Son Doong Cave, Phong Nha, Vietnam

Check out photos from our six-day trek to explore Hang Son Doong in Phong Nha Vietnam with Oxalis Adventures here. Book your own adventure with Oxalis Adventures here.

Read about how we got ready for the trip here, and about the first two parts of the trip here and here.

To my Vietnamese friends reading this, I am sorry for the lack of accents on the Vietnamese names and words. Also, the cave’s name is pronounced “Sun Dong” (sort of), not like it looks.

Oxalis Adventures 6 day/5 night Son Doong Expedition Tour

Many outfitters run cave tours, and you can show up in Phong Nha and see many spectacular caves; however, Oxalis Adventures is the only company authorized to take tourists into Hang Son Doong, the largest cave in the world, at the time of writing. They were chosen for their commitment to conservation and excellent safety record.

If you are reasonably fit and very adventurous, you can do this trip! You may not want to spend 3 nights inside of caves like we did, but there are plenty of choices here. Be sure to plan your trip during dry season, as many of the caves (including Hang Son Doong) are closed during rainy season due to floods. This particular trip only runs January through August, and it books up months in advance. Learn more about this trip and the other adventures Oxalis Adventures offers here.

The Deets

The Hang Son Doong expedition costs $3000 per person. This includes 5 nights’ accommodations, all food and drinks on the tour, safety equipment, and a humongous team of 27 staff for your group of 10 hikers. The team includes your guide, your safety expert, several safety assistants, porters, and chefs. Not only was the food delicious, plentiful, and protein-heavy, but it was better than many restaurants at which we ate! The safety team was amazing. Any time I needed a hand, it was there!

The 5 nights consists of a night before the trek, 3 nights’ camping inside the caves, and one night after the trek. If things remain the same, the first night is at Son Doong Bungalow and the last at Chay Lap Farmstay.

Preparation and Packing

Train Hard

Oxalis rates this trip at a level 6, hard, which is the most difficult level. This is, after all, the largest cave in the world! So, if you want to do this, you need to train. Work out in the gym, hike, bike, rock climb… whatever. You probably won’t be able to get much caving experience per se ahead of time, but you can take hikes which have you scrambling over rocks, dealing with uneven terrain, and keeping your balance and footing on narrow, often wet surfaces. You will be walking through flowing rivers and almost rappelling up and down some steep gradients. Work on flexibility and hand strength. Upper and lower body strength are important, not just cardio. Curtsy lunges helped me a lot, and training for pull-ups was great too. It is doable, but take it seriously.

Being physically prepared not only makes it easier and safer for you, but it makes life easier for the safety assistants and makes you a more pleasant traveling companion. You do not want to be the person who drags your safety assistant into the abyss, nor do you want to be the one who slows everyone down. Get your butt in shape!

Training physically also helps your mindset. Mental preparation is important too. This was one of the hardest things I have ever done, and a lot of that was mental, particularly when rappelling down into Son Doong. Knowing that your body is strong and can handle it helps a lot! In addition, we were dirty for the entire 4 days and 3 nights of the hike. We were wet and muddy, and you can’t really get clean without a shower. Everything gets dirty and stays dirty, so deal with it.

Camping

In addition, while the camping is glamorous as far as camping goes, you are deep in the wilderness with minimal resources. There is no running water. This means no showers, no real toilets, no faucets to wash your hands. Everything you need, however, is brought in by the porters and is way more than enough. There are camp toilets, a large bucket for hand washing, and the porters purify plenty of water for drinking and cooking.

They provide tents, pillows, sleeping bags, and padded mats. They set up camp for you, including your tents, a social area, a dining area, toilets, a place to hang wet clothes, and…. wait for it… SAUNAS!

We carried small daypacks. These are just for water, snacks (think protein bars and trail mix), a rain jacket, phone, wet wipes, and whatever else you might need during the day. I recommend putting flip flops and foot powder in your day pack, so you can air out those feet at lunch.

Camping

Everything else you need for the three nights goes into a dry pack, which you leave out for the porters the night before or morning of your trek. The porters schlep all this stuff from campsite to campsite for you, so be mindful of that and don’t overpack. Note- wear bright colors so you show up well inside the cave!

