Thakhek (Konglor cave) 3/29/13 - 4/1/13

We arrived to Thakhek and made our migration to one of the main guest houses in town that plenty of travelers frequent.  There was one reason we wanted to go to Thakhek and that was to see a cave.  It took some time once we were there to figure out how to get to Konglor cave the most efficiently (time wise and cost wise).  After plenty of reading up on information and asking questions to the tour agency and front desk, we still weren't exactly sure, but decided to wake up early the next morning and try to do it all on our own by local transport.  The local transport option was definitely not the most comfortable option; however, it got the job done.

It was the type of day where we had to go with the flow and have faith that the locals would guide us to where we needed to go, despite them capitalizing on making a few extra dollars in the process (it is what it is).  We walked to the market area at 6:30 am and were promptly greeted by a Song Theow truck driver who wanted to take us 2 hours to connect to another truck.  Certainly, sounded logical (and cheap- less than $3 each) enough for us.  After the first 2 hours, we transferred to a new truck that was crammed with people past "maximum" capacity, and 1 hour later made it to Ban Na Him, a small village about 1 hour away from the cave.  We found a guest house where we could leave our bags and stay for the night, found some lunch, and then boarded a bus for the last hour of the journey.

We hopped on the local min-bus that went to the cave.  The lady, who we think was part owner of the operation, was having her birthday celebration and had about 8 or 9 of her friends on the bus to help celebrate.  It was quite the "party" ride there and back.  They brought cases of beer and stereo speakers for the party.  They shared their beer with everyone on the bus and were hilarious to watch and listen to.  Made the ride quite entertaining!

Partier with his concoction of home-brew rice liquor and beer.

Birthday girl singing (very loudly) and dancing 

Konglor cave was incredible!  For sure a highlight of Laos, and even the trip as a whole.  We took a boat/canoe that held three people and two guides who took us down the 7km long under ground river into the cave, starting on one side and going through the mountain to a lush village on the other side.  There were parts of the cave as high as 300 ft!  It was such a surreal feeling being in a cave that was pitch dark except for our head lamps.  It was so quiet and calm.  The cave hadn't been explored with a motorized boat until 2008.  It was still a very natural, peaceful place.  About a quarter of the way into the cave there was an area with some of the most amazing stalagmites and stalactites.  The area recently underwent an illumination project, funded by the French, to string power into the cave and add lights to this area.  We walked around the area in awe of what nature can do.  

Emerald pool outside the entrance to the cave

Walking into the cave

Getting into the boats to go into the river and cave

Big stalagmite, small life vest

More stalagmites and stalactites

More again...

Guide pushing our boat through the rapids and rocks

Another boat passing us by with their headlamps on (notice the monks in orange)

View from the other side of the mountain

Going back through the cave

We stayed in the small town that night and the next morning made the return trip on the trucks back to Thakhek.  After reviewing our options, we decided to stick around for the rest of the day and relax before taking a bus south to the 4000 Islands the next morning.