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6. South Laos – Caves, Climbing & Fine Riding

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I guess in some ways Vientiane, the capital of Laos, best personifies the Lao people. For a capital city it is super chill. There is not the entrepreneurial hustle of Vietnam. People are gracious with their time. They are, as most everyone says, laidback. Honking, in our minds the signature characteristic of Vietnam, is almost completely absent here. Riding in traffic is mellow, even riding against traffic ruffles few feathers. Road rage is an alien concept.

A ‘laidback’ Buddha, one of the iconic tourist sites of Vientiane. This is smaller than I had expected but suitable to its site amongst the many other temples. This wat also contains the famous Pha That Luang stupa, the symbol of the country and said to contain the breastbone of Buddha. N.B., A reclining Buddha represents the historical Buddha on his deathbed.
Claire seeking enlightenment under the Bohdi tree. Each position of Buddha, as exemplified above, has a well defined significance but for us, the decidedly unenlightened, it was simply a lovely spot to hang, out of the midday sun.

Once again, determining our ongoing route was a challenge. We were headed south but we’d heard that the main highway was in rough shape. The language barrier continues to be insurmountable for the type of info we seek. Finally, I did the pedal out to what looked like a big, bike shop on Google. Sitting in the back of the shop was an unfriendly looking French guy clearly dismissive of another lost tourist looking for information. Undaunted, I plied him for info and once he knew what we were about, warmed up considerably and was a wealth of reliable beta. Most importantly, he convinced us to take the bus for the 250 km stretch to Vieng Kham, the northern terminus of the Thakhek Loop. Once again, due to language and circumstance, we had to rely on an expat for decent route info.