Check out the Oxalis site for a packing list. In addition to what they recommend, I also took my journal and a pen, an eye mask for sleep, ear plugs, and my kindle. Other people had some great ideas, such as knee pads and playing cards. Definitely take flip flops to wear around camp and air those feet out! Flops work better than sandals like Tevas (I took Tevas), as you can just slide into them. FYI- they really do mean that your helmet needs to fit inside your daypack, as they don’t want you to tie it to the outside. People have hurt themselves and others doing so, so this is not negotiable. My pack was 10 liters and it fit, although barely. I put my other items inside of the helmet and slid it in the pack.

Bring some money for tips. 5-10% is recommended.

Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park

The Park

Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park is an UNESCO World Heritage Site, and covers over 123,000 hectares (For reference, the city of Phoenix is about 123,000 ha). It is located in north-central Vietnam in the Quang Binh Province, and is famous for its over 104 km of caves, most recently the largest cave in the world, Hang Son Doong! Massive limestone deposits and excessive rain and flooding in the area contributed to the formation of innumerable caves, whose entrances are buried in the jungle.

You can read about the ecological value, biodiversity, and geologic history of the park here. It is a spectacular place, and we only scratched the surface. We could have spent a week in Phong Nha town taking day trips to different caves. Do you think, I’ve seen one cave, I’ve seen them all? Certainly not true! There are several types of caves (dry caves, suspended caves, terraced caves, the list goes on). There are so many cave-related activities- you can hike, rappel, abseil, camp, kayak, swim, or just take a boat ride in/through the caves. Not to mention the surface- the jungle is lush and full of wildlife, and the limestone mountains and hills make the hikes challenging and interesting.

You can book ahead, which is recommended for the multi-day expeditions and particularly for Son Doong, but for everything else you can just show up. There are several outfitters right in town where you can explore your options. I always book accommodations ahead of time at this point in my life. If that’s not your style, there are tons of hostels, and it is probably possible to just show up and grab a bed.

Phong Nha and Surrounding Area

Phong Nha is know as the “Adventure Capital of Asia” for good reason! You could spend a couple of weeks here and never get bored!

Rent a bike or motorbike and explore the area! Take a map, because the roads can be confusing. You can feed ducks, ride Donald Trump (a buffalo-no offense, buffalo), catch, kill, and eat your own chicken, go white-water rafting, swim in a natural spring, and visit the Botanical Gardens. The last is not your typical botanical garden, so wear your hiking boots! Our trip was focused on the expedition, so read about the myriad activities that await you in Phong Nha here. We will be back!

Son Doong

We had read about the caves in Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park in Vietnam, including the largest cave in the world, Hang Son Doong, several years ago. At the time, we were babes on our travel journey and had little experience. There are several options for visiting the caves, from single day to six-day treks. At first, we thought we might do a one- or two-nighter- the Son Doong trip sounded very daunting and we weren’t sure we could do it.

By 2018, we had a little experience under our belts and had hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Pichu. At this point in our lives, we were far more healthy, fit, and adventurous! We decided that, if we were going to go to Son Doong, we needed to do it while we were still young. So, we booked the trip for March of 2020.

Then COVID happened…We postponed to 2021, then 2022, then 2023… Vietnam closed its borders for over 2 years.

In the meantime, we had become more fit, done a multi-day trek in the Atlas Mountains and several other adventurous activities. We hiked many of the 52 state parks here in Arkansas. Vuong got into bodybuilding. We were both more confident in our travel skills and had a little more experience under our belts. We were ready!

Oxalis Adventures

Oxalis Adventures is the only outfitter authorized to operate tours to Hang Son Doong, the largest cave in the world. I have to say a few words about this company. When you spend several days with people experiencing difficult challenges, you tend to get to know each other a bit. We spent hours talking with our illustrious tour guide, Dung (pronounced something like “Yoong”), and our safety team leader, also Dung, who had been with the company for years, since long before COVID. The company treats its employees very well, and even paid them through the pandemic.

In addition, Oxalis is a locally owned and run company committed to conservation and the community. They protect the caves fiercely, and are committed to their customers’ safety. The training is top notch, the staff second to none, and the safety equipment new and in perfect working order. You can read about all their endeavors and philosophies here.

Arrival- Getting There!

If you recall from my last post, getting back into Vietnam was a debacle for me. You can read my last post here. If you want to read what happened right before our arrival in Phong Nha, scroll down to the bottom. In short, once you get your visa, check everything thoroughly. Be sure all the numbers are correct, and names spelled exactly as they are on your passport.

