A screenshot of the programme featuring Vietnam's Son Doong Cave. (Photo: VNA)
Veteran Israeli journalist Danny Kushmaro and his team navigated the cave’s muddy paths, jagged rocks, and wet, slippery crevices, where every step carried risk. At one point, Kushmaro slipped in complete darkness, with all communication signals cut off. The suffocating atmosphere, low oxygen levels, and creeping cold made the expedition tense and breath-taking.
Located deep within Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park - recognised twice by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage Site in former Quang Binh province, now part of the central province of Quang Tri, Son Doong has long been renowned globally for its surreal beauty and immense scale.
Stretching nearly nine kilometres in length and reaching heights of up to 200 metres in places, the cave houses a unique ecosystem, including an internal rainforest, a fast-flowing underground river, and towering stalagmites. It is both a natural wonder and a formidable challenge for explorers.
Despite the dangers, the cave’s spectacular scenery left viewers in awe: sunlight streaming through a giant “skylight” illuminates glimmering stalagmites; trees grow in the cave’s heart, resembling a forgotten fairy-tale world; and an underground river winds beneath sheer rock walls — together creating the impression of another planet hidden beneath the Earth’s surface.
For Kushmaro, the journey was not merely a physical trial but also a psychological one, confronting fear, isolation, and the fragile boundary between safety and danger. It was also an experience that underscored the delicate yet sacred relationship between humans and nature.
Previously, the programme had taken Kushmaro to extreme cold regions such as the Arctic. However, the challenge of Son Doong was unique in its stark contrast between overwhelming beauty and the hidden dangers at every step.
The series not only captures heart-stopping, authentic footage of navigating narrow passages and slipping in darkness, but also conveys a profound message: Human abilities may be limited, but the aspirations to explore are boundless./.
