Phong Nha–Kẻ Bàng National Park

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Lore & Background

Phong Nha–Kẻ Bàng National Park is situated in central Vietnam, roughly 500 kilometers south of Hanoi, within a vast limestone zone covering 2,000 square kilometers on the Vietnamese side, which adjoins an equally large limestone area in neighboring Laos. The park’s core zone spans 857.54 square kilometers, surrounded by a buffer zone of 1,954 square kilometers. It was established to safeguard one of the world’s two largest karst regions, a landscape of exceptional complexity featuring around 300 caves and grottoes, and to protect the limestone forest ecosystem of the Annamite Range. The park takes its name from Phong Nha Cave, known for its striking rock formations, and the Kẻ Bàng forest. The plateau itself is considered a premier example of a complex karst landform in Southeast Asia. The cave system’s total explored length reached about 126 kilometers as of a 2009 survey, though many areas remain unexplored. That same survey led to the discovery of Sơn Đoòng Cave, now recognized as the world’s largest cave, with a main chamber over five kilometers long, 200 meters high, and 150 meters wide. Even before this find, Phong Nha held world records for the longest underground river and the largest combined caverns and passageways. Human presence in the area dates back to at least the 9th century, evidenced by Champa inscriptions carved on steles and Buddhist altars inside the caves, long before Vietnamese southward expansion. The cave was first recorded in literature in 1550, and in the 19th century, a French explorer declared it the finest cave in Indochina. Later British expeditions in the 1990s and 2000s, often in collaboration with Vietnamese researchers, systematically mapped and documented the extensive cave network, including the discovery of Paradise Cave, hailed as the largest and most beautiful in the park at the time. The park was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003 for its outstanding geological values.

Reader's Guide

Phong Nha–Kẻ Bàng National Park protects one of the world’s two largest karst regions, a limestone zone spanning 2,000 km² in Vietnam that adjoins another 2,000 km² in Laos. Its core area covers 857.54 km², with a buffer zone of 1,954 km². The park’s 300 caves and grottoes include Sơn Đoòng, discovered in 2009 by British and Vietnamese explorers, now recognized as the world’s largest cave. Even before that find, the park held world records for the longest river cave and the largest combined caverns and passageways. The plateau is a premier example of complex karst landform in Southeast Asia. Human presence dates to the 9th century, evidenced by Champa inscriptions on steles and Buddhist altars. The cave was first recorded in literature in 1550 and later conferred titles by Nguyễn dynasty kings. In the late 19th century, French priest Léopold Michel Cadière explored Phong Nha Cave, discovering Champa scripts and declaring it “the number one cave of Indochina.” A 1935 discovery revealed Tien Son Cave, a dry cave with fairy-tale-like formations. Systematic exploration began in 1990 through a collaboration between Hanoi University and the British Cave Research Association, leading to extensive surveys. By 2009, British cavers had mapped 20 new caves totaling 56 km, including Sơn Đoòng. The park was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003 for its geological values.

Did You Know?

• The park's name comes from Phong Nha Cave and Kẻ Bàng forest.
• Champa inscriptions from the 9th century have been found in the cave.