There are a few ways to get to Phong Nha, the quickest being flying into Dong Hoi and booking a driver ahead of time, taking the bus, or taking a taxi. You can make friends at baggage claim and share a cab to save money- lots of people fly into Dong Hoi to access Phong Nha. Daily flights depart both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Alternatively, you can take a train or an overnight sleeper bus. Find details here. If you book this tour with Oxalis, they take care of your transport.

I flew from Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City and arrived in the evening with no checked bags. I was arriving from a domestic flight, so I was out in a flash and my driver stood at the exit with a handwritten sign that said “Son Doong Customer.” Hey, that’s me!

The driver and his buddy spoke no English, and I spoke no Vietnamese, so we rode 45 minutes in relative silence. It was very dark and there wasn’t a whole lot to see. Ms. Tran at Oxalis had told me it would be a 45 minute drive and it was almost exactly that long.

I arrived at Son Doong Bungalows and reunited with my hubby, ate some of his leftover Indian food, and went to bed.

Son Doong Cave Expedition, Day One

Son Doong Bungalows was a perfect place to stay in Phong Nha! The inn is located at the far end of the business district and had gorgeous views of the surrounding karst landscape, as well as a nice pool with numerous seating areas. The owner was very friendly and gave us instructions on when to be where and what to do.

We had a breakfast of egg banh mi (sandwich), yogurt, bananas, and ca phe sua da (Vietnamese iced coffee). The hotel provides free bikes, so we hopped on a couple and set off to explore town. We were both exhausted, so we took it easy today. Phong Nha is in a valley surrounded by soaring, jungle-clad, limestone mountains and a massive river. We spent our day taking in the views, observing daily life, and snacking. Vuong had a $4 haircut and shave, and I paid $2 for a 30-minute head wash. Apparently this is a thing… the lady washed my hair and gave me a luxurious, long, relaxing head massage.

Briefing

Dung picked us up in a van and drove us the 800 meters to Oxalis Home, the headquarters for Oxalis Adventures. Dung gave a 1.5 hour comprehensive overview (in English and Vietnamese) of what to expect, the rules, and potential hazards. We learned about trench foot, deadly animals, dangerous plants, leeches, festering blisters… all kinds of horrible hazards that awaited us. And we still wanted to go!

Howard convinced a few of the hikers to wear the company-provided jungle books. Vuong and I had found some great hiking shoes with good soles, that drained well, so we wanted to wear our own. The jungle boots were quite cute, but we both have feet that need a certain amount of loving care, so we stuck with ours. We chose Altra Lone Peak 6 from REI, and they worked out great. The socks were a different story… from everyone I talked to, your socks stay wet. Just deal with it. If you have found good socks that actually dry quickly, comment below!

The Hikers

Our group of 10 consisted of us, a Frenchman named Jerome, a Vietnamese American girl named Jenny, a young professional couple, Dung and Ngoc, their friend -Thien, and three girls who had been college friends, Ha, Han, and Quynh. Vuong, Jenny, and I were the only native English speakers. Jerome’s English was great, but French was his first language and he had a lovely accent.

The rest of the group preferred to speak in Vietnamese. This was both difficult and awesome for me. At times, my jokes fell flat and I had no idea what was going on. At others, our new friends helped me further my Vietnamese skills. Our entire team was also Vietnamese, and many of them were locals. This is in line with Oxalis’s values as a local company helping the local community; moreover, these guys know the jungle! Dinner was a fantastic spread and bode well for what was to come.

We called it an early night after getting our dry bags packed and put out for the porters to pick up. We were able to leave any non-essential items at the hotel.

Son Doong Cave Expedition, Day Two- Hang En

We luxuriated in our last showers for a couple of days, enjoyed breakfast with our new friends, then set off driving on the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Dung picked us up in a large bus with comfy seats and plenty of room. We drove through rice paddies and into the karst landscape. There was a marathon on our route of travel, so it was slow going. The drive into the jungle was spectacular, and we stopped several times for photo ops. Hills and mountains were coated with lush, thick vegetation in every shade of green. I could make out giant banana plants, jungle sweet potato vines, and mammoth ferns. Soaring grey, white, and black striped limestone walls shot up toward the sky, some with openings which likely led to the underground cave world. I was enthralled.

