Paradise cave was discovered by a local man in 2005. In the same year, the first 5km of this cave was surveyed by explorers from the British Cave Research Association. Afterwards, the entire 31 km was explored then publicly announced by the British cave explorers.
At 31 km long, Paradise cave is longer than Phong Nha Cave which had previously been considered the longest cave in the Phong Nha Ke Bang national park. Its height can reach up to 100m tall and 150m wide. The British cave explorers were so impressed by the wondrous stalactites and stalagmite formations inside this cave, that they named it Thiên Đường Cave (Paradise Cave). In 2012, a new scorpion species Vietbocap thienduongensis was found here. A standard Paradise cave visitor is allowed to explore just 1000m into this cave on wooden walking platforms. This tour offers the unique experience of 7000m deep into the cave; for the adventurous caver!
Notes
* Please check with us the availability before completing your payment for this trip, this tour needs at least 2 persons to start, and depends on the weather.
* From September to December, Paradise Cave with 7km tour is not available due to the weather. We will run tour for 4 km.
Items to bring on tour:
06:50: Our car will pick up you at your hotel in Dong Hoi City, then transfer you to Paradise Cave – the longest dry cave in Asia (located in Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park’s core zone). It is approximately 75 km from Dong Hoi and an 80-minute drive).
OR 07:30: Our driver will pick you up at your hotel in Phong Nha village, then transfer you to Paradise Cave. Here your guide will give you safety instructions and cave equipment.
You will then be taken by a golf cart (1.6km) from the main gate through the jungle, where you will then hike an incline to the mouth of the cave, a climb that boasts spectacular views of the mountainous region around the cave.
You will then explore the first 1000m into the cave along a wooden staircase and boardwalk, you can admire hundreds of colorful stalactites and the stalagmites created over millions of years.
Following our experienced and enthusiastic guide, you will continue beyond the boardwalk construction to venture inside more than 6000m of the cave, equipped with your personal flashlight.
Overcoming the cliff path, which challenges the courage and perseverance of the explorer, you will discover and learn about the formation of stalactite systems that are colorful and rich in shape.
The first 500 meters consists of a tube-shaped cave, which is more than 80 meters high and 120 meters at its widest point. Occasionally we will encounter tall, block-like stalactite structures, glittering in its brilliance.
Deeper inside, the stalactites and the stalagmites are increasingly diverse and unique. You will see rock formations with a variety of colors and designs as if sculpted directly by the hand of the Creator. Life inside the cave exhibits a rich and biodiverse ecosystem that includes but is not limited to fish, bats, spiders, and crickets. In the first 3.5 km, you may encounter hundreds of bats clinging to the ceiling. Further along, there is the junction of two shallow streams where you can enjoy a cool breeze blowing from the spring. There will be a rest stop at 4000m, where you can take photos in this beautiful location and preserve this unique memory.
After the break, you will continue to kayak over streams. Passing through a small part of the stream requires crouching down in order not to touch the ceiling.
After finishing the small stream, the next journey gives you the opportunity to test your own courage to overcome the steep road and rugged land along the stream bed, where there are only narrow paths to thread through. From here, the cave looks like a labyrinth. Without a guide, it wouldn’t be difficult to find yourself lost amongst the cylindrical stalactites.
After 1 hour, we will arrive at one of the more notable sections of the cave, referred to as “the Heaven Well”. According to the oriental concept; this well exemplifies the harmony between heaven and earth to proliferate from the cosmos. Being brought so close to this feat of nature is mysterious and exciting in the simplest of ways. Between the stream is smooth rocks as if shaped by the hands of artisans, with different shapes and different colors; you may feast your eyes.
After enjoying lunch beside the underground stream, you relax, take photographs and prepare for the journey back the same way.
15:00: Tour ends and take you back you in Phong Nha at 16:00 and in Dong Hoi at 17:00.
