Ra Paulette is an American cave sculptor based in New Mexico who digs into hillsides to sculpt elaborate artistic spaces inside mountains. Reviewer Martha Mendoza in the Los Angeles Times described the caves he created as shrines, as hallowed places, a “sanctuary for prayer and meditation” while others describe the caves as works of art. The caves are finished with “scallops, molded curves, smooth ledges, inlaid stones, narrow pods and crusty ledges”. His caves attract visitors worldwide.

Saudi children of al-Fefi family walk up the stairs as they make their way to their schools through Fifa Mountain, in Jazan, south of Saudi Arabia, December 15, 2016. (Photo by Mohamed Al Hwaity/Reuters)

Luke Personius, 12, waits for a wave as he surfs before school at sunrise in Hermosa Beach, California April 2, 2015. The group of friends surf at sunrise most mornings, then shower outside and walk to school. (Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters)

Schoolchildren ride on a makeshift raft to attend the opening of classes at a remote Casili Elementary School in Montalban, Rizal northeast of Manila, Philippines June 13, 2016. (Photo by Erik De Castro/Reuters)

Son doong cave is a cave in Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park, Bố Trạch district, Quảng Bình Province, Vietnam. Currently the biggest known cave in the world, the cave is located near the Laos-Vietnam border. Inside is a large, fast-flowing underground river.
In early August 2013, the first tourist group explored the cave on a guided tour at a cost of US$3,000 each. The group had six members from Australia, Norway, Russia and USA and spent 7 days and 6 nights for the tour. Next exploration trips will be arranged.

“Adventurers have gone deep underground to discover previously unexplored caves in these pictures. The awe-inspiring snaps show the cavers dwarfed by the huge series natural rock chambers in the Leye – Fengshan Geopark, China. Belgian photographer Francois-Xavier De Ruydts, 33, captured the team of explorers as they trekked through the deep wonderground in January 2014”. – Caters News. Here: Caving expedition in Fengshan, China, Guangxi province. (Photo by Francois-Xavier De Ruydts/Caters News)