly recommended.

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Do not copy, repost or re-produce any content in this website without a written agreement from Oxalis Adventure.

Useful link

quangbinh.travel

Packing list and Cave Expedition to Son Doong, World’s Largest Cave – [Updated for 2024]

Tucked away in the middle of Central Vietnam’s jungle is a nondescript entrance to the world’s largest cave, a cave so massive that it could fit multiple full sized airplanes and 40 story skyscrapers. Inside the cave is a mystical world unlike any other – complete with its own ecosystem, climate, and even clouds.

Son Doong Cave Expedition Boston Commercial Photographer Nicole Chan Vietnam

Here’s some basic information about us and our trip!

Month of our expedition: March Age: late 20s Physical preparations: Rock climbing, 4000-footer hikes in New Hampshire, lots of squats!

Adhere to the 6KG/13.2LB weight limit. Porters are hardworking humans!

Your belongings that do not go in your day pack must be under 6kg/13.2lbs.

In my daypack, I had my camera gear, wet wipes in a ziploc, my cell phone, long sleeve shirt, some small drybags, and my ID.

Oxalis will provide a helmet and a water bottle. I did carry some snacks and first aid supplies, but I wish I didn’t because Oxalis took care of that for me.

All of the rest of my belongings went into a clear plastic bag that was provided to me at the beginning of the trip. It cannot exceed 6kg/13.2lbs. They will weight it.

My plastic bag was 3kg/7lbs. If you can get it under that weight, I am certain the porters will appreciate it.

To keep things organized in that plastic bag, I used these lightweight packing cubes. I had 6 cubes in total.

Below is a list of literally everything I packed. If anything I wrote on this guide helps you, even a little, click on an Amazon link and buy something. I get a tiny kickback, and I will use it towards my next adventure!

This is from the first doline in Hang Son Doong. See the tiny white light in the upper middle of the frame? That’s the headlamp from one of our porters!

Son Doong Packing Tips

Best Bags for Son Doong

Nicole’s backpack.

Here’s the Osprey backpack that I loved using. sprey Sirrus 24L Day Hiking Pack for Women . (Here’s same one for men )

I love the quality of Osprey and specifically chose one that had a ventilated tensioned mesh backpanel. It was lightweight for 8+ hours of trekking, but large enough to carry my photography equipment. Even though I was sweating like crazy, my back never felt disgusting. The hip belt was also great for weight distribution so my shoulders never got tired. The women’s version was ideal because of the thinner straps.

Jason’s Backpack

Jason’s father had gone on the expedition a year before we did and they all used this waterproof backpack . Jason borrowed it from his father.

Though it didn’t have the mesh back panel like mine, the one feature I did envy was that it was completely waterproof via the roll-top access on the top. No pockets on the inside, but he didn’t really need it. It was super lightweight and easy to pack inside of another back when we traveled from the US to Vietnam.

Both bags are 24-25L, which I’d recommend as the perfect capacity.

Dry Bags within the backpacks

Even if your bag is already waterproof, doubling up and putting your essentials in a colorful drybag is a good ideas so that moisture doesn’t creep in and ruin everything. Even though Jason’s backpack is 100% waterproof, he still utilized some of the small drybags for camera equipment.

Pro tips for dry bags

Get different colored ones so that you can separate stuff appropriately!
The fancy ones ( like this one ) has a window in it so that you can easily see what’s inside.
They make heavy duty ones for scuba diving and boating, but if you’re using them within a backpack, the lighter weight ones are perfectly fine.

Here are the drybags that I used and loved

2L drybags ones are great for batteries, Sd cards, phones, etc. I had three of these 4L drybags are great for cameras and lenses. I had three of these as well.

Clothes to pack for Son Doong Expedition for women

I get a lot of e-mails about clothing, specifically for women, so here’s exactly what I packed, with links to everything!

Let’s start with the most important. I brought four pairs (total) of these lightweight socks . Some prefer medium weight socks , but it’s already a thousand degrees in the jungle. Yes, they are more expensive than other socks, but here’s why they’re necessary:

Merino Wool and lightly cushioned – Any adventure-goer will know about merino wool.
Hugs perfectly at the ankle and arch of foot – These are performance socks for comfort.
Calf height – Pull them all the way up!
No blisters – I can’t say the same for. the rest of my trekmates…
Pull your socks all the way up and tuck your pants INSIDE of the socks. This way, sand, dirt, and LEECHES don’t find their ways inside.
Put these socks on. Put your shoes on. Then go into your bathtub and SUBMERGE your foot up to as high as you can. Then go outside and. walk a mile. BREAK THEM IN!
Each day, the socks will get wet within 10 minutes. You could probably get by with 2 pairs total if you wanted to.

