Get To 7-Kilometer Cave - Tham Kong Lo
Tham Kong Lo is a natural wonder located in the center of Laos. This cave, created by the Hinboun River, is 7.5 km long and a popular destination for any Laos package tours. Nestled deep in a small village, Kong Lo asks many questions in visitors' minds, from transportation, accommodations, activities, and tips. In this article, these issues will be clarified. Keep on readingtobenefityourtrip!
How To Get To Tham Kong Lo
By Bus
ThemostaffordablewaytogettoThamKongLoisbybus,availablefromVientiane,thecapital city of Laos. The distance between them is about 233 km, with the road distance being 454,9 km. Thus, thejourney takesaround10hours and costsnearly$12 (100,000LAK).Youcan buy tickets for the whole trip or each station if you still want to spend time sightseeing. From the village,youcanhireatuk-tukfor$2(25,000LAK)orrentamotorbikefor$3-5perday(50,000 -80,000LAK)totaketothecave.
By Private Car
A more comfortable and convenient option is to hire a private car which is always available fromVientiane or othercities in Laos.Thepricefor this service ishighat $50perseat, andthe triptakesupto6hours.TheadvantageofhiringacarisstoppingandtakinginLaos'sbeautiful scenery.Youcanalsoarrangeforyourdrivertotakeyoutootherattractions.
By Motorbike
For the more adventurous traveler, renting a motorbike is also exciting. You can also rent a motorbikefromVientianeorothercitiesinLaos.Thejourneytothisdestinationbythisvehicle isextremelybeautiful.However,itcanbechallengingwithsomenarrow,bumpyroads.
Experience At Kong Lor Cave
Initially,rentingamotorboat(Sampan),about$6perperson,wouldbebest.Thelong,narrow boats can carry up to 5 passengers and 2 crew members. It takes about 5 minutes from the boatyard to the first attraction. You will continue to walk and explore the inside of the cave. Becausethelimestoneiswetandslippery,youmustcarefullywalkontheartificialpavedpath.
Thelargestplaceinthisnaturalattractionis100mabovethewaterand90mfromthewall.The interiorisquitedarkanddeep,withmanyjaggedstalactites.Ontheotherhand,theonlyvisible lightmaybefromyourheadlamp.Afterthat,theboattakesvisitorsoutofthetunnelandstops atasmallvalleywhereyoucanbuysnacksfromthelocalsandrest.Or,dependingonthetime, you can visit the village center about 1km away. Finally, the boat will bring you back to the harboratthestartingpointbyreturningtotheoldroadandendingthetrip.
Tips When Visiting Tham Kong Lo
Youwillhave15minutestoexplorethis beautifullimestoneandstalactitecave(Source:diariesof-Magazine)
Items for your packages: Shorts, t-shirts (for both men and women), thin coat, waterproofshoesorsandals,sunscreen,waterproofbags(formoneyormiscellaneous items),photogear(utilizewellinlowlightconditions),andalittlecash(enoughforyour journey'sexpenses).
Communication:Ifyouhaveanyquestions,askyourboatman.Thelanguagebarriercan embarrassbothparties,buttheyknowhowtoexplainitdifferently.
Silent request: You can ask the driver to turn off the engine when stopping to visit if therearenootherboats.Completelyquietspaceinthecavewillhelpyouenjoythistrip morefullyandnotdisturbthecreaturesinit.
Tips: Not necessary in Laos; however, if you ask the boatman to wait or anything else, you may give them a bonus. Its value is usually around 10,000 LAK or 10% of the total service.
Where To Stay In Kong Lo
The development of this destination from the Laos package tours or even individual tourism has attracted many tourists, forming many guesthouses around. Because of that, visitors comingherewillhavemoreoptionsfortheiraccommodation.Tobespecific:
Homestays:BanKongLovillage,about1kmfromthedestination.Thisplaceissuitable foryoutoexperiencelifewithahostfamily,accompaniedbyfamilymeals.Pricesrange from$5-10.
Sala Hin Boun: is a densely populated area with room rates of around $20. Inthapanya Guesthouse: in Ban Khoun Kham village. The advantage is that there is English-speakingstaff,whichisconvenientforlongtrips.
Spring River Resort: located on the southern bank of Hinboun, slightly away from the villageandtowns.Pricesfluctuateseasonally.
Inaddition,youcanrefertosomelocalguesthousessuchasKonglorAlounmai,KongLorEcoLodge,orKongLorCaveResort.Theyarealsospacious,airy,convenient,air-conditioned,and affordablefortravelers.
FAQs
What Are The Timings For Tham Kong Lo Cave?
This cave tour usually lasts up to 3 hours, including 15 minutes by boat into the cave, 15 minutes on foot to explore stalactites, more than 30 minutes by ship in the dark and explore thecave,15minutesfromthecavetotherestingplaceandalmost1hourforthereturntrip.
What Are The Ticket Prices For Tham Kong Lo Cave?
Therearethreebasicfeesthatyouneedtopaybeforeyoustartyourjourney:
Entrancefee:usedtoenterPhuHinBunNationalPark,pricedat$0.23(LAK4000).
Outofthetunnel,youwillreachasmallvalleywherelocalsnacksaresold(Source:AwayGoWe)
Caveentrancefee:about$1.15(20,000LAK),usuallyincludedintheboattrip
Boattour:about$11.5(200,000LAK)for3peopleor$6perperson
Do You Need To Book In Advance To Visit Kong Lo Cave?
Booking in advance for this tour is unnecessary,even ifyou do not book Laos package tours. Instead,itwouldbebesttoestimateyourtravelschedulebecauseitmaylast3hours,andthe close time is4 pm. Therefore,youneed toget there at least before 1pm. In addition,the best time to visit it is in the dry season, when the water level is not too high. This season usually startsinNovemberandlastsuntilMarchnextyear.
In Sum
VisitingKongLoCavecanbeanadventurebutworthit.Whetheryougettherealoneoronany Laospackagetours,thejourneytothiscaveisfilledwithnaturalbeautyandcharm.Then,your actionnowistotightenyourluggageandgetreadyforamemorabletriptooneofLaos'most beautifulgiftsinnature.
Vietnam Fast Tours
"Spare your time, Florish your travel", Vietnam Fast Tours provide fully private personalized holiday packages at highgest quality services. As a local tour operator based in Vietnam, the company offers wide range of travel styles from family hoildays, adventure tours, beach vacation, honeymoon tours to luxury spa & wellness holiday to Southeast Asia. With Vietnam FastTours,theclientswillexperienceSoutheastAsiaintheirownway.
PlanyourLaospackagetours
