Phong Nha Ke Bang grottoes and caves overview

Phong Nha Ke Bang has numerous grottoes and caves. Besides the grotto and cave systems, Phong Nha has the longest underground river, largest caverns and passageways.

ThienDuong-cave-phongnha-kebang1 Phong Nha Ke Bang grottoes and caves overview

Vietnamese and British scientists have so far surveyed a total of 20 caves with a total length of 70 km. Of these surveyed caves, 17 were in the Phong Nha area and three in the Ke Bang area.
The Phong Nha cave from which the name to the whole system and the park is derived is famous for their rock formations which have been given names such as the “Lion”, the “Fairy Caves”, the “Royal Court”, and the “Buddha”.

vom-grotto-phong-nha-ke-bang1 Phong Nha Ke Bang grottoes and caves overview
Phong Nha – Ke Bang also contains two dozens of mountain peaks with over 1,000 metres height. Noteworthy peaks are the Peak Co Rilata with ta height of 1,128 m and the Peak Co Preu with a height of 1,213 m.
The park is part of the Annamites eco-region. According to the results of initial surveys, the primary tropical forest in Phong Nha – Ke Bang 140 families, 427 genera, and 751 species of vascular plants, of which 36 species are endangered and listed in the Vietnam Red Book. The forest is also home to 98 families, 256 genera and 381 species of vertebrates. Sixty-six animal species are listed in the Vietnam Red Book and 23 other species in the World Red Book.
In 2005, a new species of gecko was discovered here by a group of Vietnamese biologists together with biologists working for the park, Cologne Zoo in Germany and the Saint Petersburg Wild Zoology Institute in Russia.

phong-nha-ke-bang-cave-entry1 Phong Nha Ke Bang grottoes and caves overviewBesides the grotto and cave systems, Phong Nha has the longest underground river. The Son and Chay are the main rivers in this national park. Most of caves here have been shaped by Son and Chay Rivers. The Son River flows into the mouth of the Phong Nha cave and keeps on underground, where it is called as the Nam Aki River. It emerges 20 km to the south near Pu-Pha-Dam Mountain.
There are over ten spectacular streams, springs and waterfalls in Phong Nha-Ke Bang area, namely: Gió waterfall, Madame Loan waterfall, M?c stream erupting from a limestone mount range, and Tràng  An stream.

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Son Doong cave

The biggest chamber of Son Doong is over five kilometers in length, 200 meters high and 150 meters wide.

son-doong-cave-phongnha-kebang Son Doong cave
Son Doong Cave (in Vietnamese: Hang Son Ðoòng, meaning Mountain River Cave) is one of the most newly-found caves in the national park. Found by British cave scientists of the British Cave Research Association, it is regarded as the largest cave in the world.The biggest chamber of Son Doong is over five kilometers in length, 200 meters high and 150 meters wide. With these tremendous dimensions, Son Doong overtakes Deer Cave of Malaysia to take the title of world’s largest cave. Because the fast flowing underground river in the cave deterred the explorers from going farther, they are only able to estimate the length of the cave using a flashlight. They will carry out further exploration in the near future. The cave had been discovered by a native man in 1991, but he could not remember the way to the cave until January, 2008. From the end of March to April 14, 2009, he helped the explorers to traverse the 10 kilometer forest pass to access the cave mouth. Because of the difficulty in traversing into the cave as well as dangerous conditions in the cave, the cave will be open only to scientists in the near future. The cave was found by a local man named Ho-Khanh in 1991. The local jungle men were afraid of the cave for the whistling sound it makes from the underground river. However, not until 2009 was it made known to the public when a group of British scientists from the British Cave Research Association, led by Howard and Deb Limbert, conducted a survey in Phong Nha-Ke Bang from April 10–14, 2009.Their progress was stopped by a large calcite wall. According to Limbert, this cave is five times larger than the Phong Nha cave, previously considered the biggest cave in Vietnam. The biggest chamber of Son Doong is over five kilometers in length.

