Grottes et karsts de Chine
Sur les traces de Xu Xiake

Down the Er Wang Dong valley towards Tongi, Ma Wan Dong is on the E side of the valley above Ma Wan Dong resurgence. Large entrance visible above resurgence. Follow path to lower entrance, then clamber up through trees.

Lower Entrance

16m wide, 10m high lower entrance with a wall across its bottom half opens onto flat area with nettles and one nitrate pit. Straight ahead there is a large boulder, where the passage splits. To the right a traverse along a ledge leads to a boulder-floored upper passage, while to the left a stoop under formations leads to a mud floored lower passage which slopes down. After 20m the two unite at a 20m wide chamber with several ways off.

From the chamber, low and to the SW an 8m wide bouldery passage goes 40m to a choke. To the NE a 10m wide passage goes past pools and flowstone (stoop with small stream unpushed) for 50m to a drippy climb up through boulders to the Upper Level.

From the upper passage entering the chamber it is possible to traverse around to the west on a well worn but exposed path into the Upper Level. Here a crawl through a stal grille leads to 2m high, 6m wide walking passage with old gours and rat faeces. After 30m the passage comes to a second stal grille, beyond which there is a 20m wide well decorated, mud-floored chamber. To the S the chamber roof comes down and it quickly pinches out with a stal and mud blockage. The way on is to the E, where ledges on both sides flank a pitch down (undescended). The pitch head is easily avoided by clambering onto the left ledge and past more stals to a flat floored stooping area which ends at a slot through to a boulder-floored chamber where the climb up from the Lower Level enters. In the boulder-floored chamber, a small trickle enters over flowstone on the left, and straight ahead a slippery climb up over wet mud comes to a strongly drafting boulder choke where no way on could be found.

Cave crickets (white and dark), rat droppings, and a centipede were seen in the cave.

Erin Lynch

Duncan Collis

Rob Garrett

Upper Entrance

Immediately inside the 30m diameter entrance there is a tall drystone wall built out of large blocks. Access is via a notch in the wall, which gains a short section of passage which appears to have been fortified some time in the past. There are the remains of winding stone walls. Locals say the cave was used to defend the valley a long time ago (more than 100 years ago). A passage to the right loops back to hole high in the wall of the vestibule, while another on the left goes through a short flat-out section to reach a 15-metre long section of stooping passage. The main passage of the cave ends at a solid choke with no draught.

Two varieties of creeper grow in the entrance, one red and one green.

Duncan Collis

Rob Garrett