Vietnam’s most prized cave open to tourists in September

Located in Quang Binh Province, this cave is expected to draw visitors from all of the world.

The Quang Binh Province People's Committee has permitted Truong Thinh Joint Stock Company to invest about VND83 billion in the first phase of the Thien Duong Cave Project.

Truong Thinh Company will launch a tour to the Sun Spa Resort, Thien Duong and Tam Co caves early next month.

First discovered in 2005 by the British Royal Cave Research Association, Thien Duong (meaning Paradies in Vietnamese) stretches 31kilometres and is the longest cave ever found in Vietnam.

Located some 60 kilometres northwest of Dong Hoi City, Thien Duong Cave lies within the Phong Nha-Ke Bang Park’s conservation area. The cave has the most beautiful and spectacular stalactites in the park. The whole structure has been preserved intact with stunning limestone formations.

According to chairman of the Quang Binh Province People’s Committee, Nguyen Huu Hoai, the province is greatly favoured by nature with a long beautiful beach, a majestic Truong Son Mountain range, and especially the UNESCO Natural Heritage Phong Nha-Ke Bang which boasts hundreds of spectacular caves.

“As such, we consider tourism a key industry,” Hoai said. “I believe that this new project will help attract more visitors to Quang Binh.”

According to statistics provided by the Quang Binh Province People’s Committee, the number of visitors to the province is increasing sharply with a total of 650,000 in 2009, nearly half of which went to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.

The first half of 2010 saw more than 40,000 visitors to the province, an increase of 27% compared to the same period last year. With this new tour, the province is hoping to boost tourism more in the coming years.

(Sources: Lan Huong | dtinews.vn)