The Drop Off

The bus stopped at a seemingly random location, dumped us out, and drove off… we were not in (Ar)Kansas anymore. We milled about in the cool drizzle at the trailhead for a bit, tucking pants into socks and organizing day packs. For clarity, I am going to lump the guides, safety experts, assistants, porters, and chefs into one term, “the team” and the 10 of us into one, “the hikers.“

The team wore red rubber sandals over socks. Dung explained this to us by saying that their feet are always wet and the sandals drain better than enclosed shoes. The problem is, when your feet stay submerged in water or wet for a long time, all sorts of problems can arise. Fungal infections or even trench foot can occur. The latter can be extremely serious and difficult to treat. One of the first things you do upon arrival at camp is take off your shoes and socks, dry your feet, and apply Gold Bond medicated foot powder. It is a good idea to do this at lunch as well.

Welcome to the Jungle (You knew this was coming)

We finally started moving. The first part of the trip was through deep jungle. It was slippery, muddy, and wet. We set off at a good clip and were cruising. This was not so bad! I had expected heat, humidity, and swarms of giant bugs. Instead, it was pleasant, if a little damp. The air smelled fresh and the sounds of the jungle surrounded us.

The three amigas led the charge, practically running down the trail. The rest of us kept up pretty easily, with no real stragglers. We had an awesome group of fit people! We took several breaks for photos and to take in the sites, but we kept moving pretty well.

Throughout the day, I thought of the marines walking the same paths we did, crossing the same rivers, wondering if their next step would be their last. I thought of the fear, anxiety, excitement they must have felt, and I thought of the ones who never made it out of the jungle. I thought of the men who were taking such great care of us on this trip and how, if they had been this age at that time, they would have been fighting rather than guiding. It was a rare privilege to walk in their footsteps and I honored their memory.

Leeches

My sweet husband loves to come in first place! He is a winner and has a competitive streak. Nothing new here, he was the first to… get a leech! EEEEEEK! He felt a little itch on his wrist and saw the creepy little parasite feasting away on his precious blood! Leeches are technically predatory worms who live in a variety of habitats. I had always thought leeches all lived in water and was nervous about picking them up on the river crossings. BUT, the leeches in Vietnam are terrestrial, meaning they live on the land. We saw them crawling like little inchworms over the ground, or stuck to rocks waving in the air like tiny windsocks.

Many of us ended up having leeches for a period of time. Each time, one of the team members would pluck it off, clean the wound, and apply a bandaid. These critters have both an anesthetic and an anticoagulant in their saliva. The anesthetic is so the host mammal doesn’t feel it attach, allowing the thirsty slug to drink its fill. The anticoagulant is so the blood goes down easier and doesn’t clot. They start out teeny, drink their fill, and engorge their bodies to about 10 times normal size! When they are satiated, they fall off. Unfortunately, they don’t have the courtesy to apply a clotting agent when they are done, so you usually bleed for a while. I even bruised after mine filled up and fell off.

Creepy, but not so bad. They don’t carry disease or cause long term harm. In short, don’t worry about them.

Ban Doong Village

After hiking for about 3 hours, we stopped for lunch at Ban Doong Village. This is a tiny village en route to Hang Son Doong, located in a picturesque valley surrounded by mist-shrouded mountains. It was founded by a man who fled to the highest jungle to avoid the war. He started a family and established his own little colony. I noticed a motor scooter in the village and asked Dung about it. They carried the scooter all the way up the trail so they could all learn how to ride for the times they went into town. Anything they wanted or needed they had to carry up that muddy trail. I think this would make me re-evalaute my wants and needs.

Oxalis Adventures established a school here and sends teachers every few weeks.

This was our first taste of the cuisine of the trip. There were so many plates of rice, chicken, pork, beef, and vegetables, seasoned and prepared perfectly. We had bowls of soup, and a variety of sweet snacks like Oreos and Kit Kats for dessert.

Throughout the day, we had several river crossings which weren’t so bad. The rocks were a bit slippery, but water levels were low. After lunch, we counted around 19 river crossings!

Hang En

We finally reached the entrance to Hang En, the third largest cave in the world, around 2:00 pm or so. The entrance was large, and it looked like the cave ended pretty abruptly. We took some pix, donned our helmets, and proceeded toward the back of the cave. Then the opening came into site and we went through. It wasn’t particularly small, and we scrambled over rocks and for about 30-45 minutes. Then, our campsite came into view! It was waaaaay down below, just like you see in the pictures! It was illuminated by light from the other opening to the cave, which also provided a gorgeous backdrop. We climbed up to a high perch, got some pictures, and started down the rocks.

