I’m a photography enthusiast, and the landscapes in Northwest Vietnam seem incredible for capturing scenic views. Are there any specific spots that are particularly photogenic...
Known as the land of natural wonders such as the Paradise Cave, Kieu Cave, and Kong Collapse, Quang Binh is always proud to be one of the most ideal tourist destinations in central Vietnam. Today, IZItour will continue to introduce to visitors the next natural wonder of the place known as the kingdom of caves - the En Cave.
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1. A Brief Introduction
En Cave is a large cave located within the grounds of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park - a tourist attraction that was:
Recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage according to geological and geomorphological criteria in 2003
Recognized by UNESCO for the second time as a World Natural Heritage with criteria of biodiversity and ecology in 2015
The cave has a length of up to 1.6km with 3 doors and the distance from the cave ceiling can be up to 100m high and about 170m wide. It is recognized as the third largest cave in the world, only behind its neighboring Son Doong cave in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park and the Deer Cave in Malaysia.
Factoids You May Not Know:
- In 2015, this cave, along with the world heritage complex of Trang An and Ha Long Bay, was also chosen to be included in some scenes in the extremely famous movie Peter Pan.
- On November 26, 2023, Son Doong Cave, En Cave, and Va Cave appeared in episode 6 - EXTREMES of the famous documentary series Planet Earth III made by BBC.
2. The name of En Cave
En is the name of a bird that, when translated into English, means Swallow. The locals gave the cave that name because this cave is home to swallows. These birds flock to this cave in large numbers to reside.
3. The majestic beauty inside En Cave
The cave was formed about 3 million years ago. The water of the Rao Thuong stream flows through the Truong Son range, leading to corrosion and creating faults in the giant limestone massif of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park.
As time passed, the faults became wider and wider, so this cave was gradually formed. Whenever the rainy season comes, the water of Rao Thuong stream rises quickly and flows fast, causing the heart of En Cave Quang Binh to expand.
Gigantic Cave
The cave has a length of 1645m, lies through a mountain, and has 3 doors leading inside the cave. Setting foot inside the cave, visitors will feel like they are setting foot in an ecosystem that is almost completely separate from the outside.
The cave is divided into 3 chambers: the entrance chamber, the middle chamber, and the exit chamber. En Cave has a huge size, with sections of the cave arch up to 140m high and nearly 200m wide.
The Camping area
The scene that will leave a mark on the hearts of visitors to En Cave is that right inside the cave there is a miniature "oasis", with stalactites that look like small mountains and the crystal clear surrounding water.
The camping area is located about 700m from the cave entrance, with a cave dome up to 140m high and 200m wide. En Cave campsite has a very large capacity while still ensuring travelers have full living space.
The campsite has a cold water lake flowing from an underground cave creating a blue lake, the water temperature in the lake is about 17 to 25 degrees. Warm in winter and cool in summer.
Following the Rao Thuong stream for about 2km, visitors will reach Son Doong cave - the largest cave in the world, also a mystery that attracts scientists around the world.
The space of artistic limestone stalactites
Right inside the cave, there is a large stalactite "kingdom" with stalactites inside this cave that is millions of years old.
With the art of arrangement of nature, the light shines from the cave entrance onto the stalactites, making them shimmer, like a picture sparkling with fanciful light, full of art.
Primary forest
En Cave is located in the core area of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, where there are ancient forests thousands of years old, therefore, 70% of tourists' trek routes are walking under the canopy of primeval forests.
The lives of local people in Doong village
To set foot in En Cave, visitors will have to go through Doong Village - a small village inhabited by a few ethnic minorities, located right in the center of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park.
Here visitors can learn about culture, and life, visit the village's school, visit stilt houses, and enjoy Quang Binh specialties.
Doong is a small village of the Bru-Van Kieu people with a population of only about 40 people. Previously, when there was no exploration program, the people of this village lived in isolation from the outside world.
4. Ideal time to explore En Cave
Located in the tropical monsoon region, Quang Binh is always affected by the mixed climate between the North and the South of Vietnam, so tourists should also carefully consider when to visit En Cave to be able to plan a careful trip to Quang Binh.
The ideal time to explore the cave is from December to September. This time can be divided into the following climates:
From December to March, the climate is not too cold, suitable for tourists to hike and trek.
From March to July is summer, so this will be the most ideal time for tourists. From July to September, the weather gradually becomes cool and sometimes it rains, so if visitors choose to explore En Cave at this time, they should refer to the weather forecast.
5. How to get to En Cave?
First, visitors will have to move to Quang Binh province by bus or plane, depending on the convenience of travel.
Then visitors will go to Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park located in Bo Trach district. Then, to set foot in this cave, visitors will have to cross Doong village and continue along the Rao Thuong stream.
To make it easier, contact IZITour and we will take care of the rest.
6. NOTES
Before exploring En Cave, tourists should prepare some of the following necessary items to ensure a smooth exploration journey.
Regarding clothing, visitors should prepare about 2 sets of clothes suitable for long road trips as well as the process of crossing forests and wading streams. Depending on the weather situation before your tour, you should prepare enough clothes. And of course, swimsuits are indispensable if visitors want to cool off by the water in the cave.
Regarding footwear, visitors should equip themselves with a pair of climbing shoes and a pair of slippers or sandals to be able to walk comfortably while camping inside the cave.
Tourists should also prepare a backpack just enough to prepare themselves with necessary personal items such as hats, sunglasses, sunscreen, mosquito repellent,... and daily personal items. If possible, visitors should prepare items that do not or use very little chemicals to avoid polluting the water source when camping in the cave.
Tourists should also pay attention to their health to ensure they have enough physical strength to participate in the En Cave exploration tour.
En Cave is always an indispensable part of tour packages to explore Phong Nha Ke Bang and tours to explore Quang Binh. Therefore, IZITour always chooses En Cave as one of the must-visit places when traveling to Quang Binh.
Hopefully, with the above sharing, visitors will get extremely useful information to be able to prepare well for exploring the 3rd largest cave in the world.
See more related articles:
>> Nhat Le Beach - The Hidden Gem Of Quang Binh
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>> Quang Phu Sand Dunes Shimmering in the Sun - A Must-see in Quang Binh
