The Laos trip: Vang Vieng, Day 2

As mentioned prior, we arranged some program with a travel agency.

Wanted something family friendly, but also something different, so it was caves + kayaking back on the river. They use the sea kayaks, so, they are ok, easy to navigate. As now the dry season set in and the water level is lower, the river isnt that dangerous, though if is still pretty fast in some sections.

In the morning it started with a ride to the starting point, to a footbridge about 15km from Vang Vieng. The scenary in the usual picturesque, and peaceful, though many tourists see the same places daily, it isnt feel too crowded. Remember, I said family friendly,so, cant be rock climbing with a 6 years old, and I dont mind that.

This was the starting point.

Just across the bridge was the first cave, Called Elephant Cave. This is a small cave with some Buddha statues, and a "rock" which shape resemble an elephant, thus the name. Honestly, it isnt much to watch there, not particularly pretty, guess it was more a selling point in the program. Bellow some photo from it:

From here we walked threw a village and some ricefields to our second cave.

This was more interesting, and a real special one. It was called Tham Naam, or Water Cave. As the name suggest, water was involved. This cave has a river flowing through it. When the water level not too high anymore, there is a chance for tubing into the cave. This is something we never did, and was fun. After you saddle up with some low-voltage headlight, you grab a big truck tire ( the inside), and kind a sit/lay on the top, using it as a boat. There was a rope to follow, like Ariadne's in the Labirinth. There was no Minotaurus, but it was semi-dark. The water is a bit cold, but not unpleasently, and crystal clear. We so plenty of fishes. And in the cave though it was mostly some kind of hard stone, vulcanic probably,but also had some stalactites.

In the middle of the photo is the entrance to the to the cave. Better watch your head!!

After some lunch in the the tour company provided, we headed back to the car, what took us a but downriver. This way we had a safer and shorter section in the kayak, and actually it was enough. My family never tried such, so I had a little fear, but all went well. The current helped a lot, it was not too much paddling needed, was more a fun ride, enjoying a lazy way to getting back to Vang Vieng. That we were tired was more because the sunshine and hear, I think.

Overall, a nice day, for a total cost of 25$ for 3 person, including lunch, a good value for money.