One of the natural wonders of Laos

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Getting there

Getting to the cave - supposedly one of (if not the) largest limestone caves in Asia was a trek! We left at 6:00 am taking a tuk tuk to the bus station, a bus to Thang Beng, another to Ban Na Hin, and a sawngthaew (covered utility/mini truck with 2 bench seats down each side) to Sala Bin Houn - a guest house overlooking the river which led to the cave.

Getting to the bus station at that hour meant getting supplies for the ride - water, sticky rice. A little conservative you might say? Well after we did a quick inspection of the foods on offer and saw various barbecued delights, we went for a stomach settling option. We were offered barbecued frogs though (see pic).

The trip took until 2pm and the last 28km was 2 hours of bouncing over rutted roads, through creek beds and alongside rice paddies (now dry and harvested). The road winds through villages and the driver keeps one hand free for a regular tooting of slow vehicles, cows, children on the road and at blind corners, as well as to announce its arrival in the various neighbourhoods. Arrivak was very welcome, as two dusty travellers unfolded themselves to the coolness of the shade casr by our next guest house.

The cave

Joined by other new found Spanish friends - Carmen and David from the Canary Islands, we took motorised canoes with a picnic lunch, to Tham Lot Kong Lo. The scenery en route was beautiful ... banks lined with bamboo, tall trees and areas cultivated by villagers, as well as village huts peeking through the greenery. The cakdrop to all of this is "Gothic mountains and cliffs pf jagged black kart" (Lonely Planet- Laos, pp194). On the water it was smooth running with some small rapids and shallow areas giving a few changes of pace and reason to stop for a push.

The cave is like a tunnel. Vast spaces above the water meant we had no trouble passing through, with occasional disembarkation for walking through the shallows. This was largely easily managed, although some of us tried to get a swim on the way by stepping into deep water (:0)!!! We walked through the cave in parts, looking at columns of limestone. The cave itself was warm and carried through it an echo of running water from the entrance.

My description does not do the cave justice. It was marvellous to be in the dark space, to see this thing that nature has created, in a setting so tranquil and as yet, largely unblemished by man. The quietness of the river, the breeze through the trees and the gentle progress we made (although not slow) through the area was a great way to see a hidden part of the country. It is the sort of place where despite the quiet, you can hear a lot ... the buzz of the wings of dragonflies, the quiet low-pitched conversation of ducks(!?), distant sounds of village life.

We passed right through the cave to lunch on the banks of the river, sharing our noodles and rice with some locals. Retracing our steps we navigated our way back through the cavern, to the otherside and meandered home along the waterway. More food, beerlao, lively conversation ensued before sagging ... sitting quietly to watch life on the river, going for a wander through fields and past homes. As this day ends, the sounds are curiously suburban, with meal preparation activities, children grabbing their last playtime before darkness descends, tractors returning home from the fields, buffulo munching their way along bells tinkling gently as their heads turn to check my presence.

Another night in our hut before another early start and a journey back to the main road. This is followed by an overnight bus to Pakse, from where I fly to Siem Reap. We arrive at 5:00am, stiff, sore, tired and relieve that it is over. It is time for another herbal sauna and massage.

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