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Tu Lan Cave System

Tu-lan-cave-300x200 Tu Lan Cave SystemThe Tu Lan Cave System comprises of Tu Lan cave, Ken cave, Chuot cave, Kim cave, and Song cave is located in Minh Hoa District, Quang Binh Province. This is a Karts center of 200ha next to Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park. The cave system was discovered by Only 3 caves, Tu Lan, Ken cave and Tien cave were explored on the 2010 expedition. In 2012 the BCRA expedition came back and explored more caves including Hung Ton cave, Uoi cave, Chuot cave, Son Oxalis cave and Kim cave, and a few more caves have been found in 2013 in this area. The Tu Lan cave system became popular when Carsten Peter (NatGeo photographer) took a photo in Ken cave that won so many prizes in National Geographic Magazine in 2011. The cave system is now open for tourists and managed by Oxalis. The intent of Oxalis is to keep this cave system totally natural, no construction and housing will be built in this area. The objective is to make everybody feel like the first person in the area. There are several tour options from one day to 6 days and from very easy to very hard treks. (July 2013).

Map of Tu Lan cave system:

IMG 19112013 113241 Tu Lan Cave System

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Phong Nha Ke Bang – a wonderful destination

Before discovery of Son Doong Cave, Phong Nha held several world cave records, as it has the longest underground river, as well as the largest caverns and passageways.

Phong Nha-Ke Bang area is noted for its cave and grotto systems as it is composed of 300 caves and grottos with a total length of about 70 km, of which only 20 have been surveyed by Vietnamese and British scientists; 17 of these are in located in the Phong Nha area and three in the Ke Bang area. After April 2009, total length of caves and grottoes are 126 km.Before discovery of Son Doong Cave, Phong Nha held several world cave records, as it has the longest underground river, as well as the largest caverns and passageways.

phongnha-kebang13-e1312482014129  Phong Nha Ke Bang - a wonderful destination
The park derives it name from Phong Nha cave, the most beautiful of all, containing many fascinating rock formations, and Ke Bang forest.

inside-the-phong-nha-cave-02-e1312482080526  Phong Nha Ke Bang - a wonderful destination
The plateau on which the park is situated is probably one of the finest and most distinctive examples of a complex karst landform in Southeast Asia.

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The beauty of Tien Son Grotto

In Tien Son Grotto, some look like a man or an animal, and there is one that looks like the Learning Tower of Pisa in Italy.

tienson-grotto-phongnha-kebang2 The  beauty of  Tien Son GrottoTien Son Grotto is more than 980m long. Going into the cave for about 400m, visitors will see an abyss, about 10m deep. Then comes another part of the cave, about 500m long is rather dangerous for walking. At present, nearly 400m of the cave have been installed with lighting system to make it safe for visitors.

Some look like a man or an animal, and there is one that looks like the Learning Tower of Pisa in Italy. On the cave ceiling, there are glittering gold and silver-like veins. Some stalagmites produce an echoing sound when slightly knocked.

Limber Howard, Chief of the British Royal Team of Cave Researchers, who visited and made studies of the site, said that Tien Son Grotto may have been formed tens of millions of years ago. A river ran through the limestone mountain and eroded it. Then huge rocks fell, separated the mountain and form the cave. An under ground river ran through the lower part of the mountain, creating Phong Nha Grotto. Thus, Tien Son Grotto is older than Phong Nha Grotto and they do not link with each other. Geographical tectonics in Tien Son Grotto is rather stable.

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Phong Nha – Ke bang National Park Fauna

Preliminary fauna surveys in Phong Nha Ke Bang have documented a total of 735 vertebrate species,including 127 threatened species,91 of them listed in the Vietnam Red Data Book 18 species listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

rare-animals-in-phong-nha-ke-bang-011 Phong Nha - Ke bang National Park FaunaPreliminary faunal surveys have documented a total of 735 vertebrate species,including 127 threatened species,91 of them listed in the Vietnam Red Data Book 18 species listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. In particular among of the total of 41 animal endemic species 30 species are endemic to Vietnam and 40 species are endemic to Annamite Mountain Range (Vietnam and Laos).

