Tag Konglor cave
The main reason people come to Thakhek is to do The Loop, a three day round trip by motorbike that not only goes through beautiful scenery but passes by a number of caves and lakes where you can go swimming. I decided to do the loop anti clockwise, starting with the caves just east of Thakhek.
Xang cave is reachable via a dirt road just off the main road and you have to ford a small river to reach it. The cave itself is not much, just a couple of Buddha statues and it’s not really worth the trouble of … Read the rest
The chamber we are in is enormous, the vaulted roof as high as that of a church and at least 30 meters from wall to wall. On the sides, gentle slopes of bare rock come down towards the water, forming a sort of outcrop where there is a bend in the river, the boat skimming across the gravel just inches below the surface. The whole scene illuminated by the greyish light of our flashlights as they focus on different parts of the surroundings.… Read the rest
We are on a small outcrop of rock, both behind and in front of us lies the shallow river. We are waiting while the driver pulls the boat over some rocky rapids. In the distance sunlight spills in through the jagged mouth of the cave, illuminating the white and ochre colored walls, and the green of the jungle outside reflected in the surface of the water. A large white rock topped with green sits right in the middle of the opening, the only place exposed to enough light for something to grow.… Read the rest
Our little motorized long tail canoe is speeding into the darkness, guided by nothing but the head lamp of the driver. The boat lies low in the water, the surface just inches from the sides and it feels like any movement could tip us over. To the sides and above us the vaulted roof of the cave, bare grey rock rushing past, illuminated by the dancing beams of our flashlights.… Read the rest