Points of Interest

If you are planning on doing the Thakhek loop, chances are you’ve already done some research on what to see along the way. If not, you’ve come to the right place; below is list of the top locations to visit on your trip. Attractions along the Loop are a diverse collection of caves, rivers, adventure areas, and cultural experiences. During our trip we certainly didn’t manage to get to all of the points, but we’ve done some research on places we didn’t visit to help you plan your trip. We’ve collected the locations described below on a Google Map here. Read on for an in-depth description of each point!

Thakhek Loop Caves

The area around the Thakhek Loop is probably best known for its myriad of cave systems, ranging from small to large, dry to river flowing through them. Unless you decide to take 5+ days to visit the area (see our post about how many days to take for the Loop), you probably won’t have time to see every cave along the way, so take a look below for our recommendations on where to spend your time.

Kong Lor Cave

• Location: 17.95864, 104.75585
• Time to visit: 3 hours for the cave, 1+ hour for the far side (reserve half a day)
• Price: 200,000 kip per person, 500,000 per person + motorbike (“not” recommended)
• Recommended: must-see

Let’s get the must-see caves out of the way first, and foremost on that list is the Kong Lor Cave. This is the cave that put the Loop on the map, a 7.5 km long cavern with a huge river passable by boat. The history of the cave’s exploration is storied and interesting; fortunately for us though, the infrastructure around the cave is well developed. Visiting the cave is done via long wooden boats driven by a guide, and is quite an intense experience. Water shoes are provided as you may need to get out for some shallow points in the river (Andrew was up to his waist helping our guide pull the boat through rapids at one point 😅), and we strongly recommend bringing a waterproof bag for your electronics in case of any accidents. We fortunately avoided any spills, but can easily see such accidents happening as the boats are very unstable. Along the river you will be able to stop twice to explore the cave. We won’t spoil anything, but suffice to say that the experience is absolutely amazing.

At the far end of the cave is the Ban Natane Valley; if you didn’t arrive at the end of the day, you can rent a bike and do a small 1-2h loop around while your boat driver waits for you. Otherwise, there are local women selling food, drinks, and local products. If you started after 1pm, you will most likely have to return immediately, so we would recommend leaving in the morning to have time to explore a bit. You can even sleep in Ban Natane if you want more time in this off-path rural Laos.

One final note about the Kong Lor Caves is the prospect of bringing your scooter or motorbike through the caves and continuing the Loop on the other side. We wrote more about that here; in short, we did not do this and can’t recommend it given the instability of the boat. Don’t ruin your trip by putting your bike at the bottom of the river.

Dragon/Mangkone Cave

• Location: 18.22116, 104.81219
• Time to visit: 1-1.5h
• Price: 50,000 kip per person
• Recommendation: must-see

Another must see point on the Loop is the Dragon Cave; honestly, if you told me you liked them more than the Kong Lor Caves I wouldn’t be mad. Just off the road between Lak Sao and Nahim, this cave system is accessed via a well kept visitor entrance and garden adorned with Buddha statues and a bridge over a river containing schools of beautiful fish. The cave itself starts out with a very low ceiling before opening to a huge space. The hike is a round trip in which you climb out to out on the other side to make a loop around the hill and come back. On the way, you have the option to go to the nearby peak, approximately a 15 min detour, with an amazing view of the valley behind. The trek is definitely worth it, but it is a steep climb and requires good shoes.

Upon returning, you can enjoy the river, feed the fish, and visit the small shop selling snacks or the restaurant with very reasonable prices.

Tham Nam Non Cave

• Location: 18.02843, 104.68968
• Time to visit: Give yourself at least 3 hours
• Price: Free, but locals may ask for money
• Recommendation: Recommended for the adventurous

This massive cavern is visible from the road leading to the Kong Lor cave, and the internal volume is and length are significantly more than Kong Lor. It is less frequented than Kong Lor, and we did not visit it ourselves, but researching our trip makes us regret missing it. By all accounts, it is a draw-dropping cave, 5 or 6 stories tall in some places, and explorable up to 4km deep, but running 10+ km. Reviews say that Green Discovery Laos ran tours at some point, but I was unable to find any evidence of this at time of writing. In any case, tourist infrastructure surrounding this cave is non-existent, so don’t approach it frivolously.

Tham Nang Aen Cave

• Location: 17.44384, 104.94853
• Time to visit: 2-3 hours for the boat ride,
• Price: 40,000 for simple entry, 50,000(?) entry + boat
• Recommended: Recommended if you like Disneyland

This cave, located halfway along the lower leg of the Loop, is another we didn’t visit. Its reviews are interesting; it has many one stars for the lights and boat ride, and many five stars for the lights and the boat ride. Therefore, you have to ask yourself, do you like lights and boat rides? If so, this might be a good visit for you 😝. Many people complain about “expensive” the entry fee of ~2.50 USD at time of writing; I don’t think this should be a concern for any prospective Loopers. One note of caution, the guides seem to be quite strict on requiring 2 people to begin a tour.

