Majestic interior of Sung Sot Cave (Credit: LAM VICTORIA via Shutterstock)

Viet Nam owns many beautiful and mysterious caves. Famed for its emerald waters and majestic limestone cliffs and isles, Ha Long Bay is surely a spectacular seascape. It is also home to many natural treasures including Sung Sot Cave (otherwise known as Surprise Cave). The French had been searching for this cave since 1901 and in the book "Ha Long Tours" published in 1938, they called this Grotte des surprises.

Located on Bo Hon Island, surounded by Bo Nau Cave, Me Cung Cave, Luon Cave, Ti Top Island..., Sung Sot Cave has many stalactites in rare shapes. The road to Sung Sot Cave is covered by shadow of trees and consists of great paved stone blocks that amaze tourists.

Sung Sot Cave includes two chambers. The first one look like to a wide theatre hall with many stalactites in numerous possible forms and shapes. A narrow passage leads to the second chamber, where a flow of light meets visitors. Light posts line the passage and serve as signposts and ornaments. Up to the highest point, you’ll uncover its ‘royal garden’, that flaunts a clear pond and a spectacular landscape of small mountains.

You’ll feel uber tiny when standing within the cave walls of Hang Son Doong
(Credit: Hanoi Photography via Shutterstock)

Being in the list of the most beautiful caves in Southeast Asia, Son Doong Cave in Quang Binh Province is known as the largest cave passage cross-section in the world. Son Doong Cave was created more than two million years ago by river water eroding limestone underneath a mountain. The water erodes and creates a large underground tunnel under the mountains. In the soft limestone areas, the ceiling collapses, forming holes and caverns. More than 150 metres of height, 200 metres of width and roughly nine kilometers of length, this colossal cave in Viet Nam will awe you with its enormous stalagmites, majestic stalactites, super-abundant greeneries, and its large, fast-flowing subterranean river. So, if you’re searching for an adventure of a lifetime that entails trekking, hiking and rappelling, time to book an expedition tour to this jaw-dropping natural wonder.

Thehoneycombers.com also introduces other eight breathtaking natural wonders in Southeast Asia  including Phraya Nakhon Cave, Hua Hin (Thailand); Phnom Chhnork Cave, Kampot (Cambodia); Goa Jomblang, Yogyakarta (Indonesia); Tham Phu Kham, Vang Vieng (Laos); Batu Caves, Selangor (Malaysia); Sarawak Chamber, Gunung Mulu National Park (Malaysia); Pindaya Caves, Pindaya (Myanmar); Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, Palawan (Philippines).

Hong Thanh