Quang Binh (VNA) - Phong Nha – Ke BangNational Park in the central province of Quang Binh is one of the top 10 wildplaces to visit in Southeast Asia, according to the Hong Kong-based South ChinaMorning Post newspaper.
The UNESCO site beat other famous national parkssuch as Ba Vi, Cuc Phuong and Cat Ba in the northern region to make it into thelist.
Established in 2000, Phong Nha – Ke Bang isfrequently referred to as the "Kingdom of Caves" for its magnificentspecimens.
The 900-sq-km national park, which UNESCOrecognised as a global heritage site in 2003, is home to over 300 caves andgrottoes that date back some 400 million years.
Around 30 caves are now open to visitors, creatinga tourism boom and giving much-needed revenue to the once war-torn province.
Son Doong, part of the Phong Nha – Ke BangNational Park, has hogged the international spotlight since it opened totourists in 2013, four years after members of the British Cave ResearchAssociation finished their exploration and declared it the world’s largest.
Last year, Quang Binh welcomed a record-breaking3.9 million tourists, up 18 percent from the previous year.-VNA
Son Doong Cave alluring to both tourists and scientists
Stone formations with stalagmites and stalactites, underground rivers and lakes, together with delicate flora and fauna have made mammoth Son Doong Cave in the central province of Quang Binh one of the world’s most captivating destinations.