Discover the mysteries of one of the world's largest caves.

En Cave is located deep within the core of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park ( Quang Binh province). It is one of the largest caves in the world, along with Son Doong Cave (Vietnam) and Deer Cave (Malaysia). It is estimated that En Cave is over 1.6 km long, with a volume of approximately 6.7 million cubic meters. Some sections of the cave passages are up to 200 meters wide, and the cave ceiling is about 145 meters high.

According to geologists, En Cave was formed by the erosion of limestone layers by the Rao Thuong River flowing through the Hung Doong valley. The erosion process is very slow, potentially taking hundreds of thousands to millions of years.

Locals call this cave Swallow Cave because it is home to hundreds of thousands of swallows during the nesting season. Swallow Cave was chosen by the ancestors of the Arem people (Chut ethnic group) as their dwelling place due to their habit of living in caves and migrating seasonally, relying on natural food sources. The swallows in the cave were also a food source for many generations of the Arem people. After being encouraged and supported by the government, the Arem people left the caves and settled in villages.

To reach En Cave, visitors travel by vehicle along the western branch of the Ho Chi Minh Trail to a rest stop, then hike through dense forests, wade through streams, cross mountain passes, and climb steep slopes... The journey to En Cave takes about one day.

On the way to En Cave, visitors can stop by the villages of the Bru - Van Kieu ethnic group to learn about the culture and life of the local people.

Like other limestone caves, En Cave contains stalactites and stalagmites with diverse and unique shapes.

According to the management and exploitation unit, some species of rock monkeys, gibbons, and langurs can be found near the entrance of En Cave. The high, wide ceiling of the cave is chosen by swallows as a nesting place. Deeper in the middle of the cave, where light is limited, is home to bats, crickets, scorpions, and some other insects.

In terms of vegetation, the area around the entrance to Én Cave has several types of evergreen trees, mosses, ferns, lichens, etc. Deep inside the cave, due to the lack of light, there are virtually no plants.

In 2012, the People's Committee of Quang Binh province and the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park Management Board granted a license to Chua Me Dat – Oxalis Adventure Co., Ltd. (located in Phong Nha town, Bo Trach district) to operate adventure tourism activities exploring En Cave.

Besides immersing themselves in nature and experiencing activities like trekking through forests, wading through streams, and climbing slopes, visitors will also have the opportunity to discover the mysteries deep within the caves.

Visitors can also enjoy the thrill of camping and living inside one of the largest caves in the world.

It is known that the Én Cave exploration activities meet safety standards, strictly adhere to heritage conservation regulations, and involve community participation. Since the Én Cave exploration tour began operating, it has created many jobs for local residents and contributed to the state budget.

Source: https://suckhoedoisong.vn/kham-pha-su-ky-bi-cua-mot-trong-nhung-hang-dong-lon-nhat-the-gioi-169250402204715528.htm