Only 164 people visited the natural masterpiece, Son Doong cave, locatedin the heart of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, a UNESCO-recognisednature heritage site, in the first half of this year.
Managers said the figure is still modest in comparison with visitors’demand, however it generated a revenue of nearly 10 billion VND (nearly470,000 USD) for central Quang Binh province, the host locality of thecave.
Many people who have booked the tour, which issold online only, said they are still waiting for their turn to explorethe cave, which is described as the largest in the world.
Nguyen Van Ky, vice director of the Quang Binh Department of Culture,Sport and Tourism, revealed that only four trips, each having eightpeople, were organised a month as the tour is still on a trial basis.
The province plans to review the tour’s efficiency,including its cost, in August this year in a bid to make the optimalplans for future exploratory activities. During the trial period, eachseven-day-and-six-night tour costs a visitor 3,000 USD.
Recently, the cave welcomed Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan AlNahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United ArabEmirates.
Quang Binh opened Son Doong Cave in 2013, instantly catapulting it onto the bucket lists of travellers around the world.
The cave's entrance was first discovered by a local man in 1991, andwas further explored by a group of cavers from the British Cave ResearchAssociation in 2009. This was the third cave to be discovered in thecentral province – an expansive karst area buried deep in the jungle.
The cave is said to have been created two to fivemillion years ago with river water eroding the limestone underneath themountain. It is also described as having enough space to house 40-storeyskyscrapers and 100-feet-tall trees.
Son Doong has alength of at least 6.5 kilometres and is estimated to be 200 metres inwidth and at least 150 metres in height, while its very largest chamberis an incredible 250 metres in height, enough space to accommodate40-storey skyscrapers.
Cave tourism has recently turned Quang Binh into a hot spot for visitors from around the world.-VNA
Managers said the figure is still modest in comparison with visitors’demand, however it generated a revenue of nearly 10 billion VND (nearly470,000 USD) for central Quang Binh province, the host locality of thecave.
Many people who have booked the tour, which issold online only, said they are still waiting for their turn to explorethe cave, which is described as the largest in the world.
Nguyen Van Ky, vice director of the Quang Binh Department of Culture,Sport and Tourism, revealed that only four trips, each having eightpeople, were organised a month as the tour is still on a trial basis.
The province plans to review the tour’s efficiency,including its cost, in August this year in a bid to make the optimalplans for future exploratory activities. During the trial period, eachseven-day-and-six-night tour costs a visitor 3,000 USD.
Recently, the cave welcomed Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan AlNahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United ArabEmirates.
Quang Binh opened Son Doong Cave in 2013, instantly catapulting it onto the bucket lists of travellers around the world.
The cave's entrance was first discovered by a local man in 1991, andwas further explored by a group of cavers from the British Cave ResearchAssociation in 2009. This was the third cave to be discovered in thecentral province – an expansive karst area buried deep in the jungle.
The cave is said to have been created two to fivemillion years ago with river water eroding the limestone underneath themountain. It is also described as having enough space to house 40-storeyskyscrapers and 100-feet-tall trees.
Son Doong has alength of at least 6.5 kilometres and is estimated to be 200 metres inwidth and at least 150 metres in height, while its very largest chamberis an incredible 250 metres in height, enough space to accommodate40-storey skyscrapers.
Cave tourism has recently turned Quang Binh into a hot spot for visitors from around the world.-VNA
