Son Doong - World's Largest Cave Travel Blog

Why did I book the trip?

A quick little background on myself. I love all the Indiana Jones movies (including the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull), Nathan Drake (Uncharted, played every game twice), The Mummy and obviously the Tomb Raider video game series. Adventure is something I dreamed of as a child (and still do). Particularly finding a far off ancient land, Atlantis, whilst fighting pirates but quickly did I realise that these stories were for books, video games and movies. I was sold a dream but also found out that I was born too late to sail the open seas and find new lands and born too early to explore our galaxy.

I parked that dream and re-routed it to film-making, making documentaries and photography which essentially gave me a passport to feeling like an adventurer but also explore stories and humans around the world.

Some time around 2012 I saw this image of an incredible cave. Could have been on Nat Geo or a random website and it blew my mind that somewhere like this existed on earth. It looked like something ripped from a video game or a movie. I told myself one day, InshAllah, I would go and see this magnificent place in person. Fast forward five years later, I saw Oxalis, the only tour company that is taking people into the cave, were allowing people to book tours, I saw the price and my dream had to wait. I was $3,000USD short.

1 masters degree, a wedding, a child and a 2 year pandemic later, my wife, a close friend and I saved up enough money and booked our Son Doong trip via Oxalis’s website. There was a 1 year wait, so we started the countdown on what we hoped to be the adventure of a lifetime.

How did I prepare?

Oxalis shared a detailed document on where our fitness needed to be. Before we even paid for the trip, they asked a lot of questions on our health, experience and fitness. After working from home, having a kid, and a pandemic, we forced ourselves to get fit again. My advice is to follow their instructions and do a lot of hikes to get ready.

We did a lot of hikes around uneven surfaces which can be difficult if you live in a city. So try and get out and get used to walking on uneven surfaces as much as you can. We also spent a lot of time preparing our personal gear e.g. clothes, towels, rucksack, etc. We’ll do a separate blog on everything we took with us and links to where we bought them.

What was also important to me, not only on this trip but whenever I travel, is getting (the best pictures I can) world class images which meant I needed world class equipment. I think planning my gear and what I was going to take with me can probably be its own blog but for now, this is what I took:

2 Cameras - Canon R5 and Leica Q2
2 lenses - 15-35mm f2.8 and 50mm f1.2
1 x peak design tripod
4 x Memory Cards
3 x Leica batteries
5 x Canon batteries
A lot of dry bags to protect my gear from water - you’ll need these
Note: Nothing was damaged, no memory cards failed, but I lost a lens cover somewhere in the cave.

Key dates:

Tour dates: 26th January 2023 - 31st January 2023

Weather: Wet & Cool

Temperatures: High of 22 degrees celsius - Low of 11 degrees celsius

Day 1 - The beginning of an adventure

We arrived in Dong Hoi where a driver from Oxalis was holding our names on a sign. We went to our hotel in Phong Nha, a 45 min drive from the airport, which was named after where we were going, Son Doong Bungalow. The area itself has a lot to offer and is stunning. You are surrounded by mountains everywhere you look. If you can and have the time, try and spend a day there, get a bike and cycle around the area. That’s what we did and he people are so welcoming and the scenery is out of this world.

The evening before the trip began we headed out to Oxalis’s main office and met the team and the rest of our explorers. Oxalis checked our trekking shoes and backpacks to make sure it was right for the trip. We then had dinner and got to know everyone else. In total we had 10 people going on the trip, 1 tour guide, 1 Head safety specialist, 7 Safety Assistants, 2 chefs, and 17 porters. We didn’t get to meet everyone that night.

Once the dinner was done at the Oxalis headquarters they gave us our dry bags to pack our belongings for our porters. We packed anything we didn’t need during the day e.g. our clothes, slippers, toiletries etc. We could pack 7kgs each and had to carry everything else ourselves the entire trip. This included our helmets that had to fit inside our backpack with my camera gear and accessories.

Day 2 - The Jungle & Hang En Cave

A bus was ready to pick us up at 9am to begin our adventure. We had our breakfast and off we went. The bus ride was over an hour long going through windy roads in the Vietnamese mountains and jungles. The views gave us a window into where we were heading.