phongnha-kebang-forest1 Phong Nha - Ke bang National Park Fauna
Vietnam has 224 mammal species within territory,132 mammal species have been recorded in Phong Nha –Ke Bang,of which 46 species listed in the Vietnam Red Data Book and 34 species listed in the IUCN Red List. In addition 9 mammal species are endemic to the Annamite Range,of which 2 species are endemic to Vietnam. Notable among mammal species are Hatinh Langur Trachypithecus laotum hatinhensis (EN),Pygathrix nemaeus (EN),White-cheeked Gibbon Nomascus leucogenys siki,Tiger Panthera tigris (EN),Saola Pseudoryx nghetinhensis (CR),Particoloured Flying Squirrel Hylopetes alboniger (EN),and Dhole Cuon alpinus (EN).
birds-phongnha-kebang Phong Nha - Ke bang National Park Fauna
Phong Nha and Ke Bang have been identified by BirdLife International (2005) as two of more than sixty Important Bird Area of Vietnam.. 338 species of birds have been recorded in the Park while Vietnam has 828 bird species. 20 species among them are listed in the Red Data Book of Vietnam and 17 species listed in the IUCN Red List. In particular 7 bird species are endemic to the Annamite Mountain Range and 4 species are endemic to Vietnam. The Sooty Babbler Stachyris herberti occurs only in the karst area of the Phong Nha –Ke Bang NP and in an adjacent karst area in Laos. Notable recorded bird species are Vietnamese Pheasant Lophura hatinhensis (EN),Edward’s Pheasant Lophura edwardsi (EN),and Silver Pheasant Lophura nycthemera (EN).

phongnhakebang-reptile Phong Nha - Ke bang National Park Fauna
Phong Nha –Ke Bang is home of 96 reptile species and 45 amphibian species while 458 reptile species and 162 amphibian species recorded for Vietnam. 22 reptile and amphibian species which occur in Phong Nha-Ke Bang are listed in the Red Data Book of Vietnam and 18 species are listed in the IUCN Red List. Seven reptile species and 2 amphibian species are endemic to Vietnam. In the recent five years (from 2000 to 2005) 6u  reptiles have been described as new species to science:Triceratolepidophis sieversorum Ziegler et al. 2000,Cyrtodactylus phongnhakebangensis Ziegler et al. 2002,Gekko scientiadventura Rosler et al. 2004,Tropidophorus noggei,Camalaria thanhi Ziegler 2005,Trimeresurus truongsonensis Ziegler 2004,and 1 amphibian species:Rana megatymparum. These seven species are restricted range species to Phong Nha Ke Bang NP and most probably to a small area in Laos. Notable species among the reptiles are Cuora galbinifrons (CR),Cuora trifasciata (CR),Mauremys mutica (EN),Pyxidea mouhotii (EN),Ocadia sinensis (EN),Indotestudo elongata (EN),Palea steindachneri (EN).

The specific characteristics of rivers and stream in Phong Nha- Ke Bang cause the particular fish fauna. One hundred twenty four fish species have been recorded in the Park,of which 4 of them are listed in the Red Data Book of Vietnam and 5 species are listed in the IUCN Red List. Thirteen fish species are restricted range species to the Phong Nha –Ke Bang NP,12 of them are recently described as new species (Thai Tu,2006).

Initiative surveys have recorded 369 insect species,of which 270 species of butterflies about one fifth of the number of butterflies in Vietnam

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Phong Nha – Ke bang National Park Flora

The current vascular plant list for the  Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park contains 116 threatened species,of which 62 species are listed in Vietnam Red Data Book and 79 species listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2006.

Phong-Nha-Ke-bang-Flora Phong Nha - Ke bang National Park Flora

Based on the results of surveys,a list of vascular plants was established,with 193 families,906 genera and 2,651 vascular plant species. The current vascular plant list for the National Park contains 116 threatened species,of which 62 species are listed in Vietnam Red Data Book and 79 species listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2006. In particular the Park is home of 419 plant species endemic to Vietnam,of which 28 orchid species are endemic to Vietnam and a narrow endemic genus (Oligoceras eberhardtii) to the Park. Otherwise Cacelodrus rupetris,a large coniferous tree,is endemic species to limestone areas of Vietnam. This species are mono-dominant trees in the typical forest type in the World. Many threatened plant species with very high values occur in the Park such as Dipterocarpus kerrii (CR),Dipterocarpus turbinatus (CR),Dipterocarpus hasseltii (CR),Hopea chinensis (CR),Hopea hainanensis (CR),Hopea mollissima (CR),Hopea reticulata (CR),Hopea siamensis (CR),Vatica diospyroides (CR),Dalbergia bariaensis (EN),Dalbergia mammosa (EN),Erythrophleum fordii (EN),Hopea pierrei (EN),Vatica cinerea (EN).