Phaya In Cave

• Location: 17.4617, 104.91612
• Time to visit: 30 minutes
• Price: Free, 5000 kip donation to a blind man out front
• Recommended: A nice stop for the first day

This smaller cave is located about 3 minutes off the road on the lower leg of the Loop. It is beautiful holy cave draped with prayer flags with an underground river/lake with an opening on the far side creating beautiful reflections. The way down to the lake/river has been closed with a small wall recently (2023), but it is still possible to go down. This is a holy cave with a small Buddhist shrine, so swimming is forbidden. When we visited there were construction workers building new steps up to the cave, so it seems that the cave is being developed for tourism, and the info here on e.g. entry fees may change in the near future.

Xieng Liap Cave

• Location: 17.45345, 104.90919
• Time to visit: 20 minutes if not doing the adventure park
• Price: 10,000 kip
• Recommended: There are more impressive caves

Xieng Liap is a “small” (relatively) cave with a small river running through it. You cannot go too deeply without swimming or walking through the water (you will need water shoes), but it is easy to access and not far from a road, so it’s interesting to see the entrance. In the rainy season, it is usually only possible to access the cave with a boat.

Next to the cave is a new adventure park for which a combined ticket can be purchased. The adventure park offers walking on the tree bridges for 65,000 kip, or zip line with equipment rental for 273,000 kip (in 2023). We didn’t go for these options so can’t comment on the experience; it does look nice from the ground, but if you are planning on going to the Rock (which you should be), maybe save your zipline experience for there. There may also be tree house accommodations available, supposedly for 390,000 kip/room, as well as bell tents for 50,000 kip/person.

Tham Nong Pa Fa/Buddha Cave

• Location: 17.4766, 104.85163
• Time to visit: 20 to 30 minutes
• Price: Parking: 3000 kip, Entry: 5000 kip
• Recommended: Not strictly necessary

The Buddha Cave got its name from the 229 bronze Buddhist statues ranging in size from 15 centimeters to over 1 meter tall, which can be up to 500 years old. The nature around is beautiful, and it is reported that you can take a boat ride in the sacred waters below the cave. Otherwise, the cave is nothing special, and opinions on whether it is worth it are quite divided between the people. The people “in charge” of the cave want women to pay (3000 kip) for sarong even if they have long pants, but you can protest and ignore them. If you decide to visit, the Nong Thao Lake is nearby, so consider visiting both to make the drive out here from the main road (9km) more worthwhile.

Pa Seuam Cave

• Location: 17.4716, 104.85643
• Time to visit: 30 minutes to 3 hours (if renting a kayak)
• Price: unknown
• Recommended: Closed from November 2023 to ???, but highly recommended pre-closure.

This cave, near to but less known than Buddha cave,contains is a beautiful 3km long river. Previously it was possible to visit by kayak, but it has been under construction since November 2023 and is currently inaccessible. If you drop by and find it open, send us a message and we will update this page 👍.

Tham Xang/Elephant Cave

• Location: 17.43009, 104.86547
• Time to visit: 15-20 minutes
• Price: 5000 kip
• Recommended: Not necessary

This is the first cave you’ll pass on the Loop. It is a small cave with a large opening and a small elephant head in the rock from which it got its name (we couldn’t find it). The man taking the entry fee is a nice old man happy to talk about the cave, but otherwise it is not that impressive when compared to other ones you will see.

Other Natural Points of Interest

Besides the caves, there are other interesting places in the nature to visit around the Loop. Here are a few popular ones you can mix in to your spelunking adventures.

Tha Falang

• Location: 17.46847, 104.91293
• Time to visit: 10 minutes to take pictures, longer to eat or swim
• Price: Free to visit, 50,000 kip to rent one of the floating picnic areas
• Recommended: Nice stop for a snack

This small resort with restaurant bungalows is situated on a pretty river with some accommodations around. Nice break to see, eat ice cream, and maybe swim, though not everyone agrees on the cleanliness of the water.

Pha Katai Viewpoint

• Location 17.55363, 105.16418
• Time to visit: 30 minutes
• Price: 20,000 kip
• Recommended: Stairs are pretty sketchy

This supposedly nice view point is pretty run-down at this point, with some steep rickety stairs that lead up to a viewing platform. When we were by it looked abandoned, but it seems from the latest reviews that someone is out there collecting 20,000 kip from tourists. Anyways, you will see way better views from your bike and at Dragon Cave and the Rock, so best skip this one.

Song Sa Waterfall

• Location: 17.66753, 105.1774
• Time to visit: A couple hours
• Price: 10,000 kip for parking
• Recommended: Generally popular, be careful of thieves though

This small waterfall feeds into a popular swimming hole, perfect for a break on a hot afternoon. Getting to it can be challenging, as Google Maps doesn’t seem to mark the road correctly; satellite view is more accurate, and ~10 minutes of walking is necessary at the end. We were told by our hostel host in Thakhek that some bikes were stolen there, as it is a bit secluded, so be careful how you leave the bikes. For this reason, we skipped this point, but it seems many people visit with no issue.

