Both by volume and height, there is a cueva considered as the largest in the world and has underground rivers y giant stalagmites. Access to this place remained closed for almost two decades, until a farmer detected an unusual phenomenon.
This led to, in 2009, a expedition scientific british until one of the main entrances to this immense cueva. According to one of the explorers in conversation with The Guardianwhat they found there «exceeded any expectations.»
Where is the largest cave in the world
The largest cave in the world is that of Hang Son Doonglocated within the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, in Vietnam.
It was in 1991 when a local farmer discovered the presence of smoke and the sound of water without being able to identify where they were coming from, which gave rise to a scientific investigation.
In this way, in 2009 an expedition was carried out that lasted 6 hours inside the Vietnamese jungle and led to a find historical: covered by vegetation characteristic of the region, one of the main entrances to what we know today as the largest cave in the world.
According to the first measurements made by specialists, within Hang Son Doong a 40-story building or a Boeing 747 airplane, also known as a «Jumbo,» could enter.
The experts estimated that the cueva It would be between 2 and 5 million years old, a product of the erosion of the limestone by the passage of the underground river. In allusion to the water course that runs through it, its name means «river cave in the mountain».
He size of this cueva is not the only thing that stands out, but also the presence of giant stalagmites. They have been documented to reach up to 70 meters in height and are considered the tallest in the world.
In addition, it has an internal jungle that receives direct sunlight through an opening in the surface so that it generates a microclimate suitable for endemic plant and animal species to grow.
Due to the complex route and the fragility of the system, since 2013 only one company has been authorized by the government of Vietnam to perform tourist expeditions.
Visitors accessing tours that last several days must have trekking experience and a high level of performance.
Among the most notable attractions of the cave Hang Son Doong is the structure of stalagmite called «Dog’s Hand» and a 60-meter wall with fossils of prehistoric animals.
