Vietnam's Son Doong: A rare journey inside the world's largest cave passage
In a Nutshell
60 Minutes explores Vietnam's Son Doong Cave, the world's largest with caverns 65 stories high and wide enough for a football field and a half, via a grueling 1.5-day jungle hike, 20 river crossings, leech infestations, and expert-guided rappelling 600 feet underground. The team captures its massive stalagmites, roaring subterranean river, pitch-black passages, and unique features like skylights from roof collapses, limited to just 1,000 explorers yearly. Producer Nicole Young's persistence turned initial skepticism into an epic, once-in-a-lifetime journey hailed as unparalleled in 27 years of global reporting.
These notes were generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies.
60 Minutes overtime. Largest cave in the world in central Vietnam. 60 Minutes explored the cave. Tradition of taking viewers to places they've never been, maybe never heard of, and are not likely to ever go, done for decades all around the world. This was completely unique. Epic journey through enormous cave called Son Doong, in the slender middle of Vietnam. Caverns 65 stories high. Football field and a half wide. Could put the Great Pyramid of Giza inside this cave. Joy to go through Son Doong and bring it back to audience.
So, what are we about to do? Well, this is the beginning of a long walk.
Producer Nicole Young pitched idea to go hiking through largest cave in the world. Initially turned down: "Nick, it's a hole in the ground. I mean, what are we going to take pictures of? And it's in a cave, so it's dark."
Do you think we're going to make it? I'm certain we're going to make it because you're the producer and you told me we're going to make it.
All right, let's do it.
Cave fuels local economy around national park, offers opportunities to community discovered in 2009. Team met with Vietnamese government, promised not to desecrate the land. They were very serious about that.
To get to Son Doong, hike through jungle for a day and a half. No other way, no roads, completely remote. 20 river crossings. Jungle hardest part: dense, snakes, mud, hard to move step by step. Leeches plentiful; stop to take off boots and pick leeches out. During Vietnam War, many American soldiers had foot rot from water exposure. Wet feet for 10 to 12 hours a day while walking, bizarre feeling, one of the challenges.
Expert climbing team guided through: repelling down walls, climbing up rocks. No way to survive without them.
Better. Yeah, good job.
Tour group knew where to light, how to light, best places to highlight.
About 600 feet below surface, standing on stalagmite. Climbed giant stalagmite over 100 feet tall, maybe 200 feet tall, domed on top.
You rolling? I'm rolling. Here we go.
Everything wet from groundwater raining down. Top rounded and wet, couple hundred feet down. Regret not too strong a word: "Boy, this is it. This is the last dumb thing I get to do." Climbing team got up and off without falling.
Level six cave for caving, highest level. No one on team had real caving experience. All very fit, but every step had risk.
proper Nicole Young kicking.
Constant roar from river that carved cave still running on floor. In parts with no skylights where roof hasn't caved in, utterly dark. Only see end of helmet light pointed at feet to avoid stepping off cliff.
He's the only one. Nick, if I do this, that means I blew it and I need to do another take and start at the beginning. That is quite all right.
Only 1000 explorers allowed per year. Given last slot because someone else canceled.
First two pitches to Scott P, said no. Third time yes. In cave: "Why did I say no to this again?" Hard to get into, one of greatest things ever done.
In 27 years at 60 Minutes, been everywhere from Arctic Circle to Antarctic Circle and everything in between. Never seen anything approaching this. So glad to see it in lifetime.
Keep 60 Minutes in your library
Save the videos and channels worth coming back to, and find them again in one place.