We arrived at our starting point. A literal path on the side of a road next to a small shrine. It was raining hard and hadn’t stopped all morning. This makes the trekking conditions wet, dangerous and you might say interesting. Before we headed out, there was a monk at the shrine praying for the well-being of the beginning of the hiking season. We watched and then we began our descent.

With the rain as our companion, we ventured into the jungle, ready to embrace the unknown. I can’t stress how nerve wrecking this part was. We literally went downhill for 2-3 hrs straight, whilst collecting every leech on the way. Note: Bring leech repellent with you, tuck your socks into your trousers and be prepared to get at least 1 or 2.

As we trekked deeper into the jungle, the rain continued to pour, adding an extra layer of adventure and excitement to our journey. Despite the challenging weather conditions, we were determined to make the most of our experience. We also had waterproof jackets, backpacks, quick drying hiking trousers, quick draining trainers and socks which made a huge difference.

Midway through the day, we paused for lunch in the heart of the jungle in a village within the National Park. The Oxalis team had prepared a delicious meal that refuelled our energy and invigorated our spirits. Surrounded by the sounds of nature and the vibrant greenery in Doong Village, we enjoyed a moment of tranquillity in the midst of our exhilarating expedition. We also de-leeched and changed socks if we brought along a spare for the day.

After lunch, we resumed our trek through the jungle, eager to reach our first destination: Hang En Cave. But before we got there, we had to cross a dozen rivers, which to be honest, was refreshing in the mild January humidity. The anticipation built as we ventured deeper into the wilderness, and finally, we arrived at the awe-inspiring entrance of the Hang En Cave.

Stepping inside Hang En felt like entering another world entirely. The sheer magnitude of the cave, with its towering stalagmites and magnificent formations, left us speechless. We couldn't help but marvel at the wonders of nature surrounding us. It felt like a natural cathedral that outshone anything we had experienced before.

Oh! Did I mention that the campsite is jaw dropping. Seriously! Something straight out of a movie. You will not be disappointed. The rest of the evening was up to us. I spent most of my time exploring, swimming in the water and taking pics.

Day 3 - Hand of Dog

Waking up inside Hang En Cave was a surreal experience. As the first light of day filtered through the cave entrance, it illuminated the magnificent formations, creating an ethereal atmosphere. We took the time to appreciate the beauty of our surroundings before preparing for the day ahead. The time of year we travelled, being late Jan-early Feb, meant we had excellent visibility, with little fog or morning mist, which was perfect for pictures, but it does mean cooler/cold nights, so don’t skimp on camping clothes like jackets, bed socks or beanies.

After breakfast, we embarked on a trek through the cave, exploring its hidden corners and marvelling at its natural wonders. The guided tour provided us with insights into the geological history and cultural significance of the cave, making the experience all the more enriching. Sometimes you would be focusing on your footsteps and moving over the terrain and a guide would tap you on the shoulder to point out a 3 story stalagmite or a huge formation you would have completely missed without looking up.

After walking in the pitch black, we came to Hang En’s exit. One word, surreal. The scale and the beauty via images won’t do it justice. You just have to see it in person. We made our way down and went out back into the jungle to continue more trekking and exploring, much to my delight, just like Nathan Drake.

We made it to our lunch spot and got prepped to make our way into the cave. Dai, our safety specialist, put us in our harness and talked us through health and safety to repel, more like walk slowly, through the cave. We made our way to the entrance and began our descent, just be careful of the sharp rocks and take your time. There’s no going back after this point. As we made our way down, you can hear and see bats flying around. We went from light to dark. Adrenaline running through our body. I loved every second of this. Just an fyi - you are in safe hands as you descend into darkness. The team/guides will assist you on where to put your feet as you head down and if you need, give you a helping hand where necessary.

We finally reached the bottom, crossed a cave river via crossing a ladder, and came to another cave river and did it again. So much adventure and adrenaline during day 2. We came to a rest point at a place called Hand of Dog and then made it to our second campsite, another epic spot.

If you still have the energy, you have the option to go cave swimming in ice cold water. I highly recommend it and it was probably one of my favourite things I got to do in the cave. We swam for maybe 70m and then our guide, Ta, turned off the lights and we were in the water in pitch black which was a strange and humbling experience. Thank God we have lights and some of the best guides in the world.