Between us and the campsite was a wide lake, so we took a raft across. One of the team scooted us over using a rope and we were there! Our tents were set up on platforms in a perfect little row on a sandy beach, labeled with our names. Next to the tents were our dry bags, and inside were our sleeping accoutrements. There was a dining tent, two toilets, and two SAUNAS. These were little four-person tents into which they pumped steam, scented with lemongrass and ginger!

The Campsite

We were all pretty excited to experience all the things, so we quickly changed into our swimsuits and headed down to the water. It was pretty cold, but refreshing. Then, Jenny, Jerome, Vuong, and I enjoyed the sauna for a while. It was glorious!

Dinner was another feast, capped off with a banana wine toast! In Vietnam, to toast, everyone yells “MOT, HAI, BA, YO!” Which means “One, Two, Three, IN!” This was followed by a campfire, and we really enjoyed getting to know everyone! Everyone’s English was fine to good, and I had an opportunity to practice my Vietnamese. Everyone was very patient with me and helped me learn. You meet the coolest people traveling! This group was full of successful, openminded, lighthearted people!

Son Doong Cave Expedition, Day Three

While camping, we went to bed soon after dark and woke with the sun. I slept well, for 9+ hours a night! We opened the flaps and left the screens closed for a nice cross-breeze, and we fell asleep to the sound of birdsong. Note- do not keep food of any kind in your tent! The team told us horror stories of rats getting into peoples’ things to find that granola bar…

I usually found a few minutes in the morning to write in my journal, and I really enjoyed these times. Quang, one of the team members, who sported a little pony tail and lots of tattoos, made me a cup of coffee and I reflected on the previous day’s adventures.

After a hearty breakfast, we climbed up a huge pile of rocks to a gorgeous vantage point. Then, it was onward… and upward. A short scramble took us to the third entrance to the cave, which was stunning. The opening framed the jungle and provided a great photo backdrop. It did not look real!

Leaving Hang En

Today, we would hike through the jungle to Hang Son Doong. This part of the hike was especially challenging. It was raining pretty hard, the mud was very slippery, and the terrain was rocky. Leeches greeted us at every turn, and there was a lot of climbing. There were several river crossings, some thigh-deep in swift water. The safety assistants moved alongside us, offering arms and hands whenever any of us looked at all unstable.

We finally arrived at our lunch spot, under a tent near the cave entrance. It was impossible to get dry! After another feast, the team fitted us for harnesses and we were ready!

Hang Son Doong

The Descent

We climbed down a bit and saw the entrance to the cave. It was not terribly large, so we had no idea what was in store for us. We congregated by the opening, and were greeted by a cold breeze. This cave is so big, it has its own ecosystem. Hang Son Doong is, after all, the largest cave in the world. You could fit an entire New York City block in here, including the skyscrapers. Or, if you prefer, you can park your 747 in here. Massive.

We were clipped in by our harnesses for the descent, and held onto a rope as we backed down the rocks. This was the scariest part of the entire trip for me. I was trying to lean back, but my brain was screaming “don’t lean back! You will fall to your death!” But leaning back truly does make it easier…

So, I slowly descended, backwards, finding footholds where I could. Some were slippery, and I lost my footing at one point. I squeaked “help me, help me, help me!” and before the last “me” was out of my mouth, a safety assistant was by my side.

Inside the Cave

It wasn’t really that long, but it was steep. I made it to the first platform and stopped shaking after a few minutes. This was our first view of the cavernous interior. It was vast. Massive. This cave is a 2.5 mile long tunnel, carved out by a river, that runs underneath the jungle. There are large sinkholes in two locations where the earth collapsed into the cave, allowing the sun to shine in and creating interesting formations. These areas are known as “Do Lines,” and the jungle creeps in over the fallen rocks, cloaking many of the formations in green. These openings also provide natural light sources for campsites. Our first campsite was near Do Line 1, which illuminates an area known as “Watch Out for Dinosaurs.”

There was still more descending to do, but it was not as harrowing. I started singing songs under my breath- my mental soundtrack for this trip included Shivers and Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran and All of Me by John Legend. This really helped distract my mind.

