Vietnam’s cable car addiction (see Sapa and Ha Long Bay) has reached Son Doong Cave, the largest in the world and one of the country’s most valuable natural treasures.
A local man, Ho Khanh, discovered Quang Binh Province’s Son Doong Cave in 1991, but it wasn’t until 2009 that a group of British cavers repelled into the cave and found a jungle, rivers and a vast array of wildlife inside.
The Cave opened to small groups of tourists in 2013 and it became an instant hit for adventure-seekers. Tours, which cost $3,000 each, are fully booked through 2015.
In an effort to fully exploit the cave’s tourism potential, a resort developer has been given the go-ahead to build a $212 million, 10.6km cable car system that would both serve a planned resort in the area and travel through some of the Cave’s openings, reports Thanh Nien.
While we’re sure it would be quite a ride, given the country’s track record when it comes to the development of rivers, beaches and mountains, we doubt that the scheme will have a small environmental impact.
