Two river caves 40km from Phong Nha provided Marc Forster-Pert 
with an adrenalin-fuelled mix of adventure and picture postcard scenery. Photos by Francis Roux

But those seeking an adventure have to look a little further afield. A tour to the Tu Lan cave system may well be the antidote. The good news? There aren’t busloads of tourists. The concrete road linking the Ho Chi Minh Highway to the tour starting point in Yen Thu village hasn’t even been completed.

The Adventure Begins

Dodging the road workers, we walked a short distance to meet our ride to take us to the starting point — the vehicle, a repurposed US army jeep. We could have been making a sequel to Indiana Jones, heading off into the jungle as the jeep bumped and jolted its way along a dirt track past mud-grazing buffalo to the rendezvous point. Equipped with life jackets, Cambodian army boots, a helmet and a head torch, we set off looking more like coal miners than explorers.

The first task was to traverse the gentle Rao Nan River, usually crossable by foot. Reaching the bank, the picture was far from gentle. Unseasonable rains had allowed the water to rise and the current to gain momentum. Looking at the others, I could see I wasn’t the only one a little daunted by the prospect of swimming across — thank goodness for the life jackets. A deep breath taken and a leap into the bracing river, adrenalin coursing every vein. Swimming hard to reach the opposite bank, the current took us 150m downstream.

Out of of breath, we climbed up over a ridge and into a valley surrounded by the limestone karsts that characterise the landscape. Blanketed by thick jungle, they created a scene so peaceful and spectacular, it was hard to believe this place exists, such was its majesty. It felt lagoon-like, a scene reminiscent of those from The Beach, the water being replaced by thick scrub where butterflies leapt and jumped. A barely recognisable path charted the way to the entrance of the first cave, Hung Ton.

Darkness

There’s no danger of claustrophobia inside the enormous cavern even though it isn’t long before daylight is exchanged for complete darkness, only intercepted by a flash of a light. Reminding myself this wasn’t a dream, we walked through the cave admiring the church organ-like stalagmites and stalactites that have formed over thousands of years.

It was then time to repack the dry bag for the next swim, this time, inside the cave. Billed as moderate, swimming wasn’t actually necessary as the strong current carried us towards the waterfall out of the cave mouth. Stopping just short, we climbed out through another exit into the forest and through to the lagoon below.

The itinerary would have us visit Kim Cave, named after the Dutch tourist that discovered it after a call of nature on a jungle trek in 2009. Swimmable when the water level is lower and the current not so ferocious, Dzung, our guide, made the decision not to venture in. The decision was vindicated when bathers inside the lagoon were sent tens of metres in a few seconds by the force of the waterfall.

Plan B was to trek back through the jungle to visit Rat Cave or Hang Chuot, no mean feat as it required traversing a steep karst ridge. Slippery from the rains, a couple of tour members lost their footing, including our very own editor.

A Feeling of Euphoria

Finally inside, tired and drenched in muddy sweat, we were met by a deafening silence. Despite many people having already charted this course, looking up at this magical arena it was hard not to feel intrepid and believe we were just discovering this remarkable feat of Mother Nature for the first time. It felt euphoric.

After another river crossing completed, we were left exhausted, sipping cold cans of beer and soft drink. The tour was sadly over for us but thankfully it won’t be for the local villagers.

Oxalis employs 30 people locally, including our 21-year-old porter, Trung. It serves to strengthen the local economy and make earning an illegal living through logging or hunting less tempting. Real change will only be possible through more tour companies coming in to sustain growth, and continuing to provide jobs and protect the landscape.

They’re creating passion, too. Dzung, our guide, is someone who lives and breathes his work: “I love my job because I love the jungle. I love the caves, I love adventure and most of all we can give a helping hand to protect the environment for the next generation to enjoy.” Enjoyable was an understatement. Epic, maybe?

Source: World Vietnam