Kong Lor cave, is an isolated natural wonder in central Laos. Fortunately for us, the isolation is diminishing as a new road recently opened allowing visitors to drive all the way to the mouth of the cave from Vientiane on paved roads. On the other hand, fortunately the tourists hordes have not discovered this area yet. It's only a matter of time though because Kong Lor is incredible and one of the more unique sites in Laos. The Hinboun River winds through the cave for six kilometers and has carved giant caverns through the limestone mountains allowing visits to travel through the cave by boat. The cave is home to the largest cave-dwelling spiders in the world, huge fish and bats though we did not see any significant wildlife (see below). Please join us on a virtual tour below.
You start your trip by hiring a boat and tour guides and then descending a steep staircase to the pool at the mouth of the cave. While you walk around the water and into the shadows of the cave, the guides pull your boat through the small rapids at the entrance of the cave.
Inside it is dark...very dark. We brought our headlamps which proved to be useless except for the few places where we had to get out and walk through the shallow water. The guides have slightly more powerful headlamps but, because the caverns are so big, their lights only catch a little bit of the walls. For most of the hour long trip, you float through the darkness. It takes a little while to adjust to this sensation.
About halfway through the cave, they do have some lights set up so you can see some of the impressive stalagmites and stalactites.
Then more darkness...
Finally you literally see the light at the end of the tunnel which is both reassuring and a little disappointing.
After a short trip to appreciate the scenery and a visit to a nearby village, you return back to the cave and return to where you started.
The reason they are called water buffalo.
The view from the front porch of our eco-lodge where you can relax with a cold Beer Lao after spelunking and swimming.
Hahaha the contrast of your January to my January is depressingly stark.
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