CNN's travel page has just posted stunning images of travel writer Jarryd Salem's journey to explore Son Doong Cave.
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CNN travel writer Jarryd Salem describes "Located in the heart of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park (Quang Binh), the Son Doong Cave expedition is one of the most exciting adventures in Southeast Asia". |
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Stretching over five kilometers long and 200 meters high, Son Doong’s main cave is large enough to fit the entire city of New York. From the second campsite inside Son Doong Cave, visitors can gaze at a starry night sky through the mouth of a sinkhole. |
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An expedition team to Son Doong Cave, including 20 porters, 3 tour guides, 2 cave exploration experts, 2 chefs, 2 rangers from Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park. The porters are considered silent heroes, helping make the trip easier. |
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Son Doong Cave is steep and dangerous, you have to climb with ropes. |
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Spectacular view of Hang En, the 3rd largest cave in the world, over 120 meters high and over 140 meters wide. |
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"Garden of Edam" campsite in Son Doong Cave. |
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While most explorers on the 5-day Son Doong trip were well-prepared with good quality clothes and shoes, porters and guides wore only local rubber sandals that cost $2. |
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Giant stalactites inside Son Doong Cave. |
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The Rao Thuong River flows inside Son Doong Cave. During the rainy season, the river water rises, ruining plans to explore the cave. |
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The first and last nights of the trip, the expedition will camp in En Cave, considered one of the most beautiful camping spots in Asia. |
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The expedition team often played arm wrestling for fun in their spare time. The Vietnamese porters were proud of their strength and agility. They often challenged each other to show off their abilities. |
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The world's largest cave "pearls" (jade covering a pearl-like seed under the sea, mainly composed of calcite) are in Son Doong. |
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Son Doong Cave is so large that it contains its own jungle, underground river system, and climate. Clouds form inside the cave, creating a spectacular landscape. |
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A narrow corridor connects the two parts of En Cave. |
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To get to Son Doong, visitors will have to stop by Ban Doong - a small village of the Bru-Van Kieu people with about 40 people living there. |
According to VOV