Were all the caves in Quang Binh discovered by foreigners?

According to Mr. Nguyen Chau A, Director of Oxalis Adventure Company (the unit that is exploiting a number of caves in Quang Binh such as Son Doong, Tu Lan...), the survey trip that discovered 22 caves last March was conducted by the British - Vietnamese Cave Exploration Group.

This is not the first time this expedition team has conducted a cave survey in Quang Binh and discovered new caves. They also conducted surveys of caves in Thai Nguyen , Thanh Hoa...

A new underground cave was discovered in Quang Binh by the British-Vietnamese Expedition Team.

For the latest survey in Tuyen Hoa District and the discovery of the 22 cave system, the team had 13 people, including the team leader, British expert Howard Limbert, and 6 other experts who flew in from England, Australia and New Zealand; Oxalis Adventure supported 7 experts, including 3 foreigners and 4 domestic (including Howard Limbert). According to Mr. Chau A, all are members of the British Royal Cave Association, including the Vietnamese expert.

"They are members, not employees, of the British Royal Cave Association, and work on a volunteer basis. Our company's cave guides are also members of this association," said Mr. Chau A.

A group of foreign experts comes to Vietnam to survey caves once a year according to a memorandum of cooperation in research, survey, and exploration of caves in Quang Binh signed in 2022 between the Provincial People's Committee and the British Royal Cave Association.

The British-Vietnamese team has over 30 years of research and exploration of caves in Vietnam in general and Quang Binh province in particular, with hundreds of caves discovered. Among them, Son Doong Cave was discovered in 2009, started to be exploited for adventure tourism in 2013 and has now become a famous destination in the world.

According to expert Howard Limbert, all members of the British expedition have different professional jobs, save money and raise funds to pursue their passion for cave exploration through a series of expeditions around the world, including Vietnam.

The pre-2022 expeditions to Vietnam by the British-Vietnamese Cave Exploration Team will be carried out in cooperation with the University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. Vietnamese experts will also participate during this period.

The British-Vietnamese expedition team attended the survey summary meeting last March with the results of finding 22 caves in Quang Binh, with representatives of Tuyen Hoa District and Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park.

Mr. Chau A said that when cave experts came to Quang Binh to conduct surveys, the Department of Foreign Affairs took care of the procedures and the province granted permits, while Oxalis supported the remaining logistical issues. The experts contributed their own finances.

Previously, there was a group of Vietnamese people who spontaneously surveyed caves in Quang Binh for a tour, but due to lack of experience, surveying techniques and modern equipment, an accident occurred. After that, the group disbanded.

Son Doong Cave tourism is operated in a way that limits the number of participants. Every year, from January to August, only about 1,000 people are allowed to join this expedition and only Oxalis Adventure - the only travel agency licensed to operate Son Doong adventure tours, the world's largest natural cave.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/co-phai-cac-hang-dong-o-quang-binh-deu-do-nguoi-nuoc-ngoai-tim-ra-185230414150333297.htm