I brought 5 shirts in total.

(2) sleeveless tanks with built-in bras
(2) t-shirts
(1) long sleeve shirt

What to look for in shirts

Quick dry – This is a must, because you’re either wet from the jungle or from your sweat.
Breathable and sweat wicking – Self explanatory

For me personally, I love tank tops with built in bras. I find them comfortable for any sort of athletic and adventure activities.

I am in love with these tank tops with built in bras . I could wear them all day.

This long sleeve shift was excellent for the campsite in the mornings. I wore it daily because it was chilly when we woke up, but never chilly enough for a fleece. I carried with me in my day bag, but never used it.

Wear one of your t-shirts as a sleeping shirt. On the last day, wear this shirt to trek.

Fleece / Outerwear

Light fleece – I never wore this fleece . Never took it out. I wish I didn’t bring it at all. If a piece of clothing doesn’t dry quickly, it doesn’t belong on this expedition.

I brought 3 pairs of pants in total. I. did not pack shorts.

Wear one of your pants as pajama pants. On the last day, wear this pair of pants to trek.
I liked pants/leggings that tapered off at the ankles like these ones so that I could wear my socks OVER my pants. This way, so that leeches wouldn’t crawl up my legs. My husband had regular pants, and he just tucked them into his socks.

I brought one pair of underwear for each day – 6 in total. 5 pairs in total.

It was really nice to change into a clean and dry pair of undies when we got back to the campsite. I really liked these undies. Do not bring cotton. It’s not going to dry, and it won’t feel very nice.

E-mail me if you want to talk more about lady things. My time-of-the-month hit during the beginning of the trek. If I can do it, so can you.

Oxalis reminds their guests to be respectful of the staff, porters, and modest culture. I chose to leave the bikini at home and brought one simple swimsuit – Either one of these would be just fine: one piece or tankini .

Shoes for Son Dong and Hang En

I brought two pairs of shoes: Canyoneering trekking and a pair of flip slops.

I had 5:10 Canyoneering boots, which were the best and highly recommended by Oxalis. They were out of stock for women, so I just sized down and purchased men’s shoes.

Before we left for the trek, there was a safety briefing and intro night at the farm stay. Many porters mentioned that I would love my 5:10s, and they were right. There are some steep parts, and I was happy to be able to trust my shoes so much.

What to look for in trekking shoes

NOT waterproof – It’s important that the shoes can drain
Ankle support – For some of the jungle treks, river crossings, and scrambling, having good support was helpful, but not necessary.
Avoid Gore-Tex – They’re great in other situations, but not this ones.
Excellent grip – There are parts in the cave, where you just need to trust your shoes. Soft and sticky rubber soles are best.

Climbing / Adventure

Oxalis will provide you with a caving helmet, which is excellent. Petzl graciously sponsored me with this one, and I loved it. It breathed well and the light was super bright.

This headlamp was great to have around the campsite and nighttime bathroom runs

Sleeping Bag Liner

At 4.6 ounces, this silk sleeping bag liner made sleeping so comfortable. Oxalis does a great job cleaning and labeling your bag, tent, sleeping bag so that you always get the same one, but having this just made me feel so much cleaner after a day of humid trekking.

Biodegradable Wet Wipes

I want to recommend these wipes to everyone. These are MUST HAVEs.

Jason and I shared one pack. They’re BIG wipes. We used two wipes each in the morning to freshen up (face, neck, arms, legs) and two at the end of the day before crawling back into sleeping bags.

Reminder: There are zero shower or bathing opportunities.

If you wanted to bring one full pack, you could share with your trekmates. They will love you for it.

Hypoallergenic & Unscented

Eco friendly – 100% biodegradable and start to decompose after 28 days

Not-So-Fun fact: Baby wipes contain plastics and can take up to 100 years to degrade.

I didn’t shower or bathe for the entire trip except for the one swim.

This towel set came with three towels – a full bath one, a medium one, and a small face towel. I brought the middle one, and it was more tha enough.

You want to look for:

Small (15 inches x 20inches.. or even smaller)

Camera GEAR

Seeing as this was a trip of a lifetime, I wanted to make sure that I had the best camera for Son Dong and Hang En.

I love mirrorless cameras. They’re small, powerful, and pack a punch. Both the below cameras have incredible dynamic range.

The Sony A7R III was great for its resolution. We made some large prints, and they’re stunning.

Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 – If it’s in your budget, you’ll want this. GO WIDE. You’ll want to shoot wide to capture the grandeur of the scenery. 2.8 was ideal to let in as much light as possible when going handheld. Here’s the f/4 version, its less expensive little brother.
Sony 85mm f/1.4 – I’m a portrait photographer, so I loved having this with me.
Sony 24-105mm f/4 – This is a fantastic versatile travel lens that Jason loves.

I have four of these SD cards . The Sony A7 III and A7R III both have dual SD card slots, so two were always in the camera. and two for backup.

This Peak Design tripod is lightweight and beautifully designed. I love how quickly the legs extend out and the easy locking mechanism. It always feels secure.

Pre-moistened lens wipes

Bring these lens wipes so that your glass will always be clean! They’re useful for phone cameras too.

Battery Pack

Grab a small Anker Portable battery pack , probably enough to recharge your phone once or twice. You won’t have any service in the middle of the Central Vietnam Jungle, so if you put your phone on airplane mode, it’ll likely last for 2-3 days without a charge.

What NOT to pack

Dry shampoo/Shampoo/Conditioner – I didn’t bathe at all, and you probably won’t either. I believe there’s only one spot on night #1 that has bathing water. I just tied my hair back in a French braid and left it for a few days. Again, get these wipes !
Soap – I brought a small bottle, but again I didn’t bathe at all. I did take wet nap baths daily, and it was awesome. Don’t bother with soap.
Deodorant – I am less prone to body odor. I’ve been told it’s because Eastern Asians have fewer apocrine sweat glands. The daily wipes kept me clean. However, there was one person on our trip that was a little stinky, and I wish this person took up my offer of these wet wipes. I’d find an eco-friendly small bottle if you’re prone to be stinky.
First Aid Kit – The safety assistants have everything and a kit will always be within earshot of you. Don’t bother bringing your own bandages and whatnot. If you have specific medicine, go for it.
Talcum Powder – I brought a small ziploc, but again… it wasn’t needed. When we got back to the campsite, my wet socks and shoes would come off. I’d use these wipes to wipe down my body and my feet, and then I’d wear flip flops so that my feet would dry.
Water bottle – I had brought a few 1L Platypus Ultralight water bottles, but at the start of the trip, they give you a 1.5L water bottle and it’s much easier to refill that. Do NOT bring a camelback. The mouthpiece will likely get wet during one of the river crossings, and there’s a high chance of you getting sick from the Central Vietnam Jungle rivers.
Food & Snacks – The tour provided an abundance of amazing food and snacks. I was shocked at how delicious everything was. I’m a HUGE snacker, and feel like I’m constantly eating. There was plenty of fruit, salty snacks, sweet snacks, crackers, etc. My KIND bars and CLIF bars went completely untouched.
Shorts – I brought a pair, but it was too cold at night.
Hiking sticks – Utterly useless. You’ll need your hands to scramble. This is my biggest regret. I left them at the farm stay and didn’t even bring them on the trek. I found a stick and had fun carrying that, but even that wasn’t needed.
Tent – Oxalis provided the most glorious tent I’ve ever slept in.
Sleeping bag & Pillow – Extremely comfortable and clean. They’ll label your name on it, so that you get the same mat, pillow, and tent each time. I did really like my silk sleeping bag liner, though.
Sleeping mat – I’ve never slept with such luxury in tents before. It was so comfortable.
Bug spray – It’ll probably be useful when you’re at the farmstay, but I had packed it in my 6kg pack, and never used it at all.
Gloves – Oxalis will provide for you.

Plenty of scrambling

On the first night, we camped in Hang En Cave, the third largest cave in the world.

Here’s our new Australian/South African friend, Jonavan, pulling us in the inflated raft

Our master chef is making us spring rolls

We started our morning with a bowl of pho and fruits. My favorites were the dragonfruit!

Throughout the five days, there were over 30 river crossings. Our socks and shoes were constantly soaked.

This is the tiny entrance to Hang Son Dong Cave

Naturally formed cave pearls. Some of them were the size of baseballs!

Special thanks to Sea To Summit , LensProToGo , and Petzl for sponsoring incredible gear for this cave expedition!

