April 17, 2023
QUANG BINH — Twenty-two new caves with unique features have been found by the British Cave Research Association (BCRA) in the central province of Quảng Bình, according to Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park’s Management Board.
Some of the new are even interconnected, creating multiple cross paths that make exploring inside extremely captivating. VNA/VNS Photo
Unlike Sơn Đoòng, Én, and many other caves which have only one main entrance, this new cave system has multiple entrances and exits. VNA/VNS Photo
The caves have a total length of 11.7km. Of the new discovers, 20 were found in Lâm Hóa Commune of Tuyên Hóa District, as well as in Hóa Phúc and Hóa Sơn Communes of Hóa Sơn District, while the rest are inside Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park.
The search for the new caves involved explorers from the UK, Australia, and New Zealand who had worked for three weeks with support of tour guides and a number of locals.
Howard Limbert, the leader of the team, said that the newly caves are mostly wet, and although they are small, they are quite intriguing compared to many others found in Quảng Bình. He further added that unlike Sơn Đoòng, Én, and many other caves which have only one main entrance, this new cave system has multiple entrances and exits. Some of the new are even interconnected, creating multiple cross paths that make exploring inside extremely captivating.
The newly found caves have a total length of 11.7km. VNA/VNS Photo
Inside a newly discovered cave. VNA/VNS Photo
In order to exploit the caves for tourism and exploration activities, the BCRA recommends that Quảng Bình conduct further researches to evaluate their safety, ceiling heights, flow, and geomorphology of the caves.
With about 500 caves discovered, Quảng Bình is renowned as the country’s kingdom of caves. There are over 40 caves in the locality which are open to tourists. Sơn Đoòng is the world’s largest, while Én and Pigmy come in at second and fourth. VNS