Experts have expressed concern over plans to build tourism facilities in the UNESCO-listed Phong Nha Cave in the central Quang Binh Province, warning the work will damage the millennia-old limestone cave.
Phong Nha is the longest cave in the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, some 500 kilometers south of Hanoi.
The 85.75 hectare park is part of Asia’s oldest limestone region, which dates back to around 400 million years ago.
Discovered in 2001, the park consists of 300 caves and grottos, including Phong Nha.
In 2003 it was recognized as a world natural heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The 7,729 meter long Phong Nha Cave contains 14 grottos and has a 14 kilometer long underground river.
It is only accessible by small boats and tourists can only explore up to a distance of 1500 meters inside.
The park’s managers recently announced plans to preserve the cave and build tourist facilities.
The work, which is being considered by local authorities, includes the use of chemicals to clean moss, bacteria, and stains on the millennia-old stalactites and stalagmites and the construction of a suspension bridge.
A bridge built of wood or plastic inside Phong Nha would help ease traffic flow during peak season, they explained.
They also plan to build aisles with handrails to restrict access to certain parts to protect the stalactites and stalagmites from vandals.
Luu Minh Thanh, the park’s director, said the plans were made after officials visited Gunung Mulu National Park in Malaysia.
But Nguyen Van Loi, chairman of the Quang Binh Cultural Heritage Association, said: “When the bridge is attached to the cave’s walls, there will be impacts on them.”
Pham Ngoc Hien, deputy chairman of the Quang Binh Geology Association, too sounded a similar warning, saying the bridge construction could bring down the stalactites and stalagmites.
“The process of drilling and driving stakes into the cave’s walls will have an impact on the cave’s geological features.
“Because the cave system already harbors some cracks, the system could collapse when subject to impact.
“A natural heritage should be left as it is.”
Loi said the bridge is not necessary since the cave only gets 2,000 to 3,000 visitors during public holidays and less on normal days, adding the authorities should find ways to better control them instead of building it.
Local scientists also said Phong Nha should be cleaned with water instead of chemicals considering its delicate nature.
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