A representative of the company licensed to operate tours of the cave confirmed the figure on the morning of October 30. A total of 10,199 visitors have successfully completed expeditions into Son Doong since 2013.
Vietnamese visitors accounted for the largest share, with 3,649 people, followed by visitors from the US with 2,821.
Son Doong Cave in Quang Tri Province (Photo: Oxalis).
Tourism activities at Son Doong have also created 130 direct jobs for local residents, including porters, cooks, safety assistants and tour guides.
Located amid the forests and mountains of Phong Nha-Ke Bang in Quang Tri Province, Son Doong Cave was first discovered in 1990 by Ho Khanh, a local resident. At the time, he saw a deep abyss and darkness inside the cave and decided not to explore further.
In 2000, when British cave explorers arrived in Phong Nha-Ke Bang, they asked Khanh to guide them to the cave. However, he had lost track of its entrance in the dense forest. It was not until 2008, eight years later, that he managed to locate it again.
Visitors explore Son Doong Cave (Photo: Oxalis).
In 2009, the British Cave Research Association explored Son Doong and announced it as the world's largest cave. Since then, the cave has attracted worldwide attention for its extraordinary dimensions and unique geological formations.
In 2013, Quang Binh Province, now part of Quang Tri, authorised Son Doong to open for tourism, with visitor numbers capped at 1,000 per year.