The newly-discovered cave, located within the strictly-protected zone of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in Quang Tri Province, has been named Thang Cave, or Victory Cave, after the local resident who first identified its entrance.
After receiving information about the cave in early June, the park's management board partnered with Jungle Boss, an adventure tourism and cave exploration company, to conduct a six day survey.
To reach the cave floor, the exploration team descended approximately 20 metres by rope. Upon entering, they found themselves inside what they described as a vast "palace of stalactites", shaped over hundreds of thousands of years of geological formation.
Thang Cave stretches for around 3,000 metres, with an average width of 70 metres and sections exceeding 100 metres. It has two entrances and branches into two separate passages. The main entrance is about five metres wide, while the exit is so narrow that only one adult can squeeze through at a time.
Almost the entire length of the cave is lined with spectacular limestone formations.
Towering stalagmite columns, some reaching 50 metres in height, rise from the cave floor, while long stone draperies cascade from the ceiling and massive stalagmites resemble towering fortresses.
Further inside, the cave gradually opens into an immense chamber beneath the limestone mountain. Its high, naturally sculpted ceiling and shafts of light filtering through create dramatic patterns of light and shadow across the rock walls.
The cave's stalactites and stalagmites display a remarkable variety of shapes, layers and colours, forming an extraordinary underground landscape.
The expedition also documented a large concentration of cave pearls, many of them unusually large. The smooth, rounded mineral spheres were found clustered inside natural rock basins and are considered one of the cave's most significant geological features.
Cave pearls typically form in shallow calcium rich pools, often described as underground terraces, where mineral laden water drips continuously from the cave ceiling. Variations in mineral content determine whether the pearls develop a white or golden colour.
With its spectacular geological formations and pristine condition, Thang Cave is expected to become one of Quang Tri's most remarkable natural attractions, offering visitors a new destination for exploring Vietnam's ancient limestone landscapes.
Photos: Jungle Boss