Day 4 - Hang Son Doong

Every morning you wake up in awe of your surroundings and quickly that awe changes to heart pounding bouldering. We bouldered downwards and then bouldered upwards into the sinkhole.

During day 3, you’ll need all the camera batteries you can get. So many amazing opportunities to take incredible images. The first of many is a slippery layered stalagmite named The Wedding Cake. Make sure you wear a colourful top when you stand on The Wedding Cake for the best pictures. Once you are done exploring the sinkhole, you’ll head down to the reason why you came, Son Doong aka Watch Out For Dinosaurs.

Depending on the time of your year, you might get mist/clouds forming or a beautiful sun beam coming down but regardless of the time of year you go, it will blow your mind. FYI - we were the second group to go into the cave in 2023.

We had lunch whilst taking in the view and then made our way to our next camp site. As usual, there was a lot of walking down/bouldering and then a lot of walking upwards. Note, make sure you go to the toilet before you head out.

The campsite here, like usual, is out of this world. You’ll get to relax a lot here or if you want, the tour guide will take you around and show you some awesome formations.

Day 5 - The Great Wall of Vietnam

Today is our final day of an adventure of a lifetime and what a way to finish it.

If you come to Son Doong during winter, you’ll get to see an underground river. You’ll get lifejackets and strategically placed on a raft. I can guarantee you that this will be the most peaceful and bizarre river ride you’ll ever experience. You’ll make your way to the deadend but if you look up, you’ll see a ladder that leads to ‘The Great Wall of Vietnam’. A wall that is almost 100m high and your only exit out of the cave. This was my favourite part and I don’t want to ruin anything but you’ll be in safe hands, so enjoy it and take it in.

When you reach the top, and you’ll reach it, you’ll have lunch, final toilet break and make your way out of the cave. When you see the exit it looks like something straight out of Jurassic Park - just make sure to take it all in.

Now, nobody will tell you this but once you exit the cave, the hardest part begins - no joke. After doing everything else and thinking nothing can stop you, you’ll have to walk through, and walk on, the sharpest rocks you’ve ever touched whilst there’s a drop to your death if you slip - not in the brochure. You’ll need the balance of a mountain goat and patience of a monk but again, with the help of the safety crew, you’ll get through it. The reason why this section sucks is because you can’t use any walking sticks and have to trust your instincts and the team. You will make it and it will be worth it.

Before you know it, you’ll hear the cars and people and will be greeted with a cold drink and transported to your farmstay where a spa, shower and an amazing dinner awaits you.

Note: Get the full spa treatment at the farmstay - Worth it!!

Journey ends.

My thoughts

My biggest fear is walking downhill, especially on uneven surfaces. I had so many worries and fears before I started this trip. Am I fit enough? Can I make it? Will my camera work? But this trip made me realise, we aren’t meant to go through hardships alone but together with a helping hand. Life is meant to be experienced with each other. We made friends with people that we would never have spoken to if we didn’t go through hardships with them. In life, I genuinely believe to seek happiness, you must first seek discomfort. After 5 gruelling days of being dirty, tired, leeches, wet and away from worldly distractions, I was content, free and happy.

The little kid I once was will be smiling with joy that he got to do this, especially with the people he cares about.

We were all that little child that had dreams of adventure and wonder, go and make that kid happy. And for all you parents out there, if you have the luxury, show your kids/future kids that they can achieve their dreams by fulfilling yours.

Who would I recommend this to? And was it worth the price?

Anyone that is seeking adventure, a test, and wants to feel alive… this is for you. You don’t have to be super fit (being fit does help) to do this trip, just the determination to complete it will get you there. Yes the price is expensive, but what is life if you don’t live it. Whilst you have a pair of good knees and a pair of lungs, go and seek discomfort, adventure and stories to share with your loved ones. Would I do this again? Yes!

Side note: My wife who did this trip with me, did this with tonsillitis and didn’t know she was pregnant whilst climbing through jungles and caves. During the entire trip, she couldn’t speak and her throat was in serious pain but she did it with zero complaints and a smile on her face. She is incredible and a huge thanks to the Oxalis team for taking care of all our needs.

If you made it this far, thank you for reading. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments section below and I’ll try my best to answer them. I’ll also write up on what we took into the cave in more detail if that helps people.