Tuesday, July 22, 2025, 17:43 GMT+7

Da Nang’s 530-million-year-old cave complex receives heritage status

Thanh Binh Commune in Da Nang City, central Vietnam formally received provincial heritage status on Monday for the Hang Doi cave complex, one of the region’s most ancient geological formations, local officials said.

Geologists estimate the caves were formed between 530 and 158 million years ago and belong to the Kham Duc–Nui Vu metamorphic rock system, making them among the oldest exposed rock strata in the Quang Nam–Da Nang area.

Hang Doi is located in the newly-established Thanh Binh Commune, originally part of old Tien Phuoc District in former Quang Nam Province before Quang Nam was merged with Da Nang.

Duong Duc Lin, chairman of Thanh Binh Commune, compared the site to a ‘natural museum’ for its rare exposure of bedrock – an uncommon feature in tropical regions where weathering typically removes such rock cover.

The caves feature striking rock formations with sharp, striated surfaces and large monolithic shapes, he added.

Hang Doi, a cave complex formed hundreds of millions of years ago, is seen in Thanh Binh Commune, Da Nang City, central Vietnam. Photo: Thanh Binh Commune People’s Committee

Hang Doi was also used as a logistics base during Vietnam’s wars against France and the U.S., with the cavern housing a facility producing gunpowder and ammunition using bat guano, according to local historical records.

The local government plans to develop Hang Doi as an eco-tourism destination.

Scientists and artists have already begun visiting the site for research and artistic projects, Lin said.