Vietnam cashes in on cave adventures

Vietnam’s most famous cave system, Phong Nha-Ke Bang, will add a zipline by the end of this month and host a hiking race in March.
According to the site manager, the zipline will run above the Chay River into Toi (Dark) Cave, allowing tourists to fly through the cave and release from the line for a dramatic dunking in a river below.
An annual adventure race will also be organised to highlight soft adventure features of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, which won UNESCO heritage recognition in 2003.
The park consists of 300 different caves and grottos with limestone structures and the oldest karst formation in Asia, dating back some 400 million years. It is home to what is credited to be the longest and largest cave in Southeast Asia.
The park attracted more than 3,500 tourists during the first four days of Tet (Vietnam’s New Year) starting 31 January, up 30% over Tet 2012. Foreign visitors increased by 25%.
Only some of the caves are accessible to the public, including Tien Son that was reopened 1 January after 10-month hiatus to allow a US$713,000 installation of floors and lights.
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is in the Quang Binh province , 500 km south of Hanoi.

Sourced: TravelDailyNews