Paradise Cave

So the main reason for me coming to this part of Vietnam is to visit Phang Nha Ke Bang National Park. Here you will find the oldest Karst mountains in Asia, I have no fooking clue what that means! But I do know it means cave formation and that is why I'm here. The largest cave in the world was discovered here in 2009 by a local farmer. It's called Han Son Doong and costs a mere 3000 US dollars to visit. 

Today I went 7km into Paradise Cave; this cave was discovered in 2005 and is the longest dry cave in the world at 32km. Coincidentally, both caves were discovered by the same guy who is now a bit of a local celeb and soon to appear on Vietnam's version of 'I'm a celebrity get me out of here!' I sooo want that bit to be true lol.

So my day started at 8am when I hopped onto the back of a motorbike to travel the 40km to the entrance of Paradise Cave. Joining me was Ozzy Matt, a really great, down to earth guy who is travelling around SE Asia on a hired moto. He's done a lot of travelling but unlike other well travelled people I have met doesn't like to brag and only really talks about it if I ask.

The National Park boasts pristine evergreen jungle, 90% of which is primary forest so I thought I'd take a close up.

Going deep within the cave isn't done by many tourists, for one it is quite expensive and our guide Dong said SE Asian touristos tend to lack an adventuress spirit. It's nice to think I'm one of a minority who have gone there and honestly?I think it is the best thing I have ever done.

The first kilometre is well lit with structured platforms to walk on but beyond that point its head torch on and the cave in all its natural magnificence. We could get really close to the rock formations, touch them and photograph them. All pictures were taken in the pitch black. I really felt like I had been transported to a multitude of other worlds. Sometimes the landscape resembled corals and rock structures looked like bizarre, jellylike sea monsters with searching, far reaching tentacles. There was some scrambling to be done over jagged, black rock which had the stark, sterile appearance of lava flow. I was particularly blown away by the area of the cave full of mica and quartz crystals, the rocks gleamed and shone with a million sparkles, it was like floating in the heart of the Milky Way. The photographs can not and do not come close, you really need to come here yourself...

Now the pictures.

Jelly monster from the lagoon. It really is, the rock is still soft and jellylike to touch.

Beautiful colours due to mineral deposits.

Cross section of a stalactite, they are hollow inside and make a ringing sound when struck.

A waterfall of stalactites. We could make eerie music by striking them like tubular bells.

Adilady dressed as Viet Cong.

This structure was majestic...

It looked like thousands of teeth.

The black colour is caused by silver mineral deposits.

This structure is known as drapery...

Because it looks like fabric.

The shots below are of the galaxy, but they haven't come out so well.

We stopped for lunch by an underwater river next to a natural skylight.

I love this photograph, maybe my 'pot of gold' was at the end of this shaft of light.

Here are my caving buddies. From left to right:

Tron, Matt, Dong

On the way back we stopped on the bridge to take some photos of the Karst mountains we had been inside.

Then it was back to the farmstay to drink some cold beers and watch the sunset; they still make me wistful...

So what made Adilady happy? Today I wasn't happy, I was awestruck.

Lots of love and over and out. I will leave you with this dildo shaped stalagmite to bring us all back to earth with a bump xxxx