Sơn Đoòng Cave

Deep, deep under the green mountains in a country called Vietnam, there is a secret world. Shhh, can you hear that. It is the sound of a river rushing through the dark and the wind whistling a happy tune. I have been sleeping here for a very long time, keeping my secrets safe. I am a giant, hidden room inside the Earth. My name is Sơn Đoòng Cave, and I am the biggest cave in the whole wide world.

For millions of years, nobody knew I was here. I was playing a long, quiet game of hide-and-seek. Then one day, in the year 1990, a man named Hồ Khanh found my entrance. It was like he said “peek-a-boo.”. But then, a big rainstorm came, and he had to leave. He tried to find me again, but I was too good at hiding. He couldn't remember the way. Many years went by. Then, in the year 2009, he remembered. He brought his friends, two brave explorers named Howard and Deb Limbert, to come and see me. They were the very first people to explore my giant rooms and see my wonderful secrets.

What did they find inside. They found a magical world. I have my very own jungle growing tall inside me, with trees that reach for the sunlight. I even make my own fluffy white clouds that float near my ceiling, just like the clouds in the sky. All around, giant, sparkly rock shapes stand like big, beautiful statues. I am a very special place, and people take good care of me. I am here to remind you that the Earth is full of amazing surprises and that there is always something new and wonderful to discover.