Hand of Dog

June 4, 2015 7:47 AM

Sơn Đoòng 360: A series of 360° panoramas allows anyone with an internet connection to experience Vietnam's Son Doong cave, one of the planet's biggest.

Previously.

posted by almostmanda (6 comments total)

Very cool. Sometimes it's hard visually comprehend the actual scale though; I like the shots with some point of reference, like the one with the tiny tents.
posted by Kabanos at 8:48 AM on June 4, 2015

This is pretty awesome. I love that they've included sounds, too.
posted by MexicanYenta at 9:02 AM on June 4, 2015 [1 favorite]

Wow. Thanks for posting this. And agree, the sounds make it even cooler. Wish there was smell-o-vision too.
posted by rogerrogerwhatsyourrvectorvicto at 9:16 AM on June 4, 2015

This is so cool!

Also: "FUN FACT. When the first team of scientists explored this cave in 2009, they saw the majestic structure and thought about naming it the 'Hand of God'. Deciding not to overdo it, they settled of Hand of Dog instead."

Nope, sorry, that just makes it all the more majestic. Though possibly more slobbery.
posted by mixedmetaphors at 10:15 AM on June 4, 2015 [2 favorites]

Oh wow, I was in Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng park just last Tuesday! Even without the caves, that area is ridiculously beautiful. We didn't see Sơn Đoòng, but we did visit a couple smaller caves. (Here's the proof!) In one of them we swam an underground river to get through to the other end! We had some guides with us, which is how we knew that would take us to an exit by a pretty lake and not certain doom. Even with the 360° pictures, I'm having a hard time imagining what it would be like to traverse such an enormous cave as Sơn Đoòng.
posted by aubilenon at 11:19 AM on June 4, 2015 [1 favorite]

$3K for a tour. I'm definitely saving enough to make that trip at some point this lifetime.
posted by numaner at 12:35 PM on June 4, 2015