Following the resounding success of the initial stage (1990-1995), the British Cavers returned to Quang Binh in 1997 and 1999. In this period, the team began to access more remote areas of the Phong Nha - Ke Bang limestone massif, revealing new insights into the cave system here.
The 1997 expedition consisted of eight cavers and three geologists. The key achievement is the investigation of the upper reaches of the Hang Vom System and the main river sinks of the Phong Nha System.
The total caves explored on this expedition were 20,483m.
Key Achievements
Hang Ho (Tiger Cave): The team surveyed 1,616m of the cave. Hang Ho is characterized by massive boulder-strewn passages and large gour formations next to a huge exit. The cave also includes a deep-water section that must be navigated by swimming.
Hang Over: The team surveyed 3,244m here. Hang Over is renowned for its massive passages and unique cave formations.
Hang Pygmy: With 845m documented during this expedition, Hang Pygmy features a colossal entrance, standing as a testament to the grand scale of caves within the core zone.
Hang Khe Ry: This was the most remarkable discovery of 1997. The team investigated the primary river sinks of the Phong Nha System, including Khe Thy, Khe Ry, and Khe Trieng. Hang Khe Ry was initially explored for 13,817m in 1997, immediately becoming the longest river cave in the world and the longest cave in Vietnam at that time.
In 1999, the team of nine cavers and two geologists spent a short time in Quang Binh before moving on to explore caves mostly in Cao Bang and Lang Son. Their primary work in Quang Binh this year was the exploration of Hang Khe Ry. The cave continued to be recorded as the longest cave in Vietnam at the time with 18.902m long.
Key Achievement
Hang Khe Ry: The team conducted a five-day underground camp inside the cave. They extended the cave by 5 kilometres, making it the longest cave in Vietnam at 18.902m and probably the longest single river cave that can be negotiated underground in the world. The cave exits in the enclosed valley, joining up with the waters from Hang En. Downstream, both these waters entered a sink that was blocked by trees and boulders. It would be discovered 10 years later that this was the water for Hang Son Doong, the largest cave in the world.
1997 | 1999 |
|---|---|
Hang Ho | Hang Khe Ry |
Hang Over | |
Hang Pygmy | |
Khe Ry | |
Khe Trieng |
1997 | 1999 |
|---|---|
20,483m | 6625m |
A comprehensive Phong Nha introduction covering the village's history, early stages of cave exploration, and the rise of world-class cave tourism in Vietnam.
After some years gap due to the pandemic, the British caving team returned in 2023 & 2024 to continue the exploration in Quang Binh. In these years, the team surveyed more than 15km of new passages.
The period between 2016 and 2020 marks 30 years of British caving expeditions to Vietnam, moving beyond the established master systems into the rugged, less-accessible karst of Quang Ninh and Minh Hoa Districts.
From 2006 to 2010, a series of expeditions transformed the Ke Bang Massif into a global caving landmark.
The Phong Nha-Ke Bang Massif, located in Quang Binh Province, Central Vietnam, is one of the largest limestone massifs in the world and the oldest in Southeast Asia, with rocks dating back 450 million years.
The period between 2001 and 2005 represents a special chapter in the journey of British cavers in Vietnam.
The period between 2011 and 2015 represents a phase of intensive exploration for the British Cavers in Quang Binh.