Kong Sinkhole not only attracts tourists with its rich natural beauty but is also a great place to experience adventurous activities and overcome challenges to sublimate in the majesty of nature.
Introduction to Kong Quang Binh Sinkhole
Kong Sinkhole is a prominent new tourist destination in Vietnam, located in the area of Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park , in Quang Binh province. When the Kong Sinkhole was discovered and announced, there was much controversy about whether it was the deepest sinkhole in Vietnam or not. However, current data is not enough to make an accurate assessment because when the sinkhole was discovered, the equipment and infrastructure were not yet complete. The entrance and exit of the cave have not yet been fully explored, so the depth of the hole cannot be measured.
Kong sinkhole in Quang Binh. Photo: @gmilestravel
Photo: @nanavivu
During the expedition back in 2019, a team of explorers from Jungle Boss company (Quang Binh), the exclusive unit to exploit and develop Kong sinkhole tourism, measured the depth of the sinkhole. Results showed that the sinkhole was about 450m deep from mouth to bottom. However, because the measurement method mainly relies on manual means and has not been confirmed by cave experts, these numbers are still controversial. However, there is no denying the majesty and uniqueness of Kong Sinkhole, one of the most remarkable deep sinkholes that humans have discovered.
Inside the sinkhole. Photo: @junglebosstours
What is the history of Kong sinkhole discovery?
The history of the discovery of Kong’s lolot records important advances in its understanding. In 1997, a British royal cave expert participated in the annual cave exploration trip in Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park and discovered a sinkhole hidden in the Tiger cave system. To reach this sinkhole, he had to pass through the heart of Dai A cave, known as Tiger cave.
Another notable development took place in 2017, when a cave exploration team used drones to record the landscape of the Kong sinkhole area. This image reminds many people of the monster King Kong in the movie Skull Island, a large part of which was filmed in Phong Nha.
In 2023, Jungle Boss’s cave exploration team in Quang Binh continues to research and come up with three different options to explore Kong Sinkhole. Methods include swimming through Dai A cave, using a high rope swing from the crater, and even walking from the other direction. These options create challenging and adventurous cave exploration journeys, only for those who are passionate about exploration and willing to overcome personal limits to face challenges and gain experiences. memorable for a lifetime.
Scenery of Kong sinkhole at night. Photo: @itrektravel
Journey to discover Kong sinkhole
At km 24 along Road 20 Quyet Thang is the starting point of the journey through Phong Nha – Ke Bang Forest. The road starts off easy with a slight slope, mostly downhill, but the slope will gradually increase, making the road more difficult.
On the way, you will face many small streams before reaching the next landmark, the top of Gio slope. After that, the journey continues through the lower entrance of Dai A cave, also known as Tiger cave.
From Tiger Cave, the journey continues to the Doc Luon Slope area, where overcoming the Kong sinkhole becomes more difficult with increased slope and slippery roads. You can only rely on forest trees or vines to cross Eel Slope.
After successfully overcoming Eel Slope, energy and strength may have decreased a lot. When it starts to get dark, you will reach the mouth of Dai A cave, an ideal place to set up camp to rest. A night camping in the heart of the wild mountains and forests will be an unforgettable experience.
Tourists pass large rocks. Photo: @anhtramtran
Experience Rappelling
After a night of rest to restore your strength, the journey continues to the eye socket of the sinkhole, where you will begin your zipline journey to conquer the Kong sinkhole.
You will use the rope to swing from the mouth of the hole to the bottom, experiencing the feeling of swinging in mid-air on the journey to conquer the Kong sinkhole, which is truly extremely stimulating. This is not only a great experience with a sense of freedom, but also an opportunity to overcome fear to explore a unique cave area at the bottom of the hole.
Experience swinging from the mouth of the cavity to the bottom. Photo: @quangbinhtravel
Visit a pristine cave
After descending to the bottom, the journey continues with more than 7 km of walking in underground caves, connected by giant sinkholes. Inside the cave, you will pass large rocks, crawl through small caves and camp at Over cave. This cave is special with a unique stalactite system, formed millions of years ago, providing a lively and eye-catching scene.
