Went on an organised tour on our last day at the caves. The guys convinced me to do it even though I didn't know exactly what was involved -apparently 'what happens in the dark cave, stays in the dark cave!' First stop was Phong Nha national park - lots of karst mountains. Heavily bombed during the US war as was one of the only routes to the south. The Vietnamese people created a road through the park named Highway 20 - because this was the average age of the people who died making it. We heard lots of stories about people hiding in caves during the day and coming out to work during the night under the cover of darkness. Visited 8 Lady Cave and temple which is where 8 people died during the bombing.
We then went to paradise cave - the longest dry cave in Asia. Was amazing inside - tonnes of stalactites and stalagmites.
After lunch we headed to the Dark Cave - we kayaked to the entrance of the cave, walked over sand and thru some water to a smaller entrance which was a single-file cave with lots of mud underfoot and a number of rocks to climb over. Those who know me well will know that this is my idea of hell! I was cursing the guys who convinced me to go! Life-jacketed and head-torched I made it to the end and back but let's just say I'm not rushing back to do it again!!