Discover
Discover
This transboundary property runs along the border between Viet Nam and Laos. UNESCO describes it as one of the most exceptional and best-preserved limestone karst landscapes in the world, with cliffs, sinkholes and underground rivers. More than 220 kilometres of caves and waterways have been documented, among them Son Doong, with one of the world's largest cave passages.
History
History
UNESCO dates the karst to around 400 million years ago, in the Palaeozoic, making it the oldest large karst system in Asia. The Vietnamese park was inscribed in 2003 and extended in 2015; in 2025 Laos's Hin Nam No National Park joined it, creating a transboundary property.
People & Culture
People & Culture
This is not only a natural landscape: during the Viet Nam War, the supply route known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail ran through these mountains and forests. For us, two countries caring for the same mountains together today is a meaningful image for a region once divided by conflict.
Living Heritage
Living Heritage
Communities on both sides depend on the forests and rivers, and many now earn income from nature tourism. The challenge is to let people experience extraordinary caves without harming fragile ecosystems and the rare species that live there.
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