Inside Son Doong Cave. Photo: John Spies

Australian photographer John Spies, 59 years old, who is owner of the famous Cave Lodge hotel in Thailand spent a week discovering and photographing the natural wonder of the world's largest cave system.

According to the photographer Jonh Spies, at more than 200m high, 150m wide and 5km long, the Son Doong Cave in Vietnam is so big it has its own river, jungle and climate.

"With ceilings towering over 200 metres high in places, the cave is a humbling and belittling experience," John Spies said.

The entrance is quite small and mist from the cave, caused by the cooler air inside meeting the hot air outside, rises into the surrounding forest. Visitor must descend 80m down a steep wall with the use of harnesses and rope.

The huge temperature difference also creates moving clouds of mist, especially near the two karst windows, which gives the cave its magically surreal atmosphere, he said.

John Spies also stressed "The dimemsions of the cave are incredible and to camp for nights in the biggest cave in the world is not something most of get to do in our lifetime".

Breathtaking photos taken by John Spies inside Son Dong Cave:

Reported by Dan Viet
(www.quangbinh.gov.vn)