Explorers discover spectacular caves in Vietnam (world's largest?)

Yahoo! News ^ | Jan. 3, 2010 | Brett Michael Dykes

[americanophile]

For decades, geologists have known that Vietnam is home to some of the world's most spectacular caves, many of them largely unexplored. Now husband-and-wife cavers have documented perhaps the world's largest: Hang Son Doong, big enough in places to accommodate a New York City block of skyscrapers.

The cave in the Annamite Mountains contains a river and jungle (its name translates to "mountain river cave") and even its own thin clouds, and its end remains out of sight. It's part of a network of about 150 caves in central Vietnam near the Laotian border.

[americanophile]

"A half-mile block of 40-story buildings could fit inside this lit stretch of Hang Son Doong, which may be the world's biggest subterranean passage."Now, that's one big cave. Check out these amazing photos: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/01/largest-cave/peter-photography

[KoRn]

/mark

[TexasPatriot1]

Also found in the caves, American POW’s and MIA’s?

[Doogle]

(its name translates to "mountain river cave")

?????...they just recently discovered it.....the people around there knew about it

[mountainlion]

Charley had 250 miles of tunnels under where I was in Viet Nam so if you look real close you will probably find some war materials there.

[americanophile]

I’m guessing it’s sort of like discovering north America.

[cripplecreek]

Yeah. I’m not sure but History underground did a show about an enormous cave in Vietnam that was used by pretty much everyone during the war.

[I see my hands]

To: Joy Behar

PING.

[equaviator]

That’s no cave, it’s Nancy Pelosi on a good day!

[Doogle]

*smiles*...

[fish hawk]

I'm going to build a little overnight place with a bar there. It's called the Cave Inn.

[Boiling point]

There was also an immense cave recently discovered here in Tennessee called Rumbling Falls. You have to rappel into the main chamber from the center of the roof which is over 200ft high. I talked to someone that has been in it and they described it as like being in outer space. The walls are too far away for your lights to reflect off of so you are sliding down a rope in pitch blackness for what seems like forever!

[Diogenesis]

[rickb308]

“It’s part of a network of about 150 caves in central Vietnam near the Laotian border”

Meh. John F’n Kerry was there on Christmas Eve in ‘68.
(Sorry. Laotian border reference)

Seriously, very cool pics.

[dfwgator]

“Follow the Ho Chi Minh Trail...”

[Chode]

thank you...

[Tawiskaro]

[JimSEA]

Just Wow! I would like to see that in person. Also would like to hear the local’s stories about it.

[verity]

Perhaps the Social Security lock box will be located.

[Sergio]

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