Our headlamps attracted bugs, which in turn attracted bats, so we turned them off whenever possible. The first named formation we saw was “Hand of Dog,” so named due to a miscommunication. Team members would hike ahead, climb onto formations, and turn on their headlamps. Oxalis had strategically placed massive lights, so they illuminated certain areas for photography and so you could really appreciate the scale of the place. It is so hard to capture, and being there is surreal.

Campsite

More scrambling and a little walking over sand, and solid rock that looked like sand, took us to our next campsite. There was a river down below, but because of all the rain we had been having, it was too high and swift to swim. This campsite was also on a sandy area and was organized similarly to the last. We had an early dinner, toast, and campfire chat. This time, we played the “telephone game,” which was hilarious because of the language barrier. Then we played the “Hot Peanut” game… sort of like hot potato. Whomever ended up holding the peanut had to perform. One of the team sang a haunting love song in Vietnamese. I became very nostalgic at this point, thinking of how lucky I was to be at this place, at this time, with these people. This was a beautiful moment.

The serenity of that ballad faded when my turn came around… I cannot sing, but I can rap! I mean, anyone can talk, right? Maybe it wasn’t good, but I got a few laughs as I rapped “Ice Ice Baby.” When it was Jerome’s turn, he blew our minds with a French rap, which he killed! Some of the best travel experiences are the ones that just happen, and this was a good one!

Son Doong Cave Expedition, Day Four

After another good, long night’s sleep to the sound of waterfalls, we awoke to coffee, journal time, and a delicious breakfast. Today, we were hiking from our campsite to Do Line 1, then on to Do Line 2. This was Dung’s favorite day, and I can safely say it was mine too! We were not covering much ground, but a lot of it was technical. There were several amazing formations and lots of photo ops this day.

This was a day filled with risking our lives for photo ops! The first was the “James Bond Hole.” We used a rope to climb up to a large, person-sized hole for photos, backlit by one of the team members.

Do Line 1

We moved on to “Watch Out for Dinosaurs,” the Jurassic-feeling jungle underneath Do Line 1. The earth collapsed into the cave here, and the jungle said, “don’t mind if I do,” and came on in! This was my favorite area in the cave! The Wedding Cake is here, which is that formation you see in all the pix of Son Doong. This is actually a GIANT stalagmite whose top has been eroded away by water that comes in through the “skylight.” It was a bit sketchy climbing up, but so worth it for the photo op!

We explored the area for a while, looking down on our last campsite and getting close up to some of the rock formations. We saw something called “phytokarst,” which is a group of tiny stalagmites that become covered with and eventually dissolved by cyanobacteria, so there is no limestone left- the whole structure is the organism!

Lunch was nearby on a flat area on top of the terraced Green Gours, where we had a view of the wedding cake. The food was great, but the real treat came when we saw a sunbeam and a waterfall coming down at the same time. From the surface of the earth above to the ground at the bottom of the cave is 449 meters! For comparison, the Empire State Building is about 380 meters.

Do Line 2

After lunch, we climbed over a crazy weird moonscape to a hill that looked like Jabba the Hut. From here, we could see the Garden of Edam. The limestone ceiling collapsed to form Do Line 2, allowing the sun to come in. Bat guano functioned as fertilizer, and water was plentiful. These factors came together to allow the jungle to grow inside the cave! This was not the exit… We hiked up the very steep trail and observed plants leaning toward the light. Animals call this area home, including snakes, monkeys, and birds, but we did not see any.

We climbed down a very steep, slippery rock field to our final campsite! Camp was again on a sandy beach and set up like the other nights, minus the saunas.

We made it to camp early and enjoyed conversation, card games, arm wrestling (Vuong and Quang, ooh what a sight to see!), and more delicious food. Our campfire chat was especially intimate and emotional, as we all shared what we loved about the trip. I think we were really lucky to have such an openminded, friendly, warm group of people to share this once in a lifetime voyage- not just the hikers, but the staff we were lucky enough to have were great.

Son Doong Cave Expedition, Day Five

The Great Wall of Vietnam

Passchendaele

We were not done yet. After an early wake up with coffee and journaling, we had a hearty breakfast and got fitted for our harnesses. We were so lucky on this trip… because of all the rain, not only did we have cool weather, but there was water filling the area called the Passchendaele. It is so named because the original explorers thought of the Battle of Passchendaele in WWI, which was fought in deep trenches filled with mud. This is a 400 meter passageway that, when it is not filled with water, is filled with mud. Mud that can reach as high as your waist. We would have had to slog through this, and I just don’t know how we would have made it.

