The Great Rivers You Never See
The World’s Most Magnificent Underground Rivers
When we think about magnificent rivers, we think of iconic water flows like The Nile, Congo, and the Amazon rivers, all of which have had movies made about them. However, sometimes, beneath our feet and unknown to us flow a fascinating network of secret underground rivers and wet cave networks, most of which will be unfamiliar. Here are some of the best.
Rio Secreto, Mexico
I must admit, I the first time I hear heard of this one, I simply loved the name, but it is truly magnificent. Located on the Riviera Maya near Playa Del Carmen, this majestic underground water watercourse traverses a limestone cave system which blesses it with magical turquoise waters. One final fact: According to legend, the Rio Secreto was discovered by a local chasing an Iguana!
Tham Khoun Xe River, Laos
The Tham Koun Xe River is 7 km in length with passages reaching 60 metres in height and 80 metres wide at some points. It also features stalagmites over 20 metres high and, allegedly, cave pearls as wide as a ruler. It was discovered in 1905 by Paul Macy, a French Explorer.
Tham Luang Nang Non, Thailand
This river and cave system reached international prominence due to it being the location of the courageous cave rescue of the 12 tourists who had become trapped there due to monsoonal flooding in 2013. But there is a reason tourists come here; it is an epic system, with a gaping main entrance chamber 80 metres in height and traverses 10.3 kilometres of complex winding, narrow tunnels. Tham Luang Non is also seasonal: it has an underground riverbed, but only flows as a river during the Monsoon season.
Ogof Ffynnon Ddu (Cave of the Black Spring), Wales
This is one of the deepest cave systems in the UK with its lowest passageways bottoming out at 274 metres below the surface! It’s a mix of dry and wet caves and contains many ‘thundering river’ passages. It was once also the site of another epic cave rescue involving 300 volunteers.
Sistema Sac Actun (White Cave), Mexico
This claims to be the world’s longest underground river, running 95 miles, and can be found in Quintana Roo, Mexico. Its other claim to fame was the discovery therein, in 2017, of a prehistoric human called Naia, beneath the system along with a mastodon, a prehistoric relative of the Elephant.
Puerto Princesa River, Philippines
This is a UNESCO World heritage site so you can trust this will be beautiful and epic. It’s a 5-mile underground river that can be traversed via an organised canoe trip with the usual stalagmites and stalactites but significant biodiversity including crab-eating Monkeys, white bellied sea eagles and Tabon birds. It seems very family friendly and there seems very little chance of you ‘ending up on the news’ if you know what I mean.
Hang Soong Doong River, Son Doong Cave, Vietnam
Finally, there is Son Doong Cave (pictured) and its river, Hang Soong Doong. This is a place which makes you feel as though you could make some kind of Hollywood fantasy or magical realism epic inside it. It is one of the world’s largest natural caves, containing the fast-flowing subterranean Hang Soong Doong and an extensive network of waterways. The cave interior is so large at points that you could fit an entire New York block inside. The cave also contains its own miniature jungle eco-system, with a layer of mist hovering over it.
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I am a practising HR consultant working with several start-ups on an ongoing and ad-hoc basis in the London and M4 area, and am a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development or CIPD. I am the Director of thecareercafe.co.uk; thecareercafe.co.uk is a resource for start-ups and small business. It includes a blog containing career advice, small business advice articles, HR software reviews, and contains great resources such as HR Productivity Apps.
