Fifty seven new caves with a total length of more than 20km were recently found in Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park in the central province of Quang Binh, Vietnam. It is the result of a month long expedition led by a team of 13 including cave experts from the British Caving Association, officials from Vietnam National University, forest rangers and local people. Most of these caves are located in the remote area with hilly topography, and hidden deep inside primary forests.

A new cave. Photos: British Cavern Association

Of the newfound caves, Hoa Huong is the most notable one due to its special formation under what used to be a lake. The water is now gone but traces of strong currents are still visible on the cave’s walls and ceiling. Named after the husband and wife who helped with the discovery, the 2,876km long cave is believed to be about 5 million years old, making it the oldest of all caves discovered in the region.  Most other caves are between two and three million years old.

Traces of water flows inside Hoa Huong as the result of its underwater formation. (Photo by British Cavern Association)

More than 20 kilometers of caves have been explored between March 5 and April 11, 2016. (Photo by British Cavern Association)

Fairy Cave 2 in Minh Hoa District has a length of 2,519m. The cave is expected to be open to public soon. (Photo by British Cavern Association)

Many caves feature beautiful stalactites inside. (Photo by British Cavern Association)

The team also discovered many caves with large dolines. The deepest doline is about 133m at Leo cave.  Going inside these cave is a very dangerous job as it requires explorers have to use long ropes to go down. Some caves have underground rivers which are believed to be connected to those in Son Doong and En Cave.

A doline in the middle of jungle seen from a flycam.  (Photo by British Cavern Association)

A species of scorpions with transparent body found in Hoa Huong Cave.  (Photo by British Cavern Association)

Many strange types of animals such as fish and crustaceans were found during this journey. They contain many valuable information for scientific research in geology, geomorphology and biodiversity in the Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park.

This is the 17^th expedition that the British Cavern Association took in the region since 1990. Up to now, more than 300 caves with a total length of over 200km, including the world’s largest cave of Son Doong, have been explored and surveyed.