Instead, after many photo ops, checking out cool rock formations like cave pearls and speleothems, we saw the emerald green lake that filled the passage. Truly gorgeous! We boarded a raft and paddled to… The Great Wall of Vietnam! This is a 90 meter wall of calcite flowstone that we had to climb to get out of the cave! It loomed large before us, but we were ready!

Scaling the Wall

Jerome went first, as he brought his fancy photography gear and agreed to take everyone’s pictures as they climbed. I have never been so happy to have to pee in my life… I really had to go, so everyone let me go next!

It was daunting, but not as terrifying as the descent into the cave. I felt strong and ready, so I tackled that wall with my “scary feet” and Ed Sheehan playing in my head. I walked up that wall like a spider monkey! OK, I may be exaggerating a bit, but I made it! It was kind of anticlimactic at the top, since the guys waiting up there didn’t speak English and I was not certain I was done.

Leaving Son Doong

But I was! We had a triumphant lunch of delicious curry there and I thought to myself, “whew, we are done!”

Nope… not done yet. We exited the largest cave in the world, Hang Son Doong, and entered the jungle.

The second most difficult part of the trip came next. We were back in the jungle and it was a bit warm and no longer raining. The trail was steep and slippery, and there were sharp rocks shaped like dragon’s teeth. It was probably another hour or so of really challenging hiking. My legs were smoked! Then, the trail flattened out and we were back at the road!

We had a little ceremony in which Dung and Dung presented us with bamboo “medals,” then we boarded the bus for Chay Lap Farmstay.

Chay Lap Farmstay is a lovely little resort somewhere near Phong Nha. There are several individual huts by a fishing pond and garden where the proprietors grow their own herbs. For a rather steep price, they were able to do all our laundry and return it later that evening. It was great, because everything was wet and muddy. That shower was heavenly! We had a nice farewell dinner with the group. At this point, you can tip your guide who will distribute the money amongst the whole team. Chay Lap provides envelopes in your room which you fill up with cash and place in a little box in the restaurant. After dinner, Jenny, Jerome, Vuong, and I had massages.

Son Doong Cave Expedition, Day Six

We said our goodbyes to everyone but Jerome. We had booked a driver to take us to Da Nang for a night, and we had to pass through Hue. Jerome was meeting family in Hue, so we took him with us.

It was a nice drive, and we stopped for lunch in Hue before dropping off Jerome. Bun Bo Hue is one of the most famous Vietnamese dishes, and we were in Hue. So of course, we had Bun Bo. Bun Bo Hue in Hue is just Bun Bo, and it was delicious. We sat on tiny stools at a rather suspect roadside stand, but it was divine! Hue looks like a really cool town and we definitely want to spend more time there.

Da Nang

After saying Au Revoir to Jerome, we drove over Hai Van Pass, which was a beautiful, winding mountain pass. Hairpin turns took us up and up, providing gorgeous views of the South China Sea and the beaches below. There is a little tourist trap at the top where we stopped for photos and saw some crazy people who were biking over the pass!

We didn’t have long in Da Nang, but it also looks like a great town that we would like to visit again. We stayed in an AirBnB that was attached to a hostel called the Seahorse, which was fine but I don’t think we were in a prime location. We ended up having two massages, and both were glorious!

Parting Thoughts

This was a difficult expedition, and we could not have done it without the safety team. Comparing it to the Inca Trail and the hike to Jebel Toubkal, it was more difficult in bursts, but the other two had more sustained effort. It was psychologically more challenging, because of the steep drop offs and heights- I got into my head a bit, worrying about falling. I knew I was strong enough, but I played out every possible scenario in my head.

I cannot say enough about the Dung and Dung, our guide and safety expert, and the safety assistants. The safety assistants were always right by our sides. If I thought, “man, I could use some help,” one was there to help me. They were polite, kind, strong, and helpful.

I had been worried about bats, but there were not that many (that we saw). I had been concerned about feeling claustrophobic, but there was never a passageway so small that it freaked me out. I wish I had refreshed my Vietnamese language skills so I could participate in the conversation more, but that was pretty much my only regret.

Have you been to Phong Nha or Hang Son Doong? If so, I would love to hear your thoughts or tips to share with my readers! Are you thinking of going? Let me know if you have questions! I hope you enjoyed my tale of adventure!

Check out this feature article on CNN about Hang Son Doong, the largest cave in the world!