Their latest expedition in early 2026 led to the exploration of Cha Ngheo Cave, a largely untouched vertical cave system that experts believe may form part of an even larger network. The team plans to return in March 2027 to continue the survey.
Decades of exploration
Dr Howard Limbert recalled that his first expedition to Vietnam took place in 1990, when British experts and scientists from the former Hanoi General University began surveying caves in what is now Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.
During that pioneering expedition, the team explored Phong Nha Cave and Dark Cave, surveying thousands of metres of cave passages.
Even after leaving Phong Nha, Limbert and his colleagues immediately began planning their return. "The caves here have kept my wife and me coming back ever since," he said.