At Over Cave, when camping, you will hear the gurgling sound of underground water and the sound of water dripping from stalactites on the cave ceiling, creating an interesting experience. After a night of rest, the journey continues and takes you to Pygmy Cave, considered the 4th largest cave in the world.
The path through Pygmy cave is difficult with climbing over high rocks and having to use vines to move. However, when you reach the mouth of Pygmy cave, all your efforts will be rewarded by the wonderful scenery of the combination of clouds, mountains and green vegetation at the cave entrance. This is an overwhelming experience as fatigue disappears and is replaced by the majesty of nature. The scenery at the entrance of Pygmy Cave is an ideal spot to create unique and memorable check-in photos.
Photo: @junglebosstours
Immerse yourself in the underground river
The Tiger Cave system is a blend of rocks, underground rivers and nature. If your health is good enough, you can also challenge yourself by testing swimming techniques along the underground river system in Tiger Cave. This can be considered a less risky experience than swinging down from the top of the cave, however, it is also a challenging journey when the water temperature only fluctuates around 8-10 degrees Celsius.
During the journey of swimming and wading along the underground river, you will enjoy the full majesty and captivating beauty of the Tiger cave system with its soaring cave walls, rich colors and unique shapes.
At the top, you will see a row of limestone stalactites formed over millions of years, like giant stone spikes pointing their tips and creating small drops of falling water. At some points, you can touch the stalactites, feeling the wonder of the natural masterpiece that took millions of years to form.
Through the journey of swimming through the underground river, you will feel deeper gratitude to Mother Nature, who has created wonderful, unique and majestic scenes at the Tiger cave system. These impressions will be deeply imprinted in each person’s mind when they complete the journey to conquer the Kong sinkhole .
Swimming in the underground river. Photo: @junglebosstours
Regulations when participating in the tour to explore Kong sinkhole
Health regulations
The age to participate in conquering the Kong sinkhole is determined to be between 16 and 65 years old. For exploration journeys with dangerous elements such as rope swings or difficult mountain climbing, age regulations will be specifically adjusted.
The cave safety team always maintains a regular distribution of personnel and is ready to assist visitors in case problems arise.
People with health problems such as cardiovascular disease, fear of heights, high blood pressure, joint diseases and other medical conditions that are not suitable for adventure travel activities will not be allowed to participate.
The Cave Safety Committee will carry out health checks for visitors one day before starting the journey to conquer the Kong sinkhole and provide training on basic skills related to caving, rope swing techniques , climbing… This knowledge and skills will help you be ready and confident to explore Kong sinkhole safely and fully.
To conquer the Kong sinkhole, you need to meet health standards. Photo: @nanavivu
Utensils to bring
In the Tiger cave system, the temperature remains quite low, only 8-10 degrees Celsius. Therefore, warm clothing is extremely important. To cope with cold weather conditions, wet-resistant puffer suits are a reasonable choice for outer wear. You also need to ensure safety and comfort by bringing gloves, helmets and climbing shoes, especially when climbing steep slopes, clinging to vines and crawling through caves with low ceilings.
Bringing a flashlight, tent and camping equipment is an important step because you will need to camp at sites along the Tiger cave system. At the same time, it is important to equip waterproof accessories for devices such as camcorders, cameras, or phones because the humid environment in the cave can be harmful to these devices.
The most important thing is to make sure you have received adequate safety equipment and understand the instructions from the safety department. This will help support the process of conquering the Kong sinkhole safely, avoiding any unwanted incidents and accidents.
Photo: @alice_ha47
Kong sinkhole is a unique geological area, famous for its concentration of large caves and rich topographic structures. This place possesses unique caves with interesting stalactite systems and primeval forests that have been formed over millions of years. The interesting thing about conquering Kong sinkhole is a memorable experience that you and your family should try at least once in your life to explore the wonderful natural beauty, seek novelty and overcome limits own.
($1=24,000 VND)
Photo,Video: Internet (Vinlove.net)