Nguom Bang Cave: Driving the Provincial Road 207 Through a Natural Tunnel
Động Ngườm Bang is a natural limestone cave located in Cao Bằng province, in the Northeast region of Vietnam. It is one of the few roads in the world that runs through a cave.
| Road facts: Nguom Bang Cave (ĐT207) | |
|---|---|
| Location | Hạ Lang District, Cao Bằng Province, Vietnam |
| Cave Length | ~100 meters |
| Total Road Length | 26 km (16 miles) for the ĐT207 segment |
| Surface | Fully paved asphalt |
| Tunnel Dimensions | 10m wide by 10m high |
Where is Nguom Bang Cave located?
The natural cave tunnel is situated in the northeastern mountainous sector of Vietnam, close to the international border with China. The cave is cut into the limestone karst terrain of the Phia Ran mountain range, located within the geographical borders of Hạ Lang District in Cao Bằng province.
When was the road through Nguom Bang Cave built?
Historically, local travelers used a steep, narrow 2-kilometer dirt bypass over the mountain crest to avoid the pitch-black interior of the karst formation. The raw cave track was primitive, uneven, and unlit for decades. In 2003, engineering works widened and cleared the limestone walls, integrating the natural cave passage directly into the alignment of the ĐT207 Provincial Road to facilitate cross-border trade and regional transit.
How long is the Nguom Bang Cave tunnel?
The natural rock tunnel measures approximately 100 meters in length, maintaining a clear width of over 10 meters and a vertical clearance of 10 meters. The interior walls display permanent marks of mechanical chiseling and blasting from the 2003 widening project. While the eastern section is tight, the western exit opens into a wide natural vault. During the heavy summer monsoon season, water table levels rise, causing a small stream to run across the paved floor edges and collect into a temporary pool outside the main entrance porch.
Is the road through Nguom Bang Cave paved?
The driving surface running inside the cave is completely paved with asphalt. The route through the mountain is part of Provincial Road 207 (ĐT207), a fully paved double-lane highway that spans 26 kilometers (16 miles) from south to north, connecting the district capital of Thanh Nhật with the northern rural commune of Bằng Ca.
Road suggested by: Jorge Manuel Gómez Sánchez
Pic: Sun Lee