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. Highlights were the discovery of a new cave system in Lam Hoa/Hoa Phuc, and the potential for a new deep system in Hoa Son. These latest discoveries continue to fill in the Quang Binh caving map.
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. Highlights were the discovery of a new cave system in Lam Hoa/Hoa Phuc, and the potential for a new deep system in Hoa Son. These latest discoveries continue to fill in the Quang Binh caving map.
2023 was the first opportunity for an expedition after the pandemic. A team of nine cavers investigated a new limestone area between Lam Hoa and Hoa Phuc Villages. They found an extensive system of small stream caves across the Tru and Ka Vong Valleys, including several passages that connected with each other.
The team also started exploring Hoa Son Commune. At Hang Cha Ngheo, they performed a deep vertical descent but had to stop when they ran out of rope, with more of the cave still left to go. Additionally, a diving mission in the upstream section of Hang Va successfully found a new passage leading further into the cave. These results showed that there were still many new areas to map.
The expedition of this year successfully surveyed and mapped a total of 11.7km.
Key Achievements
Hang Cha Ngheo
Hang Cham Lang
Hang Ca Xuan
Hang Tru 1
In 2024, a team of eight cavers and Vietnamese safety specialists from Oxalis investigated several areas. Although 25 cave entrances were investigated, most of the caves surveyed were short. The team also explored some deep shafts in the southern part of the massif, between Khe Ry and Khe Trieng. Additionally, a higher entrance to Hang Khe Trieng was found and explored. Hang Va and Tien 2 sumps were dived
The expedition of this year successfully surveyed and mapped a total of 4,788m.
Key Achievements
Hang Vuc Hung
MAJOR CAVES EXPLORED | |
|---|---|
2023 | 2024 |
Hang Cha Ngheo | Vuc Hung |
Hang Pha | Hang Doi Trieng |
Hang Tru 1 | |
Hang Cham Lang | |
Hang Ca Xuan | |
Hang Len Phung | |
CAVE PASSAGE SURVEYED | |
|---|---|
2023 | 2024 |
11.7km | 4.8km |
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.
Following the resounding success of the initial stage (1990-1995), the British Cavers returned to Quang Binh in 1997 and 1999.
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.