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Phong Nha – Ke Bang – the diversity of forest types

The abundance of geologies and topographies in Phong Nha –Ke Bang National Park cause the diversity of forest types.

phongnha-kebang12 Phong Nha - Ke Bang - the diversity of forest types

Fifteen forest types and sub-types have been identifies in the Park. The forest cover is a high level of 93.57% of the total area of the Park,of which 83.74% are primary forests. Primary forest in Phong Nha –Ke Bang NP is the highest percentage in Protected Areas of Vietnam. There are significant forest types of which limestone forest is the largest area in limestone areas of Vietnam. In particular 22,500 ha of limestone forest above 700m asl. is national and global outstanding values. In addition more than one thousand hectares of mono-dominant tree Cacelodrus rupetris,endemic species to limestone of Vietnam,with Paphiodendron spp. on karst under Cacelodrus rupetris canopy is a unique forest type in the world.

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Phong Nha-Ke Bang – a high diversity of plant and animal species

The limestone forest ecosystem at Phong Nha-Ke Bang supports a high diversity of plant and animal species.

rare-animals-in-phong-nha-ke-bang-00 Phong Nha-Ke Bang - a high diversity of plant and animal speciesThe limestone forest ecosystem at Phong Nha-Ke Bang supports a high diversity of plant and animal species. Of perhaps the greatest conservation significance are several species found at the site that are endemic to this part of central Vietnam and Laos. These include Sooty Babbler Stachyris herbeti, a globally near-threatened species that went unrecorded between its discovery in Laos in the 1920s and its rediscovery at the site in 1994. Phong Nha-Ke Bang also supports populations of two endemic primates, Annamese Leaf Monkey Trachypithecus hatinhensis, and an all-black form referred to as Black Leaf Monkey T. ebenus.

rare-animals-in-phong-nha-ke-bang-01 Phong Nha-Ke Bang - a high diversity of plant and animal species

Scientists recorded a number of globally threatened mammals in the area, including Owston’s Civet Hemigalus owstoni and Southern Serow Naemorhedus sumatraensis. In addition, the globally endangered Red-shanked Douc Pygathrix nemaeus has been recorded at the site by a number of authors. Also, the recently described Annamite Striped Rabbit Nesolagus timminsi was recorded at Phong Nha-Ke Bang in 1998.

With regard to the avifauna of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, scientists recorded several globally threatened and near-threatened species, including Crested Argus Rheinardia ocellata, Chestnut-necklaced Partridge Arborophila charltonii, Red-collared Woodpecker Picus rabieri and Short-tailed Scimitar Babbler Jabouilleia danjoui. On the basis of the occurrence of four restricted-range bird species, Phong Nha-Ke Bang lies within the Annamese Lowlands Endemic Bird Area. Researchers consider Phong Nha-Ke Bang to be of particular importance for bird conservation, because the populations of species of conservation concern are not at immediate risk of extirpation or major population declines. Both Phong Nha and the adjacent Ke Bang limestone area (including the portion in Minh Hoa district, outside of the national park) qualify as Important Bird

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The limestone karst massif of Phong Nha Ke Bang

The three most comprehensive biodiversity surveys of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park have recorded a high diversity of animal and plant species at the site, including a number endemic to the limestone karst massif.

limestone-karst-massif1 The limestone karst massif of Phong Nha Ke Bang

The three most comprehensive biodiversity surveys of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, together with the work of numerous other researchers, have recorded a high diversity of animal and plant species at the site, including a number endemic to the limestone karst massif.

The nature of the terrain at Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park has restricted encroachment into limestone areas. As a result, the limestone karst is almost entirely forested, apart from steep cliff faces. The only clearance of forest has been in flat valleys within the limestone massif, and in lowland areas bordering it. Natural forest covers the majority of the national park. The most widespread forest type is limestone forest but there are also significant areas of lowland evergreen forest distributed on non-calcareous substrates in valleys among the limestone karst.
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