The unique campsites in Son Doong tour

Three Unique Campsites on the Son Doong Expedition

The Son Doong expedition includes two nights at a local hotel before and after the expedition, one night camping in the forest, and two nights camping inside the cave. The expedition includes three distinct campsites: on the first night, travellers camp in an old-growth forest near the entrance to Son Doong Cave. On the second night, they camp near Doline 1, approximately 3 km from the cave entrance. On the third night, they camp near Doline 2, where the Garden of Edam lies beneath the cave floor, surrounded by a pristine underground forest. The camping inside Son Doong Cave often offers several distinctive features:

• Inside the enormous cave, Son Doong Cave Campgrounds have been constructed in sandy places. The location of campsites is close to the skylights, allowing light to stream in from the outside, so visitors don't need to use lights at the campsites. All campsites have spectacular views.
• Campgrounds in Son Doong tour are set up with a clean tent system and a floor pallet system for the convenience of visitors.
• Clean dining area with tables and seats for guests to sit while enjoying meals or tea or coffee.
• There is a composting toilet system that is both incredibly cozy and kind to the environment. The toilet is clean and has a regular toilet seat. It uses rice husks to deodorize rather than water which you would use at home. Handwashing stations are also provided.
• All waste is subsequently transferred outside the cave in a sealed container. Inside the caves, the camp sites are located in positions that are safe even during sudden downpours or floods.
• Since the camping areas are inside a cave, the temperature is always between 16 and 20 degrees Celsius during the winter and 22 to 25 degrees Celsius during the summer.

The First Campsite in the old-growth forest near Hang Son Doong Cave

On the first day of the expedition, travellers trek approximately 14.5 km, explore Doong Village and Hang En, and then continue to the first campsite near the entrance to Son Doong Cave.

The first campsite is located on a high forest slope. Travellers cross streams and trek up a steep, forested slope beneath a shaded canopy before reaching the area near the cave entrance. The campsite is set on a spacious, relatively flat area surrounded by fresh air and the natural forest.

The unique features of the first campsite near the entrance to Son Doong Cave include:

• The campsite is set in a cool, open area surrounded by forest, with views of limestone mountains and pristine forest, while still offering an unobstructed view of the open sky.
• On sunny days from December to March every year, visitors can see sunlight penetrating deep into the cave and lighting the lake and campsite, providing a rare and spectacular sight of sunbeams. On clear nights with no full moon, En Cave campsite is a good area to observe the stars.
• Visitors may occasionally witness various types of monkeys including the rare Ha Tinh langurs playing at the attractive cave opening and climbing vines.

Trekking from the back entrance of Hang En to the main entrance of Hang Son Doong Cave.

The Doline 1 campsite - The second campsite in the Son Doong tour

On the second day, after breakfast and exploring the upper level of Son Doong Cave, travellers put on safety equipment and abseil down into the cave. Campsite 1 at Doline 1 is located approximately 5 km from the cave entrance. After exploring the cave, travellers continue to the campsite and arrive at around 4:00 PM. The second campsite in Son Doong tour is situated close to the first doline. As a result, there is still light entering the camp from the doline. Because Son Doong Cave is so big and has its own weather system, the cave temperatures are always pleasant throughout the season.

The camping area at Doline 1 has the following distinctive features:

• The campsite is on the sand near the cave wall, and on some rainy days, you can see the clouds directly below you within the cave. For everyone who sees it, they produce a truly marvelous scene.
• An underground stream and a chilly lake (approximately 18 degrees Celsius) are located only 10 minutes below the campsite, where travelers can swim and cool off after a tiring day of exploring. This is a "must try" activity for all visitors to Son Doong. Full trekking gear and lifejackets must be worn.
• You can enjoy a cup of coffee while observing the breathtaking scenery of Doline 1 looming behind the mist from the campsite.

Camp Doline 1 from different perspectives.

The Doline 2 campsite - The third campsite in the Son Doong tour

On the third day of the journey, you will have the opportunity to admire the beautiful places inside Son Doong Cave, immerse yourself in nature and have the best photo opportunities. You will move on to Doline 2 after leaving Doline 1 and passing Watch out for Dinosaurs. Doline 2 is at the convergence of two fault lines, formed hundreds of millions of years ago. During the formation of the cave, the passage developed through this convergence, resulting in a roof collapse. Doline 2 - The Garden of Edam is much larger than Doline 1. Inside the doline, which is 175 meters wide and 250 meters tall from the mouth, is an ancient forest with trees that may reach a height of 40 meters. Visitors will arrive at the next campsite after trekking through this underground jungle- The Garden of Edam. Doline 2 campground's distinctive features are as follows:

• Camp in a spacious cave that receives a lot of light from the Garden of Edam. Since the campsite is away from rivers and streams and on a fine sandy beach, it is secure against any floods.
• In the morning or late in the evening, you can see the Garden of Edam forest directly from the campsite.
• At the dining table, having a cup of fresh coffee while listening to the chirping of birds and staring at the spectacular underground formations is a popular pastime.
• Visitors may view the waterfalls cascading from the cave arch on rainy days from the campsite, which makes for a beautiful sight.