Nakai Plateau

• Location: The Eastern leg of the Loop
• Time to visit: How fast are you driving?
• Price: Free
• Recommended: Can’t miss it

The Nakai Plateau is the whole region between Tha Lang and the Sandstone Buddha statues. There are endless beautiful places to stop and admire the trees and their reflections in the water. The region’s history is defined by the Nam Theun 2 dam, which was built in the early 2000s. If you want to learn more it is worth visiting Nam Theun 2 Visitor Center. The dam can be controversial, however, it did create a very unique landscape in Laos that is definitely worth seeing.

Cool Pool

• Location: 18.27546, 104.71389
• Time to visit: Long as you want
• Price: 30,000 entry + 10,000 parking
• Recommended: Yes, but watch your stuff

This beautiful swim spot is a nice place to hang out and swim in the (very) cold turquoise water. However, it is ~4.5km off road from the main road, and can be quite muddy in the wet season. There are also many thefts reported, as it seems like kids and teenagers have system of stealing bags, so be very careful and keep an eye on your belongingss.

Adventure Activities

Ok yeah, these are also nature points of interest, but they are in a league of their own. We definitely recommend visiting at least one of them to spice up your trip.

The Rock Viewpoint and Zipline

• Location: 18.17817, 104.48421
• Time to visit: 3 hours to whole day, depending on your tour
• Price: $30/120/180 for 2h/half/full day tour, respectively
• Recommended: Definitely

The Rock Viewpoint is alongside the Kong Lor and Dragon Caves as the top places to visit on the Thakhek Loop. The Rock is the entry point into the Phou Hin Boun National Protected Area, a beautiful karstic landscape of jungle, rock spires, and endemic wildlife. The facilities consist of a cafe and restaurant, terrace with an incredible view, but most importantly, over 4.5 kilometers of ziplines enabling penetration into the Protected Area. These can be explored on tours lasting 2 hours, 4-5 hours, or up to 7-8 hours(!). The full day tour involves also a hanging rope and spider net (shared by the other two tours), suspended bridge, a via ferrata, 30 meters of rappelling, 50 meters cave trek, and 2 kilometer hike through the forest; in other words, not for the faint of heart!

When we were at the Rock, the prices were $30/60/90, so they have double since then. We let you decide if the price tag is worth it; however, the view even from the terrace is second to none on the Loop and you should absolutely not miss it.

Green climbers Home

• Location: 17.45609, 104.91584
• Time to visit: Days
• Price: Free to climb
• Recommended: Probably have to plan your entire trip around it

Started by German Climbers Tanja and Uli Wiedner and consisting of over 250 routes across a range of climbing environments, this is a climber’s paradise. Probably if hadn’t heard about it before starting to plan your Loop then you don’t need to drop by, but maybe, just maybe, you’re the kind of person who needs to rethink their entire trip to Laos and spend a week at Green Climbers Home 😊. You know who you are.

Xieng Liap Zipline

• Location: 17.45345, 104.90919
• Time to visit: an hour
• Price: 50,000 to walk on the tree bridge, 159,000 for everything
• Recommended: Skip if visiting the Rock

This small zipline park is a fun side attraction, and the spider net above the Xieng Liap cave entrance is pretty cool. Consider visiting of you aren’t planning on going to the Rock, but really, go to the Rock.

Cultural Stops

Lastly, there are a few interesting cultural stops along the Loop that are worth considering if you’ve had enough of being underground or flying through the air.

Nam Theun 2 Visitor Center

• Location: 17.6762, 105.15344
• Time to visit: 30 minutes
• Price: Free
• Recommended: Could be interesting if you’re into that kind of stuff

This visitor center doubles as a mini-museum detailing the history of the surrounding area, the dam, and the power plant. They address the impact on people and environment, but there does seem to be some bias and potential hiding of some information (e.g. that some people have still not been compensated for displacement, water leakages etc). However, it’s definitely worth to go to learn more about the area and one of the biggest internationally financed projects projects in Laos and Eastern Asia. We didn’t have time to stop on our trip, and recent comments give conflicting information on whether or not it is currently open, but it is right on the side of the main route, so if you have time and are interested feel free to stop off and check it out. It is also possible to fill your water there.

Vat Oudom

• Location: 18.18222, 104.9847
• Time to visit: 10 minutes
• Price: Probably free?
• Recommended: You’ve probably seen plenty of temples by this point.

We mention this as one of the rare temples on the Loop. If you flew into Laos, came straight to the Loop, and are leaving directly after, stop to see Vat Oudom, otherwise, feel free to continue on.

Bomb Boats Viewpoint

• Location: 18.23312, 104.66127
• Time to visit: 10 minutes
• Price: Free
• Recommended: Why not?

This quick stop on the Namkading River between Lak Sao and Na Hin is to check out river boats made by locals using the U.S. B-52 bombers’ fuel tanks that were dropped during the Vietnam War. There’s not much, but its literally on the route and the view over the river is nice, so why not?

Conclusion

And there you have it! As you can see, the Thakhek Loop is chock-full of interesting things to see, and not just caves. This list is by no means exhaustive, but we really worked hard to cover everything we enjoyed on our trip our trip, as well as places we missed. Hopefully it gives you some ideas about what you would like to see on your adventure as well!

If you haven’t gotten bikes yet, we covered the major renters in Thakhek over here.