- Elephant Cave
- Creepy Reservoir
- Blue Lagoon
- Nahin
- Konglor Cave
- Little Vietnam
LETS GET STARTED
Thakhek is small town centrally located on the Mekong River on the border of Thailand with a French colonial style. It is most likely that you will find the town to be a bit boring and less touristy than other towns in Laos. There is not much to do besides strolling through the market and grubbing on some spicy pork larb with sticky rice in the plaza. For that reason we decided to arrive, get a good night rest, and embark on the 3 day, 2 night loop the following morning.
Like any loop, you need to choose which direction to start from. We decided that the Konglor Cave would be our last attraction, so we opted to go east and then up and around back west. You should be given a map from the scooter rental company if you choose Wang Wang Motor Rental, a reliable place with newer scooters and a locked room to leave your large baggage. Just make sure to bring your valuables, a few articles of clothing, and your tooth brush. We chose Guesthouses to sleep at both nights, which offered food for purchase, warm showers, soap and shampoo.
Transportation
- From Vang Vieng (anywhere from 14-20 USD) you are looking at about a 10 hour shuttle or bus ride
- About a 5 hour ride from Vientiane (anywhere from 10-15USD)
I recommend asking around before purchasing your tickets in order to find your ideal mode of transportation and cost. Public buses will have more stops at lower prices and private shuttles will get you there quicker and comfier at higher costs.
Elephant Cave
So we hit the road early in the morning and headed east, and if you’re looking at the map, we are doing the loop in a counterclockwise rotation. I’m not going to tell you which caves to visit on the first day, because as you will notice on the map, there are more than enough options. The first place we stopped at was elephant cave on the right side of the road. You will be required to walk through a shallow creek to get through the cave, so if possible, wear some sandals and swim shorts.
*At this point it’s important to note that if you want to take your time at each attraction then you might consider turning this into a three night loop.
Creepy Reservoir
After the elephant cave we continued on the road through stunning landscape that includes mountains, rivers, valleys, farms, forests, and one creepy lake. The big creepy lake is actually a reservoir created by damning the river and flooding the lowlands. This in effect gives the reservoir an eerie feel, as you can see the upper half of the dead trees where once there was forest.
If you want to avoid the same mistake we made, I would try to make it past the Nam Theum Reservoir if you want to make good time and avoid having to drive extra long on day two. We ended up having to drive a few hours into the night through curvy roads and a traffic accident through a mountainous region the next day (not an ideal situation).
Blue Lagoon
On day two we stopped stopped and took a look at Wailing Ghost Cliff in Khammouane, where it is said that every monthly holy day a beautiful woman is seen combing her hair on the rock ledge in front of a cave. There are also cliffside temples nearby and a blue lagoon, Cool Pool Ban Napavan, where on sunny days people swim and relax. If you’re fortunate enough to get there while the weather is warm, then its the perfect opportunity to take a refreshing dip in the turquoise blue waters.
Nahin
By the end of day two, you want to be at least as far as Nahin. This is the point where you will stray away from the loop and head towards the Konglor Cave on day three. We stayed at the Sanhak Guesthouse, which had good food, clean rooms, comfy beds, strong wifi, and great people. As anyone who has experience spending long days on a motorbike knows, it’s important to find an accommodation with a nice warm shower, because you’re going to feel grimy after navigating through truck exhaust, bugs, dust, and possibly rain (always recommend having a cheap, plastic, disposable rain poncho for such occasions).
Konglor Cave
“One of Southeast Asia’s geological wonders”
The road to Konglor Cave is one way in and one way out through a cliff walled valley containing farmlands, forest, creeks, bridges and villages. Once you get to the enormous cave you will have one option and that is to pay for the entrance and a boat. The boats are actually rickety motorized wooden canoes with a captain to navigate you through the cave on the Nam Hin Bun River. Classified as “one of Southeast Asia’s geological wonders,” you will meander through 7 kilometers of cave that includes a walking portion, emerald waters, and parts as high as 300 feet. You will come out the other side to thick forest, water buffaloes, and a market to have something to eat before heading back through.
For this final stretch we bit the bullet and made our way all the way back to Thakhek. It’s a bit of a stretch for one day but we arrived before sunset, with time for a nice lunch break on the way to breakup the long drive. If you have an extra day you might decide to go back to Nahin for another night and check out the attractions near there to end your day. There’s a couple view points and the Nam Sanam Waterfall if driving all the way back seems too demanding.
Little Vietnam (In Laos)
You’ll notice that the final stretch along the border of Thailand has many signs offering Vietnamese cuisine, and that is because this region is actually populated by Vietnamese people. People from Vietnam were encouraged to immigrate to Laos during the French occupation. So take that opportunity to get yourself a bowl of Phở on your way back to Thakhek. Also fill up your tank at a gas station before hitting that long straight away because they are few and far between.
CONCLUSION
This loop is seriously one of the most amazing journeys I’ve been on. From the array of landscapes, lush forests, caves, rivers, courteous people, and even an eerie reservoir, it’s definitely worth your while to check out. In a region that not many people venture to, in a country that is usually at the bottom of people’s bucket lists, you will have an experience you’ll never forget.
