Liputan6.com, Jakarta - Son Doong Cave, a natural wonder hidden in the heart of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam, has once again captured global attention after being featured on the leading American investigative news program, CBS 60 Minutes.
The special, titled "Wonder of the World," aired on Sunday, March 29, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. ET in the United States, corresponding to the morning of March 30, 2026, Vietnam time.
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The CBS 60 Minutes production team, including correspondent Scott Pelley, filmed extensively inside the cave from January 14 to 17, 2026, to capture every detail of Son Doong's splendor.
This reporting expedition not only showcased the stunning underground landscape but also explored the history of the cave's discovery and exploration.
CBS 60 Minutes Exclusive Coverage
Son Doong Cave, or Hang Son Doong, meaning "mountain river cave," is located in the core zone of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam, near the Laos-Vietnam border.
The cave was first discovered accidentally in 1990 by a local resident named Ho Khanh while looking for wood in the forest.
He discovered the cave entrance while sheltering from a storm and heard the roar of the river coming from within.
Official exploration of the cave was only carried out in 2009 by the British Vietnam Caving Expedition Team led by Howard Limbert.
The team then announced Son Doong as the world's largest natural cave on April 14, 2009.
Son Doong Cave is recognized as the world's largest cave by volume, measuring nearly 9 kilometers long, over 200 meters high, and over 150 meters wide.
Its total volume is estimated at 38.5 million cubic meters, five times larger than Deer Cave in Malaysia, previously considered the largest.
Son Doong's uniqueness is further enhanced by two "dolines," or large sinkholes, in the ceiling, which allow sunlight to enter.
This creates a unique ecosystem within the cave, complete with ancient forests, plants, and thriving trees up to 30 meters tall.
Son Doong Cave: A Natural Wonder in Vietnam
A nine-person production team for CBS 60 Minutes, including producers Nicole Young and Jonathan Partridge, and correspondent Scott Pelley, spent several days inside Son Doong Cave to film this natural wonder.
They were fully supported by Oxalis Adventures, the cave's sole authorized tour operator, which provided coordination, technical support, and safety management.
The report not only explores Son Doong Cave's epic underground landscape, with its skyscraper-sized caverns, but also retraces the discovery and long-term exploration efforts led by the British Cave Research Association.
CBS News even called Son Doong Cave a "wonder of the 21st century."
Access and Conservation: Preserving the Uniqueness of the World's Largest Cave
To preserve its fragile ecosystem, access to Son Doong Cave is strictly restricted, with only about 1,000 visitors allowed each year.
Expedition tours to Son Doong typically last 4 days, 3 nights, or 6 days, 5 nights, and cost around $3,000 per person.
Oxalis Adventure is the only company licensed to operate tours to Son Doong Cave.
These tours include jungle trekking, river crossings, exploring the extensive cave system, and camping inside the cave.
The best time to visit is from January to late August, during the dry season, due to safer cave conditions.
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, where Son Doong is located, has been recognized twice by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage Site in 2003 and 2015.