British explorers discover 5 new caves in central Vietnam
During an assessment from March 12 to 16, the British Royal Cave Association (BCRA) discovered five new caverns in the limestone mountains in Quang Binh Province.
All of them are wet caves, although some have dry branches. Hung Tru 1 cave is 1,919 meters long, Hung Tru 2 cave is 502 meters long, Hung Tru 3 cave is 153 meters long, Hung Ka Vong 1 cave is 238 meters long, and Hung Ka Vong 2 cave is 537 meters long.
Experts also discovered a cave with a long underground stream, but they were unable to study it entirely due to a lack of facilities. Boats, rescue vehicles, and dive tanks will be prepared for further inspection by the crew.
One of five new caves discovered in Quang Binh Province in March 2023. Photo courtesy of the British Royal Cave Association
Nguyen Hoai Nam, secretary of Tuyen Hoa District Party Committee, said that the area may still have many unexplored caves. “Some caves have large spaces, stunning stalactites, and good tourism potential,” said Nam. “The district intends to make these locations safe tourism destinations once more precise information is provided.”
With more than 500 caves discovered, Quang Binh in central Vietnam is renowned as the country’s kingdom of caves. There are over 40 caves in the province that are open to tourists. Son Doong is the world’s largest while En and Pigmy caves come second and fourth.
Slots for the Son Dong expedition adventure tour have been fully booked through March 2024.