The Laos Loop is the bees knees.
We started our day early with our newest drink discovery: a Lao rice-milk milkshake available everywhere. With the liquid breakfast sloshing around our stomachs we set out towards Kong Lor.
The road to Kong Lor was unforgiving and put my novice motorcycle skills to the test. Massive potholes connected cement to dirt roads. Large, muddy puddles threatened to capsize our top heavy bike but we stayed afloat.
An hour later we arrived at the mouth of the park, ate a real breakfast, and paid our entry fee.
Our guide led us across a river in a smaller wooden boat and we walked ten minutes to the opening of the cave. After some prop motor difficulties we ventured into the darkness of the cavern in the three seater vessel.
The cave was gargantuan. Over millennia, the river wore its’ way through the rock to create the 7.5 km long tunnel. Deafening, cathedral-like rooms were punctuated by towering stalactites. The light created by our headlamps was quickly swallowed up by the darkness.
On the other side of the cave we stretched and watched local women working on a loom before heading back the way we came. We tried to motion to our guide to stop the boat and turn off his light in the middle of the cave to fully experience the darkness, but our efforts were lost in translation.
Side note: We learned as we were exiting the park that you can do a homestay in a remote village on the other side of the cave. It seemed to be a much more authentic homestay experience than what we’ve seen advertised in other places. Adding it to the list for next time.
After the cave I slurped a papaya smoothie and we bumped our way back toward the main road. The road climbed through the mountains. The motorcycle persisted.
We stopped a couple times to stretch and change the oil of the bike. After viewing some canoes made from discarded Vietnam war bombs (“bomb boats”), the road opened up into a large valley. A storm on the other side of one mountain created a thunder soundtrack and we flew amongst the trees. The view was gorgeous.
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