Project 52 Week 27 - Paradise Cave

Venturing further North, we stopped at Dong Hoi and heade for the Phong Nga farmstay to experience some real rural Vietnam. The primary purpose of the visit for me was to see the incredible caves that have been discovered in the park only recently. Paradise cave was a sight to behold. The cool temperature inside is a lovely break from the heat of the jungle outside, and as you descend the stairs at the relatively small opening of the cave, you enter what quickly opens out to be the first monsterous cavern. Filled with a myriad of features, stalactites and stalacmites, it is mind boggling to witness. The cave is well lit with enough light to appreciate the formations, but not turn it into a high street tourist attraction. We managed to spend most of the two hours inside in relative peace before an unimaginable number of tourists literally swarmed the cave like a busted hornets nest with noise and boisterous annoyance. We explored the first kilometre of the cave, but it continues on underground for a further 31 km. THIRTY ONE KILOMETRES!!! for a while it was know to be the largest underground cave known, but since another larger cave has been found, but is not yet open to visitors, and with any luck, it never will be. We couldn't believe how many people were littering and dropping cigarette butts everywhere in this phenomenal UNESCO site.

The entrance to Paradise cave, stairs decending from top left.