On our way to the Southern Bus Terminal in the early morning we came upon this palace under construction. This highly ornate, Neo-colonial, Greek Revival (not a clue ) style of architecture is all the rage with the filthy rich. The fencing detailing, replete with coat of arms, is suitable for Buckingham Palace. This is being built blocks away from a bus depot in an otherwise rather shabby neighborhood. We were told it is for a family member of the President (heresay, I suspect).
The usual chaos at the bus station. Which bus, to where, when, how much for the bikes, etc.. We ended up on this kind of beat up ‘local’ bus, the only one willing to stop at our destination. I had to get up top to ensure the bikes were loaded so as to minimize damage, all the while, the driver pressuring us to get a move on. Luckily, the bus never filled, we developed a bit of rapport with the driver and the other passengers, all of which made a hellish (how do you like that Gary?) ride quite bearable.
Of the 6 hours in the bus, at least half were like this. Constantly fretting about our bikes bouncing along on the top of the bus and at the same time, feeling enormous relief that we chose not to ride this stretch. The roadside towns and villages of Laos are, how can I put this……quite unattractive. Dirty, haphazard, patched together….. I could go on. Combine this with a thick layer of dust from the miserable road conditions and incessant truck traffic, and you get the picture.
On the other hand, the Thakhek Loop was all we could ask for. Great scenery, little traffic (though a fair amount of tourists on scooters. Doing the Loop by scooter is THE thing to do) and enough food and accommodation at just the right distances plus multiple stops of interest.
A karst limestone landscape. In amongst these jagged rock summits lives the endangered Lao langur. Not surprisingly, undertaking field studies of the animal is challenging, so little is known about their life cycle.
One of the Loop’s apparent attractions was the hike into Namsanam Waterfall, so on our first day and after a, shorter than usual, 45 km ride in the morning, we found a guesthouse, had lunch then set off on the 3.5 hour hike into the fall. It started off as a level path through this towering forest with a cacophony of bug noises to serenade us. The trail however got progressively rougher, braided, downed trees, etc., and given the undisturbed litter layer, showed little sign of use.
After 1.75 hours of hard work, we’ve finally got this view of the much diminished waterfall.To get to this point, we had to ford the creek, do a class 5 move past a deep pool and scramble over and around boulders long after any semblance of a trail had disappeared. Though, I’m sure the falls are more impressive in the rainy season, I couldn’t imagine hiking the trail in the wet. Of course, living on the West Coast we’ve seen many spectacular waterfalls and this pales in comparison. Nonetheless, it’s all about context. The alien vegetation, the bugs, bird life, the strange noises, being all alone, all combined to make it a worthwhile outing.
The next morning started with a big hill climb. The road was often in abysmal shape, with multiple landslides that had been cleared, in many spots, for single lane traffic only. The task of getting the road ready for the next rainy season was, in our estimation, insurmountable but we saw no sign of any remedial work. Thankfully, for us at least, there was little traffic.
A crenelated ridge. Traversing this is not for the faint of heart! The karst landscape is so different from the glaciated terrain to which we are accustomed. We found it harsh but beautiful.
We rode alongside this continuous wall of limestone for 15 kms, thinking it formed the border with Vietnam. We were only 50 kms off. We’ll have to bone up on our geography.
Next feature, the Dragon Cave. It was near to the road, had a small tourist facility attached and proved to be an awesome stop. The entry was a bit of a work out, bent over for a good 75 m, but soon opened up to big vaulted spaces with fantastic formations. Like the karst environment our previous cave experiences were all a few years back, so it felt wholly new and, for us, otherworldly.
Our pictures do not not convey the grandeur of the cave. We would slowly rotate, mouths agape, trying to appreciate all before us. Trying to capture the scale in a photo was a challenge.
Once again we lucked out. We had the cave to ourselves, which for us significantly enhances the experience. Deep into the cave we spotted a rickety looking steel staircase leading up to a skylight (opening to outside) high above, which was presumably, an alternative exit. Anxious to avoid the hunchback-inducing entry, we headed up the steep stairs. Sure enough, it lead to a rough trail and a little sign indicating ‘parking – 500 m’. A hundred or so metres along there was a fork and another small sign ‘viewpoint’. Suckers that we are for a new trail we took the fork. It soon resembled a Squamish climber’s access trail replete with ladders, haul lines and short scrambles, leading eventually to a precariously perched wooden platform on a jagged karst formation. The view was okay so I had to wonder at how many disappointed tourists actually made it to the top.
Back on the road, we crossed a bridge and below us were these misnamed, ‘bomb’ boats. Made from old jet fuel storage tanks that were quickly attached to US bomber/jets during the Vietnam war. The reworking of abandoned military detritus into useful ‘tools’ is a common practice in this part of the world, as is the plague of unexploded ordinance and landmines in this poor country. N.B. Though hard to imagine, during the Vietnam War, the US dropped more bombs on Laos than they did in the entirety of WW2. Laos has the dubious distinction of being the most heavily bombed country on earth!
The view from the same bridge, just looking the other way. Keeping our eyes on the road, for much of the Thakhek Loop, was a challenge.
Assorted Buddha statues carved into the limestone alongside the road. The reclining Buddhas always seemed our favourite.
Our 2nd to last day on the Loop was pretty special. Starting with a 3 km descent off the Nakai Plateau and then essentially flat pedaling, with a glorious wind at our backs, through beautiful karst landscapes.
But what would a day be without another cave to visit? I guarantee this will be the last ! 😉
The Tham Nang Aen cave was a highlight. We almost missed it, as the faded sign at the road was all in Lao, but after a short dirt road we found the cave entrance and a bunch of well established tourist facilities. We had heard there was a possibility of paddling in the cave so we signed up and while waiting for a guide to show up, we checked out the walkable portion of the cave. The coloured lighting was a bit distracting but, as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and beautiful it was. The cave ceiling was in places 100 Ms above. The shapes bewildering and, I guess I’ll have to admit, the colours provided drama and depth.
And finally, the paddle. I asked if we could go alone but the guide was, unsurprisingly, mandatory. He ended up being both patient and considerate. He graciously let us lead the way, though he sprinted ahead on the return to prepare the landing (above).The paddle in, the walk to the distant cave entrance and paddle back took a little over an hour. It was just us and our guide. Hopefully the video below provides some of the wonder it inspired in us.
And finally, our last stop on the Loop, Green Climber’s Home. From the outset of the trip, this was the one, sure destination. In the end, regrettably, we only stayed 3 nights. It is undeniably a super cool, all inclusive, climber’s hangout. Most climbers come directly to GCH, bring their own gear and are focused entirely on climbing. We had to rent gear which proved our downfall. I couldn’t find shoes that fit and combined with chronic toe nail fungus (TMI), it was just too painful to climb. We managed three half-days of climbing before pulling the plug. In the photo above, Claire is chatting with a French and Russian climber under the Great Roof, a formidable feature of contorted rock with numerous demanding, overhanging routes, all way beyond our skills and strength.