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COMMENTS

Son Doong Cave Expedition • Oxalis Adventure
Son Doong Expedition Tour. The 6 days and 5 nights journey to conquer the world's largest cave with spectacular sceneries and terrains change everyday. The Son Doong Expedition 2024 is fully booked, and we are now opening sales for the 2025 tour. If you want to experience a truly unique adventure in 2024, we recommend the Hang Ba Deep Jungle ...
Son Doong Cave Tours 1 Day and Price (Trip Cost)
Discover everything you need to know about Son Doong Cave tours in Vietnam, including the 3-day itinerary, cave activities, and tour requirements. Find out why a 1-day tour isn't feasible and explore the price and inclusions/exclusions of this bucket-list adventure. Plan your trip and budget accordingly for a memorable journey into one of the world's largest and most awe-inspiring caves.
Hang Son Doong
The values of Son Doong cave. After a few pilot tours in August 2013, Son Doong Expedition was officially launched in 2014 by Oxalis. Following the core values of safety, conservation, and community involvement, Oxalis Adventure has been continually trying to support Phong Nha - Quang Binh in particular and Vietnam in general.
Son Doong Cave
About. Son Doong Cave is in the heart of the Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park in Quang Binh province. This incredible cave was only explored in 2009/2010 by the British Cave Research Association. Situated in the deep jungle, the entrance to the cave was found by a local jungle man Mr Ho Khanh. Son Doong Cave is now the largest cave in the world ...
Son Doong Cave Expedition
15/05/2019. This incredible Son Doong Cave Expedition will give you a wonderful chance to explore the world's largest cave and exit via the Great Wall of Vietnam. This is the only tour available of Son Doong Cave by the official tour operator Oxalis Adventure Tours. This journey to the wild, exploring Son Doong Cave requires more than 25 ...
Son Doong Cave Tour 5D4N
Our Son Doong Cave Expedition will take you deep into the heart of Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park in Quang Binh Province, Vietnam, on one of the most thrilling adventure tours in the world. With our team of more than 25 porters, safety experts and guides, you'll explore over five days the entire length of Son Doong Cave, Hang En Cave, as ...
How to explore the world's largest cave, Hang Son Doong, in Vietnam
Son Doong was first discovered by a local man, Ho Khanh, in 1990. Taking shelter from a storm at the base of a huge cliff in the heart of the jungle, he found a deep hole at the base of the rock that was emitting wind and even puffs of cloud. He didn't explore further, and its location was forgotten for 19 years until he rediscovered the ...
The Best Son Doong Cave Travel Guide
Son Doong Cave, located in the heart of the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in Vietnam. It's one of the World's most ...
Son Doong Expedition tour: What to expect • Oxalis Adventure
Nature experience. Son Doong Expedition is a trip to experience nature; go to enjoy the grandeur of Son Doong and En caves, which are gifts from mother nature to mankind. This is an adventure tour, not a race. This is a unique opportunity to experience the actual reality of Son Doong Cave. Therefore, guests should not be in a hurry.
Son Doong Expedition
It's incredibly picturesque and this is one of the most wonderful places in the world. Son Doong Expedition was voted a top adventure tour in 2014 by National Geographic Adventure Magazine because of these wonderful experiences. In 2019, the trip also was ranked fifth among the 20 greatest adventures ever on the planet by the UK's Dave TV.
Son Doong Cave Expedition
About. This incredible Son Doong Cave Expedition of 4 days 3 nights will give you a wonderful chance to explore the world's largest cave and exit via the Great Wall of Vietnam. This is expected to be your expedition of a lifetime. You will explore the entire length of Son Doong Cave, Hang En Cave, and visit Ban Doong ethnic minority village.
Ultimate Guide to Sơn Đoòng Worlds Largest Cave
Sơn Đoòng Details. Length: Son Doong Cave is the largest in the world - roughly 38.5 million cubic meters; Time recommended: Tours generally take days to complete the entire cave Trail Type: Varies; Difficulty: Extreme; Kid-Friendly: Seeing the terrain can be difficult, it may not be possible to take your child along.Speaking with tour experts could give further details.
Son Doong Cave Expedition
Small Group Tours: max 10 guests per departure; Minimum Age: 18 years; Itinerary. Day 1: Phong Nha - Ban Doong Village - Hang En Cave. ... Day 2: Hang En Cave - Son Doong Entrance - Hand of Dog - SD Camp 1. You'll again begin your day with a delicious breakfast at around 8:00 am. You'll be in for a very tough day today so it's ...
Son Doong Cave
Being discovered and explored in the first time of 2009, Son Doong Cave only opened to the public since 2013. At more than 200m high, 175m wide and 9.4km long, Son Doong cave could fit an entire 40-story New York City block skyscraper or allowed a Boeing 747 comfortably fly through without any danger for its wings.
How To Explore Son Doong The World's Biggest Cave
The cave. Hang Son Doong (Mountian River Cave), the largest cave in the world, is located right in the heart of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in the Quang Binh province of Vietnam. It was formed during the Cambrian-Permian geological eras, putting it at a date between 400-450 million years old. No words can do justice to the size of this ...
Hang Son Doong: The World's Largest Cave
Size Comparison. Son Doong Cave is nearly 9 km long and 38.5 x 10^6 m3 in size. To put things into perspective: An Olympic-sized swimming pool is about 2500 m3. 15,400 pools can fit in the cave. The cave is 5 times bigger than Deer Cave in Sarawak, Malaysia. It is home to the tallest stalagmite (80m).
Son Doong Cave Expedition with Oxalis: What To Expect
I recently returned from a ~2-week trip to Vietnam! The main reason for this trip was to go on the Son Doong Cave Expedition -- we ended up . Toggle navigation. fairyburger . About . Causes I Believe In; Wishlist; Lifestyle . ... The 6-day, 5-night tour costs $3000 USD (US Dollar), or 72,000,000 VND (Vietnamese dong). $3k is definitely a hefty ...
Hang Tien Cave Tours (1-3 days)
21/12/2018. The majestic cave known as Hang Tien, or "Fairy Cave", has previously only been viewable on the Tu Lan Expedition. It is now showcased as the star of our 1 day tour. As the largest cave in Tu Lan cave system, Hang Tien is famed for its enormous size and spectacular formations. The guide will bring you into depths of Vietnamese ...
27 Things to know before travelling to the Son Doong Cave in Vietnam
Before the tour. 1. Tour Operator. Oxalis Adventure, based in Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam, is the official and only adventure tour operator in the world that conducts tours in the Son Doong Cave. The rights to visit Son Doong Cave have been awarded by the Vietnamese Government to Oxalis Adventure since 2013 till now.
How to book an expedition to Son Doong
BOOKING PROCESS. Step 1: Online Booking. Choose a date for the Son Doong Cave Expedition and fill in your booking form completely. Please be detailed and honest in your medical & fitness history. Step 2: Automatic Notification Email. You will receive an automatic notification email that we have received your booking.
Son Doong Cave Expedition 7 Days
Day 5: Son Doong Cave - Hang En Cave. After refueling with another hot breakfast you'll pack up camp and start heading back to the first doline, with a slightly different route through a small oxbow passage above the underground river with a very steep drop, where you will need to use a rope and safety line.
Tourist Activities
Son Doong Cave is managed by Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park Management Board. Tour Activities is operated by Oxalis Adventure. Do not copy, repost or re-produce any content in this website without a written agreement from Oxalis Adventure. Add: Phong Nha town, Bo Trach District, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam Tel: +84 919 900 357
Packing list and Cave Expedition to Son Doong, World's Largest Cave
Tucked away in the middle of Central Vietnam's jungle is a nondescript entrance to the world's largest cave, a cave so massive that it could fit multiple full sized airplanes and 40 story skyscrapers. Inside the cave is a mystical world unlike any other - complete with its own ecosystem, climate, and even clouds.
Hang Tien Discovery 1 day 1 night adventure • Oxalis Adventure
MULTI-DAY PACKAGES; Son Doong Cave Expedition (SD4) Hang Ba Deep Jungle Expedition (HB4) Tu Lan Cave Expedition (TL4) Hang Tien Cave Exploration (HT3) ... explore the huge dry caves or just taking an exploratory day trip, Oxalis Adventure Tours can provide the right amount of adventure just for you. Soft adventure. 1 Day · Level 2 · Easy

