Hang Va and Nuoc Nut

Fun guys in these parts

The Hang Va and Nuoc Nut tour is a new tour that was started towards the end of last year, at first we joined the guides on this tour because there is a traverse which requires rope techniques. The guides received extensive training at the end of last year so it was expected that they could run this tour without any expert cavers present and that one of us would turn up once a month to monitor the state of the equipment and ropes.

Not mushroom in this picture

In reality (at the moment), one of us is accompanying each tour, at least for the second day, and for both days if the guide has never done the tour before. I have managed to get two tours in before Tet, which is good as both caves are really superb.

Nuoc Nut high level passage

The tour starts with a briefing in the morning, and then we set off at about 9, it's quite a short tour so first we visit "8 ladies cave" this is just a large boulder and shrine where a number of Vietnamese were trapped and died as a result of bombing.

Nuoc Nut first pool

After that we drive up to the drop off point for the short walk down to the entrance of Nuoc Nut where lunch is served before exploring the cave.

Nuoc Nut main passage

After a small entrance you emerge in a large passage with some formations and a couple of climbs to avoid pools.

Nuoc Nut sump pool

A final easy climb joins a stream which is the water from Hang Va, continuing downstream are a number of river crossings and a couple of deep (neck deep!) pools, a final low section through water gains the sump pool and the end of the cave. We return the same way to the entrance and then it's an hours walk to the Hang Va Campsite.

Nuoc Nut Waterfall as the main stream is joined

Overnight here (in hammocks) and after breakfast we explore Hang Va. Initially Hang Va is a nice river passage, climbing over and under boulders, this finishes at a larger section where there are two ways on.

Evening meal

The lower level is with the water is an easy and pleasant  walk to a sump, if it's wet then there are waterfalls along the way where water cascades from the roof.

Waterfall in lower passage of Hang Va

After finishing exploration of the lower level, the tour climbs up and traverses across to a higher level. This is the Tower Cone Passage and is much bigger than the lower level. You start of walking up a mud slope but the gours increase in size, getting up to about 3m in height as the tower cones appear, access is restricted here by a metal walkway for conservation purposes. After exiting the cave lunch is served before walking out via a different route to finish at the Khe Van bridge.