Doline 2 - Beach camp from different perspectives.

Services & Facilities at campsite

Campgrounds may include further amenities:

Tents and camping gear at Son Doong campsite

Even though this is a caving tour, Oxalis Adventure also offers amenities to assure tourists' comfort. A 27-person service team, comprising cave experts, guides, safety assistants, chefs, and porters, will accompany each expedition tour of 10 people. They will pack more than 600 kg of loads for visitors and transport it out of the cave at the end of the excursion. The Son Doong Expedition is the most challenging tour offered by Oxalis. However, travellers who exercise regularly may find the expedition more manageable. Because of the tour’s high level of difficulty, Oxalis Adventure places great emphasis on providing suitable camping equipment for travellers throughout the expedition.

The following items are available at the campsite during the Son Doong tour:

• Tents: guests have the option of single or double tents (select before departure). The tent contains two anti-insect mesh doors as well as two doors that block out light or cold which provide privacy.
• Trekkers are given a mattress (with two layers of firm and soft mattress), a pillow, and a sleeping bag inside the tent (all prepared separately for each person and not shared). A firm pallet is placed beneath the tent to raise it off the floor and keep it dry and clean.
• Each tent is set up on a platform raised 30 cm above the ground, helping prevent moisture from reaching the tent and keeping it clean and dry.
• After each tour, all equipment is taken out of the cave and back to Phong Nha where tents and equipment are carefully cleaned and sanitized.

Drinking water, tea, and coffee at the campsite

The Son Doong Expedition tour is unique in that it travels deep into the jungle, away from the necessary resources, yet Oxalis Adventure places a high priority on providing visitors and crew with safe drinking water. Watt's filtration system, which was purchased from the United States, treats all the water used for drinking at campgrounds, cooking, brewing tea and coffee, and brushing teeth. Every year, Oxalis Adventure conducts water quality tests to make sure the water meets drinking water standards. The logistics team has set up flasks of boiling water at each campground so that guests may brew tea and coffee.

Food at Son Doong tour campgrounds

Oxalis Adventure places a high priority on food safety and hygiene. When choosing food distributors, local households, and distributors like Coopmart are involved. Meat, for example, will be deep frozen and packed in ice. Food is supplied for the first 2 days and a resupply of fresh food is provided on the third day. Two cooks will accompany the group on each excursion and prepare meals for the guests. Most of the men in Phong Nha are skilled cooks since these men were once jungle men who frequently spent months in the forest and cooked for themselves in these remote locations. The cooks are carefully chosen by Oxalis Adventure; they must have culinary training, complete food safety and hygiene courses, undergo yearly health examinations, and are free of infectious diseases. The majority of travelers that take the Son Doong tour agree that the food is excellent including vegetarian and vegan options (available upon request). To choose the best cooks for the Son Doong tour, Oxalis holds a cooking competition each year. For many guests, the food is another highlight of the excursion.

Food at Son Doong tour.

Son Doong Tour sanitation

Given that the Son Doong trip travels to far-flung and isolated locations, there are many concerns about the hygiene and bathing practices at the camping locations. All Oxalis campsites are planned and constructed by rivers and streams, in order to have a good supply of water. This enables basic hygiene such as handwashing, and thorough cleaning of the campsite including cooking and eating equipment.

• Take a shower: Most campgrounds offer tourists access to clear lakes or rivers where they can swim. Visitors are instructed not to use shampoo or soap while swimming during the tour since it will contaminate the Rao Thuong stream, which subsequently flows to the Phong Nha area. If necessary, visitors are urged to use wet wipes and dry shampoo.
• Oxalis toilets at the Son Doong campsite: All campsites are equipped with private and comfortable toilet facilities featuring modern ceramic toilets installed on mobile platforms, providing a familiar and comfortable experience similar to using a hotel bathroom. All waste is treated through a closed septic, filtration, and disinfection system before being discharged into the environment, with wastewater quality tested every three months. A handwashing area with biodegradable soap is also provided outside the toilets.

Environmentally friendly composting toilet set up at every campsites.

Rules and regulations of the campsite

• For safety reasons, you should notify your guide or safety expert if you want to leave the camping area, both during the day and at night. A guide or safety assistant must accompany guests when they leave the campsite.
• Without the supervision of a safety assistant, visitors shouldn't swim in streams or lakes. If visitors want to swim alone, they must let the guide know. Even experienced swimmers are required to wear life jackets when swimming.
• Do not laugh, talk loudly, or scream at the campsite or on the way. Otherwise, it will negatively impact the survival of animals in the forest and within the cave (bats and swallows often rest on the ceiling of the cave). Music speakers are not allowed on tour. Please use ear buds.
• Do not write, draw, or mark names on any tree, rock wall, sandy beach, calcite formation or mud bank anywhere on the tour.
• Do not bring alcohol without permission. Do not use alcohol, beer, stimulants and narcotics during the tour. If a guide, cave expert or safety assistant discovers that a guest has brought alcohol or recreational drugs, the guest will be required to end the tour without receiving a refund for the amount paid.

The Oxalis Experience.