Son Doong Cave Tours 1 Day, 3 Days and Price (Trip Cost and Booking)

1. Can I do Son Doong Cave Tour in 1 Day?

2. Son Doong Cave Tour 3 Days and Price?

A. Tour itinerary and highlights:

B. Activities in the cave:

C. Requirements and restrictions:

D. Recommended gear and clothing:

Insider tips:

3, Son Doong Cave Tours Price

3.1. Inclusions and exclusions:

3.2. Additional costs and fees:

3.3. Booking and payment process:

Getting from Hanoi to Son Doong Cave

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Son Doong Cave Tour 5D4N

Additional information

Swallow cave - Son Doong Entrance - Hand of Dog - Son Doong Camp 1

Son Doong Camp 1 - Watch out for Dinosaurs - Great wall of Viet Nam - Son Doong Camp 2

Son Doong Camp 2 - Fossil Passage - Nat Geo Viewpoint - Swallow cave

Swallow cave - Ban Doong Village - Phong Nha

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Son Doong Cave

1. Planning Your Trip

1.1 When to Visit

1.2 Obtaining Permits

1.3 Physical Requirements

2. Getting There

2.2 Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park

3. The Son Doong Cave Expedition

3.1 Tour Operators

3.2 Tour Itinerary

3.3 Accommodation and Meals

4. Inside Son Doong Cave

4.2 The Great Wall of Vietnam

4.3 The Underground River

5. Responsible Travel

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