Inside the world's largest cave

http://www.theguardian.com/travel/gallery/2014/jan/14/take-a-look-inside-the-worlds-largest-cave

Son Doong Cave in Vietnam – which is so big it contains a jungle and a river – is now open for public tours. But don't expect it to become crowded: just 224 tourists will be permitted to visit this year.

It's so big you could fit a 40-storey skyscraper inside, but Son Doong cave remained undiscovered until a local man found it in 1991. Even then, no one explored beyond its vast entrance until British cavers visited in 2009.

Ropes and harness are needed to get inside Son Doong, and any visitors will need to rappel 80 metres to reach the cave floor.

Pilot tours took place in August, but so far only 10 people have visited. Oxalis Adventures have been working closely with the government to ensure a sustainable future for the cave: this year they are able to take 224 tourists to Son Doong.

The first night of the six-day tour will see visitors camp near the Hand of Dog, a giant stalagmite said to resemble a dog paw.

Inside the cave is a huge river – but the source of it remains unknown. In March, a team from theBritish Cave Research Association, who first explored Son Doong, will return to try and shed more light on the cave's many mysteries.

New species of plant have been discovered by scientists within the cave's lush interior.

Thousands of "cave pearls" sit untouched in Son Doong. These natural phenomenon are formed over hundreds of years when dripping water creates layers of calcite that build up around grains of sand.

Son Doong contains vast caverns, which fill the 5.5 mile long interior.

That's amazing and beautiful. Thanks for sharing!

I'd like to listen to Tim Hecker in there.

Let's hope it remains well maintained and the operators don't cave into burgeoning tourist pressure...

Lol, sweet dude. Sweet.

Thanks, thought you folks might appreciate it.

I thought you meant your wife's pussy

Why did you say it twice?

Amazing.

  On 1/14/2014 at 9:45 PM, westhead said:

Why did you say it twice?

"Son doong"

Lolz

  On 1/14/2014 at 9:48 PM, jasondonervan said:

 

  On 1/14/2014 at 9:45 PM, westhead said:

Why did you say it twice?

 

 

Nice reference.

$3,000 per person. That's not as bad as I thought. If I had expendable income I'd seriously consider this.

but what if there's monsters inside

  On 1/14/2014 at 10:49 PM, Pennywise said:

but what if there's monsters inside

Yeh, what if its like the movie 'the descent'? I'd want my money back

In the heat of the moment - and that of westhead's mom's as well - I didn't read the initial post and, I must say, it looks tantalizing! It's just to amazing to realize there are places like this that are still uncovered by mankind.

Voicing the sentiment that I hope it won't be overrun by a locust of tourists. Seems like the government is keeping a proper lid on it though.

It looks incredible.

i swear i had a dream where i was walking around in a cave that looked just like that....

Dont forget to watch that bbc earth docu about caves. Iz beautiful.

caves are idm...

  On 1/15/2014 at 6:41 AM, yek said:

caves are idm...

That's what I was trying to say last year during the nominations for 'Most IDM' and Caves barely made it through 1 round of bracketology.

  On 1/15/2014 at 6:54 AM, Goiter Sanchez said:

 

  On 1/15/2014 at 6:41 AM, yek said:

caves are idm...

That's what I was trying to say last year during the nominations for 'Most IDM' and Caves barely made it through 1 round of bracketology.

 

snap

saw an article about this a few months ago but it didnt have pics that nice. looks amazing

Yeah this looks freaking amazing. Thanks for sharing indeed.

  On 1/14/2014 at 9:06 PM, Friendly Foil said:

I'd like to listen to Tim Hecker in there.

wow, yes!