From March 21st to April 11th, 10 foreign exploration experts and numerous Vietnamese experts surveyed Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park in Quang Tri province.
After 20 days, the team discovered 26 new caves and surveyed 3 others, with a total measured length of 13,643 meters. Most notably, the Chả Nghéo cave is a vertical sinkhole with its entrance located on the mountaintop, featuring a waterfall flowing into it.
An explorer rappelled down into the cave. "The cave is L-shaped, which is very rare. This is the first time I've seen this type of cave in Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park," said Howard Limbert, a British cave exploration expert with 36 years of experience .
Although it was the dry season with little rain, there was a strong stream flowing inside the cave. The team hadn't explored it completely because it was cold down there, requiring the use of diving suits. According to Howard Limbert, the cave is not suitable for tourism development due to the potential dangers posed by the flowing water.
Besides Chả Nghéo, which has water, during this exploration, the team discovered Mò Roọ cave, approximately 500 meters long, which also has an underground stream system. The cave entrance is located at a high level, with a stream below.
At the bottom of the cave, a stream flows over stalactites. 66% of the cave's length can only be traversed by swimming. The expedition team assessed the cave as suitable for access and tourism development.
A specialist crouched down and entered the Mo Roo cave; to get deeper inside, they had to crawl underwater. The team took more than 1.5 days to explore the entire cave.
To date, experts from the British Royal Cave Institute and Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park have identified seven main cave areas, including three major systems: the Phong Nha, Vom, and Nuoc Mooc systems. A total of 472 caves have been recorded, with a total surveyed length of over 254 km.
A section of Má Dơm cave is illuminated by sunlight. Mr. Phạm Hồng Thái, Director of Phong Nha - Kẻ Bàng National Park, assessed that the results of the 2026 survey have made a significant addition to the national park's cave database. The discovery further confirms the outstanding geological, geomorphological, and karst system value of the area.
"These caves not only have scientific significance but also open up many potentials in conservation, research, and sustainable tourism development, contributing to enhancing the value and status of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, a world natural heritage site, in the future," he said.
Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park boasts continuous limestone mountain ranges with few fault lines, earning it the nickname "Kingdom of Caves". The caves are concentrated in Phong Nha, Thuong Trach, Kim Phu, Kim Dien, Tan Thanh, Tuyen Lam, and Truong Son.
Approximately 40 caves have been opened to tourism, including Son Doong, En, and Pigmy, which are respectively the world's first, second, and fourth largest caves.
Source: https://baohatinh.vn/ben-trong-hang-dong-co-thac-nuoc-cao-350-m-post309642.html
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