Our fascination with technology and knowledge has led us to fantasise about worlds different from our own. Yet, our planet is full of fascinating places. Hang Son Doong is one of them.
Located in the Annamite Mountains of Vietnam, Hang Son Doong is the world's largest underground cavity.
It’s not the only cave in the region, as an entire network exists between the country’s centre and its border with Laos. In these areas, no fewer than 20 caves were discovered in 2010. This is just a tiny part of the whole, as nearly 150 caves have been recorded there. Some served as shelters for soldiers during the Vietnam War, while others remain unexplored.
Among the caves explored by humans in this vast labyrinth, Hang Son Doong is undoubtedly the most impressive:
Discovered in 1991 by a Vietnamese local, Hang Son Doong wasn’t visited until 18 years later, in 2009, by a group of British cavers, who still couldn’t reach the end of this immense space.
In 2010, these cavers returned, venturing this time into the unknown with scientists and laser equipment to map this new universe.
The cave astounds with its scale, its rugged terrain, its surreal atmosphere... To give you an idea, it’s said to fit several 40-storey skyscrapers. Within its 4 km width, a gallery soars 200 metres high—twice the size of the largest known gallery until then, in Malaysia.
And as astonishing as it may seem, it harbours life.
Indeed, parts of the cave’s "ceiling" have collapsed, allowing shafts of light to pierce through. As a result, a vast jungle has thrived there, shielded from human eyes—and human harm. Birds have made it their sanctuary.
The cavity was shaped by nature over millions of years, carved by a river. Some of its chambers flood during the rainy season, leaving shallow pools in the dry season.
Rocks of improbable shapes, draped in algae, add to the striking aesthetics of this green paradise, which also hides a river, waterfalls... a true subterranean world whose scale was only discovered two years ago.
The photos in this article were taken by photographer Carsten Peter for National Geographic. They offer a glimpse of the site’s vastness.
Feel free to share your thoughts on Hang Son Doong in the comments. And if this has inspired you, why not take your first step into caving?
You and Hang Son Doong might not happen just yet. But France is home to countless caves and underground cavities to explore. Uncover the secrets of these subterranean worlds, and share your experiences, questions, photos, and videos in our caving forum!
