Tiếng Việt
Have you ever wondered what lies hidden beneath the earth’s surface, where darkness prevails and natural wonders have formed over millions of years? For me, the answer lies deep within the Volcano Cave C7 in Dak Nong, the longest lava cave in Southeast Asia. This trip not only offers a fantastic experience but also a journey to discover the mysterious beauty of creation beneath the ground.
>> https://ngoisao.vnexpress.net/hang-nui-lua-c7-ve-dep-hung-vi-cua-thien-nhien-4864157.html
Getting to Volcano Cave C7 Dak Nong
Volcano Cave C7 Chu Bluk is Dak Nong UNESCO Global Geopark, located in Nam Da commune, Krong No district, Dak Nong province.
There are two main routes to reach Volcano Cave C7:
- The first option is to start from the trail within the Dray Sap special-use forest and head deeper into the forest towards Nam Da commune. If you choose this route, you will pass through the chain of volcano caves C1, C2, C3, C4, and C6 Chu Bluk before arriving at Volcano Cave C7. The distance from the forest edge to the entrance of Cave C7 is approximately 6-7 kilometers. This trail is only suitable for hiking or motorbikes; larger vehicles cannot pass through.
- Alternatively, you can travel to explore Volcano Cave C7 Dak Nong via the route from Nam Da commune (about 20km from Buon Choah commune). If you come from this direction, you will only need to walk (or ride a small motorbike) an additional kilometer from the main road to the entrance of Cave C7. This section is short but includes some bumpy dirt roads and parts that cross lush green rice fields before entering the Dray Sap special-use forest.
A small note for when you travel to explore Volcano Cave C7 Dak Nong: regardless of the route you choose, it is essential to equip yourself with a good pair of high-top hiking boots. This is because you will inevitably have to walk through sections within the Dray Sap special-use forest where the ground is covered with sharp volcanic bombs. Just a small misstep can lead to scratches, so please be very careful!
>> Khám phá hệ thống hang động núi lửa Krông Nô dài nhất Đông Nam Á
The Experience of Descending into Cave C7 Chu Bluk
Volcano Cave C7 Chu Bluk is a rather challenging cave to conquer and poses a significant level of danger if explorers are not fully equipped with the necessary knowledge, skills, protective gear, and support from fellow adventurers.
The cave entrance has a fairly wide diameter of about tens of meters. It is a sinkhole shaped like a frog’s mouth, with a depth of approximately 16 meters from the opening to the bottom (the second deepest, after Volcano Cave P8 Chu Bluk).
Upon approaching the cave entrance, everyone is warned by experts to absolutely avoid standing too close to the edge. This is to prevent the risk of soil erosion leading to falls into the cave, which is extremely dangerous. As you know, the bottom is entirely composed of hard, sharp, and jagged volcanic basalt rocks. Complacency is absolutely not allowed.
Before starting the rope descent to conquer Volcano Cave C7 Dak Nong, I received guidance from experts to review the knowledge and skills of using ropes, as well as how to coordinate hands and feet to move up and down the tens-of-meters-high cave entrance with proper technique to ensure maximum safety. Of course, you must have prior experience and rope skills.
The feeling of standing at the mouth of Cave C7 looking down at the pitch-black bottom, with patches of ferns and wild taro covering the ground below, is both mysterious and very exciting. Once safety gear is secured and your mindset is steady, it’s time to descend!
One end of the safety rope is tied to a large, sturdy tree at the cave entrance, while the other end is lowered down. Each person takes turns rappelling down the cave. The small rope, with a tensile strength of up to 2 tons, is connected to safety equipment, a harness attached to the body, and especially a pulley. This pulley requires hand pressure to operate, allowing the safety rope to run and safely lower the body to the bottom of the cave.
If you already have proficient rope skills, rappelling down the cave is much simpler than climbing up, requiring less effort, and the feeling of being suspended in mid-air is also very cool ^^
Exploring Inside the Longest Volcano Cave in Southeast Asia
Inside Cave C7 is a completely different world. The space is cold and damp, darkness prevails, with only the flickering light of flashlights guiding the way. Lava flows from millions of years ago have created unique patterns on the cave walls.
We explored every nook and cranny of the cave, from deep chambers with low ceilings to bizarre volcanic rock formations. The low-light conditions make the cave’s ecosystem quite sparse, but we still encountered small creatures like snails and red mites.
The skylight in the middle of Cave C7 is a special highlight. Sunlight shining down creates an airy space, reducing the stuffiness within the dark cave.
Currently, Cave C7 in Dak Nong is the longest volcano cave in Southeast Asia. Following the International Symposium on Volcanic Caves ISV Dak Nong held in November 2022, a Dutch cave expert discovered a new branch of Cave C7, increasing its total length from 1067m to 1266m.
>> Theo chân chuyên gia khám phá hang núi lửa Đăk Nông trong Hội nghị Quốc tế về Hang động núi lửa
Rappelling Back Up to the Entrance of Volcano Cave C7 Dak Nong
As easy as descending into the cave with specialized harnesses is, climbing back up is just as difficult and strenuous. Rappelling back up to the entrance of Volcano Cave C7 Dak Nong requires very good arm strength along with proficient rope climbing experience.
At first glance, it may seem simple, but being suspended on the rope can easily cause you to lose your balance and not have enough strength to push your body up. It’s very difficult to stand upright and you’re constantly bent over. Despite the depth of only 16 meters, it took me about 10 minutes to climb back up to the cave entrance.
The experience of exploring Volcano Cave C7 Dak Nong was an extremely interesting and adventurous one for me. The beauty inside Cave C7 is like a magnificent and unique natural wonder, a journey with amazing and completely worthwhile experiences.
>> Top 5 miệng núi lửa ở Tây Nguyên mang vẻ đẹp kỳ vĩ
Is Exploring Volcano Cave C7 Dak Nong Dangerous?
The answer is absolutely YES. The volcanic cave system in Dak Nong is under the management of the Dak Nong UNESCO Global Geopark Management Board. You should absolutely NOT EXPLORE VOLCANIC CAVES IN DAK NONG ON YOUR OWN without the permission of the management board and the support of experts.
Here are some important notes to ensure a safe volcano cave C7 Dak Nong exploration experience:
- Contact and obtain permission from the Dak Nong UNESCO Global Geopark Management Board to get the necessary authorization and support to ensure your safety.
- Absolutely do not explore Volcano Cave C7 Dak Nong alone.
- You need to be thoroughly equipped with knowledge and rope skills and be proficient in them before starting to descend into the cave.
- You need to be fully equipped with the necessary protective gear: helmet, flashlight, gloves, shoes, specialized harness and climbing rope.
- Find a mandatory guide who has real-world experience (preferably a local).
Hopefully, the article above will provide you – adventurous experience enthusiasts – with some necessary knowledge and information related to Volcano Cave C7 Dak Nong, along with essential notes to ensure your own trip’s safety.
You can see a detailed review of the Volcano Cave C7 exploration trip here!
