Photographing the World’s Largest Cave

Son Doong Cave in Vietnam is approximately 9km long. Within its caverns lie a jungle and a river, and the cave is large enough to fit a 40-storey skyscraper inside. The main chamber is more than 5 kilometers long, 200m high and 150m wide. It is so large that it has its own climate, and clouds have even been known to form within it. The cave inside has some of the tallest known stalagmites, which are around 80 meters tall. In 2014, once the caves had been thoroughly explored, the government granted tour operators permission to host treks through the caves. Since then, approximately 900 licences have been awarded, and I got one of those – Lucky me! Less people have seen the inside of Son Doong than have stood on the summit of Mount Everest. The cave features two collapsed dolines, or sinkholes, that let daylight in. This has given life to the cave, making it possible for two separate forests to grow within it, a feature not normally associated with the subterranean recesses of caves. In October 2014, local authorities allowed a Vietnamese company to survey the cave for building a 10km suspension cable to transport visitors, but work was suspended following public opposition. There were concerns that large numbers of tourists might damage the cave’s ecosystem. I’m not sure what the latest news about this project are, but as far as I know the government hasn’t stopped it. This makes my trip even more special to me and I’m very happy that I have been able to visit the cave before it is becoming commercial.