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Sep 20, 2016 / 15:51

Son Doong recognised as world's largest cave by three international organisations

KTĐT - Son Doong in the central province of Quang Binh has been recognised as the largest natural cave in the world by three international organisations, including Guinness (based in the UK), the Association World Record (based in Hong Kong) and WorldKings (based in the US and India).

KTĐT - Son Doong in the central province of Quang Binh has been recognised as the largest natural cave in the world by three international organisations, including Guinness (based in the UK), the Association World Record (based in Hong Kong) and WorldKings (based in the US and India).
According to the Vietnam Record Association, VietKings, Son Doong Cave is the first and only place in the world to receive titles presented by three international world record organisations at the same time.
Son Doong Cave is located in the heart of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park in Son Trach commune, Bo Trach district in the central Quang Binh province. The cave was discovered by Ho Khanh, a local farmer in 1991. Son Doong was first explored in 2009 by the British Cave Research Association and has been open to the public since 2013.
The 1,645m-long cave system, which extends through a mountain, was named one of the most captivating caves on earth by National Geographic.
Geologists say the cave formed two to five million years ago. Son Doong is roughly 6,5km long, 200m high and 150m wide, exceeding the former world record of Deer Cave in Gunung Muli National Park in Malaysia.
The 2015 Guinness Book of World Records included an introduction to Son Doong Cave and an announcement of the cave setting a world record.
To promote both the “precious gem” of Quang Binh province and the Vietnamese tourism and to leave Vietnam’s mark on the map of world records, VietKings submitted dossiers to Association World Record and WorldKings in March 2016, proposing that the two organisations grant world record status to Son Doong Cave as the largest natural cave in the world.
Early in June 2016, Association World Record sent official documents announcing the cave’s world record status to Quang Binh province and VietKings.
The locality also received documents from WorldKings one month later, recognising Son Doong Cave as the largest natural cave in the world and detailing its founder, exploration and legal owner.