Meals inside Son Doong Cave

In Quang Binh, a dinner in Son Doong Cave typically consists of 7 dishes, with a balanced menu planned by the chef and prepared inside the cave to ensure visitors have enough energy.

At 6 PM, at the campsite in sinkhole 1 inside Son Doong Cave, head chef Hong Quang and his two assistants were setting out the dishes for dinner. The members of the first Son Doong Cave expedition team of 2024 had returned to the campsite an hour earlier.

The second day's dinner consisted of grilled chicken with chili sauce, stir-fried beef with bell peppers, boiled pork, tofu in tomato sauce, french fries, sweet potato leaf salad, winter melon soup, and various condiments. Drinks included tea and coffee. The meal was considered "beyond adequate" compared to home-cooked meals and "extravagant" for a trekking tour, accommodating approximately 18 to 20 people.

The 4-day, 3-night Son Doong cave tour includes a total of 10 main meals and additional snacks for guests who wish to have them, such as grilled corn, potatoes, and peanuts.

Mr. Hong Quang, 48 years old, from Quang Binh province, has been the chef for Son Doong tours for 7 years. Previously, he worked at several local restaurants. To prepare meals for tourists, Mr. Quang wakes up at 5 am every day, prepares breakfast, then cleans up and joins the expedition. He returns to the campsite earlier to prepare dinner, then continues cleaning and checking ingredients for the next day, finishing work around 10 pm.

Dinner is usually the most elaborate meal. The portions of food for dinner are similar to those mentioned above, but the cooking methods change. "If we made stir-fried beef the day before, the next day it will be grilled beef wrapped in betel leaves," Quang said.

Breakfast and lunch were simpler but varied, nutritious, and not repetitive, usually consisting of beef sandwiches, fried rice, instant noodles, rice paper rolls, crepes, and sandwiches. The group included Asians, Europeans, and Americans, so the food was diverse to ensure everyone could eat and get enough energy.

Mr. Quang personally plans the menu before each tour and prepares the ingredients himself. The food brought along will be kept refrigerated, ensuring freshness and sufficient supplies for the first two nights of the journey. On the third night, supplies will be replenished from the cave's exit, crossing the Vietnam Wall in the opposite direction.

"Fish is not allowed as food on the tour because it's difficult to preserve. Besides, fish has bones, posing a risk to those who eat it," Quang explained.

Quang prepared dinner at the campsite during the Son Doong tour in January 2024.

Each tour has a head chef and one or two assistant chefs. Chefs on cave tours not only need cooking skills but also physical fitness because they also undertake the same treks as explorers, while carrying more than 10 kg of luggage.

To prepare meals, the porters' luggage includes a large gas cylinder weighing about 20 kg, a gas stove, pots, pans, bowls, chopsticks, cooking utensils, and other necessary items. After completing their daytime duties, the porters also assist in the kitchen each evening. This allows them to prepare dinner for the group, tour guide, and support staff in about an hour. The support staff usually eat first, with a simple meal, while the guests eat later, often with more elaborate presentation.

Hoang Anh, a member of the Son Doong expedition team in early January, said that he ate every meal completely, even "helping out" some others. "The meals in the cave were delicious and satisfying. All the dishes were finished, which made the chef very happy and more enthusiastic about his work."

Mr. Nguyen Chau A, General Director of Oxalis Adventure and Oxalis Holiday, the exclusive provider of Son Doong cave tours, said that the company carefully prepares and invests in meals for guests. When booking a tour, guests will be asked about their eating habits because there are no restaurants or shops in the deep forest, and it is not possible to buy additional food.

Because of these practical requirements, the company needed good cooks. "Fortunately, the young people in Phong Nha or Tan Hoa who are currently working as cooks or assistants have all spent months in the forest before, so they have learned how to cook well," Mr. A said.

According to Mr. Á, when customers enjoy the food and give compliments, "the chef is very encouraged and looks for ways to further improve the quality of the meal."

Dining area at the campsite, January 2024

Each Son Doong tour has an average of 10 guests and nearly 30 support staff. This includes 20 porters carrying luggage and food throughout the journey, 5 safety assistants, a guide, a cave expert, 2 chefs, and a park ranger. They are all locals who receive regular training in safety and rescue. They ensure the safe transport of 600 kg of equipment and supplies into and out of the cave, including waste. When the group leaves, the campsites are cleaned up, restoring the space to its original pristine condition.

The tour is located within the core of the national park and is far from all outside support services such as medical , emergency, or other assistance, although satellite phones are available for the guide to contact in case of an emergency. Helicopter support will be available in case of an emergency.

Son Doong Cave, located in Son Trach commune, Bo Trach district, Quang Binh province, within the core area of ​​Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park, was named the world's largest natural limestone cave in 2009. The cave was formed approximately 2-5 million years ago when river water flowing through the buried limestone along a fault line eroded and created a giant tunnel deep underground beneath the mountain range. The cave is 150 meters wide, over 200 meters high, and nearly 10 kilometers long.

Son Doong cave tours are operated from January to August each year, with each tour limited to approximately 10 participants to ensure safety and allow time for environmental regeneration. Around 1,000 to 1,200 visitors are allowed to explore Son Doong cave annually.

Text and photos: Linh Huong

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