A mountain climb race is scheduled to take place in the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in central Quang Binh province from August 5 to 20 in conjunction with the local cave festival season.

Climbers will compete against each other on a 30-metre artificial mountain built outside of Toi Cave, the highest of its kind in Vietnam.

The eco-tourism area of the Chay River and Toi cave in central Quang Binh province went into operation in 2011 with a range of popular tourist activities, including zip-lines and mud baths inside the cave.

The new artificial mountain is expected to make the site appeal to a greater number of travellers.

Established in 2001, the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is among the 238 most important ecological zones in the world. Covering 85,754 hectares, the park was recognised as a UNESCO geological and geomorphological World Natural Heritage Site in 2003.-VNA