Foreign Correspondent: April 4

Foreign Correspondent this week heads to Vietnam and contention over tourism development for the magical Hang Son Doong cave.

Deep in the jungle of central Vietnam lies a magnificent underground kingdom. Hang Son Doong which translates as ‘mountain river cave,’ is the largest cave passage in the world and a place of spectacular beauty. It remained undisturbed for millions of years until its discovery was revealed in 2009. Small scale tours of the cave began in 2013 with visitors restricted to just 1,000 people a year. But it wasn’t long before Son Doong’s future was thrown into doubt when plans were announced to build a cable car into the cave.

This week Foreign Correspondent travels to the small town of Phong Nha, one of the poorest provinces in Vietnam, where the cave is located. Over the last decade plans to make the area a tourist mecca have sparked intense debate. Locals there support the development of the region and the opportunities it will bring. But environmental activists fear large scale tourism will forever destroy the natural beauty of Son Doong.

This film takes you deep inside this magnificent underground kingdom and explores the underlying tension between the economic benefits of development versus the importance of safeguarding one of the world’s greatest natural wonders.

8pm Thursday on ABC.