We had always planned on staying in one of their funky bungalows, bamboo-walled, fully plumbed, elevated ‘cabins’ with balconies and hammocks. Alas, these are booked out months in advance. Ironically, just after deciding to ship all our unused camping gear home (we did this in Vientiane), we were allocated a tent! The tenting area was definitely downmarket with only basic amenities but still, in a beautiful area and only a short walk to the bar/restaurant where we ate and all the climbers hung out. It was all a bit hippy-dippy and we were a lot older than most but the food was great and we soon felt at home.

The camping area’s ablution block! A tiny, open to the elements, space with a wobbly, bucket-flush toilet all perched 6 feet in the air, on top of a rock, overlooking a dirt/gravel floored shower with no hot water. The ‘sink’ was a tap attached to the rock that that also just flowed onto the ground. It all worked and we used it everyday but really, it was the most Mickey Mouse affair, not at all the bungalow we had hoped for.
Maybe only 80 m from our tent was this fantastic cave and our daily swimming spot. I had Claire go stand on a submerged rock, just to give a sense of the grandeur of the cave. The water was a perfect temperature- maybe the coolest swimming hole I’ve ever enjoyed.

Additional notes: 1. Laos is awash in plastic! There is no recycling, no deposits on returnable items, in fact, burning garbage at the side of the road is the typical disposal method. In comparison, Canada is trying to impose a nationwide ban on single-use plastics (the petrochemical industry fought the ban and won!). I’m not sure what this illustrates but we’ve certainly got a long way to go in regards our planetary environment. 2. We recently hung out with a 57 year old cyclist from the UK. He told us that wherever he goes (when not on his bike), he is taken for a ‘sexpat’, older western men seeking/paying for sex with local women. We see lots of them and wonder how they’re viewed by locals and how the women are seen by these quite conservative societies. Of course, we are always assumed to be Americans which, given the lingering legacy of the war, I’m not entirely comfortable with either.

8 thoughts on “6. South Laos – Caves, Climbing & Fine Riding”

    1. Good to hear from you AJ. Hope all is well back home. We are really amateur when it comes to photography but at a 10:1 edit ratio we’re bound to come up with a few good ones.

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  2. Wow. Those are some wow-worthy pictures. The bus video reminded me of Cambodia, where there wasn’t a bus option. Did you consider riding on top of the bus? It can be quite comfortable and spacious. What about climbing photos? Can we see some of those?

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    1. We hear that the roads in Cambodia remain in pretty bad shape, so who knows, it might warrant another bus trip. But I think the days of riding on top of buses might be over. Have seen some pretty incredible ways of transporting people this trip but not on top of a bus.
      As for climbing photos, you know how hard that is when attached to a rope. The easy grades were incredibly gnarly with sharp holds everywhere. Even a short fall would have nasty consequences. Never climbed anything remotely similar. Pushing the grades on steeper routes would have been fun but we never got there.

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  3. Oh the irony of shipping home the stuff you won’t need…BTDT. I have enjoyed each segment so much and marvel at your stamina and patience and appreciation. Interesting that there is so much tourism and such vast stretches of wilderess. Takes a bike to find the real adventure. Well done guys!

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  4. Thanks for the kind words Sylvia. So glad you’re enjoying it. The tourism hotspots are deservedly so but provide a very different experience from the rest of the country. Both are worth visiting. We will be in Cambodia tomorrow. After almost 6 weeks in Laos we look forward to seeing the differences and experiencing a new culture.

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  5. I have been in Laos in 1994 to visit friends who were working there but never got to the south. Beautiful pictures of the scenery! Thanks for sharing.

    Last week, Kaila and her partner Roel got a baby called Fiep Elin. Mother and daughter are doing well. I have send you some pictures via Whatsapp.

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  6. Congrats Grandpa!
    My WhatsApp is not working but Claire’s is +1-604-898-3051. We’re in Cambodia now. Surprisingly different!

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