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Published: July 16th 2007
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The journey to Vieng Phoukha was a long one, but well worth the ride. From Vientiane it involves taking a 23 hour long local bus to the city of Luang Nam Tha. From there it is a quick 1 1/2 pickup truck ride to town. I ended up staying the night in Luang Nam Tha to rest and get a good meal and shower. On the bus there I met a Japanese traveler, Moo, who has been on the road for the last 13 months. We compared stories and went separate ways the next day. He was off to China and I was off to Vieng Phoukha.
When the pickup dropped me off into the muddy center of Vieng Phoukha I felt good. I had finally arrived and the town looked like a place I would like. There were signs pointing to the one and only tourist office, so I made my way there. I was greeted by an extremely friendly staff. Their office was very organized and they told me what would be interesting to see in the area. The office looked very new and they told me that I was just built this year and that they've
only been doing tours since 2004. They only see a few tourists a week, so it is still a very new to westerners spot. I looked around and saw that they had wiring and ceiling fans set up, but not running. I asked if there was a blackout and they said that they always have no power. It has all been set up and they are hoping that electricity will be set up in the town within the next 2 years. There are a few spots in town that run generators for a few hours in the evening, but other than that it's pitch black at night.
After talking for awhile and seeing photos of the area, I decided to book a tour to see Kao Rao cave. It's a 3-5km long cave (depending on which source you read) and it really sounded amazing. We would also check out some of the surrounding Khmu villages, so it looked like a good combo deal. When getting ready to go, all the staff suddenly got excited. Then I saw why. One of their friend's came by with a big bucket full of some type of meat. They told me that one
of them had slaughtered a water buffalo for the market and discovered that it was about 6 months pregnant. This is an extremely rare event and they were excited for the Keng feast that would occur later. Keng is buffalo fetus and placenta soup. I know it doesn't sound to appetizing to western ears, but I was invited to join them later when it was all cooked up and it was sort of good. It was accompanied with several shots of local lao-lao (close to 100 proof rice whiskey) and too many beer lao pints. It was a very fun first night and I really got to see how the locals celebrate.
The next morning I awoke with a slight hangover, but was still eager to see Kao Rao cave. During the night it rained very hard, so we decided to drive as close to the entrance as possible, instead of doing a long hike. The new road (just redone in the last few months) comes within 300 meters of the cave entrance. Before that we stopped into one of the many Khmu villages to find a local guide to come with us. He would know the cave better
and would have to do an offering ceremony before we could enter. Kao Rao is a very spiritual cave to the locals, so extra respect is needed. When looking around the village we got a little treat. The local blacksmith was working today. The process of making blades involves 3 people. One to operate an air pump to fuel the fire, another to pound the blade in the fire, and a third to sharpen the cooled blade. It made for a nice show.
When approaching the cave, it really had a lost, hidden feel. The short trail was totally grown over and we need machetes to hack our way through. Not many people come here, with the exception being a once a year local festival that it held inside. When entering the cave it was very cool and had a slight breeze. Very comfortable. We made our way deep inside. There were crystals and bats everywhere. Most were high up, but a few were within photo range. We went in for a couple of hours, but had to turn back because a small river had formed inside because it was the wet season. Still we were inside for a
good 3 hours and I was able to see some amazing structures. When we got back to the entrance, we had an excellent, local lunch and made our way back to our ride. From there, we stopped at a few more Khmu villages. At one, a little kid saw me and was so scared the he wet his pants. That's a true sign that not many tourists come here. We all laughed, including his parents and then went back to Vieng Phoukha for some rest and a good bath.
Later that night one of the guides from the office invited me over for dinner. Boun was a great cook and previous to Vieng Phoukha was a guide in Muong Sing. He said that he really liked his new location, but it does get too quiet some times. The town is surrounded by thick forest and still has an untouched feel and without power I can see how he would be bored at times. Later we met up with his cousin Lee and another guide Chansing and went out for more Beer Lao. It was more drinking than I've recently been used to, but it was a very fun night.
The next day I left town, but I really wish that I had more time to spend in Vieng Phoukha. There were several trekking possibilities there. They range from 1-3 days and you can see several Thai, Khmu and Akha villages. I skipped that only because of my limited time in Laos and because of the current condition of the trails due to the rainy season. The costs for the tours are also very well priced and all of the money goes to the community. The guides are local rice farmers who have been taught english and trained to guide. They are very knowledgeable and a very genuine and happy to see you. I highly recommend that anyone who comes close to this town, to stop for a visit. You'll be able to see the real Laos and I think you would really enjoy it.
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anonymous
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Is there a rule against kissing in the caves or what?