Backpacking in "Laos" at Vang Vieng (PART 4)

December 5, 2016

Orange Bridge - Tham Jang Cave in Vang Vieng

In the remaining afternoon, we will visit the tourist spots marked on the map as much as time permits. The first and nearest spot is the orange bridge, Tham Chang.

Before reaching Tham Chang Cave, there is a prominent orange bridge that serves as a landmark. The bridge, known as the "Orange Bridge," spans the Song River and leads to the cave entrance. The cave is located approximately 1 kilometer from the bridge. To access the cave, visitors must cross the Orange Bridge, which incurs a fee of 2 baht.

Orange Bridge Atmosphere

The other side of the orange bridge, where Tham Chang Cave is located.

After crossing the bridge, you will find vendors selling food and souvenirs before heading to Tham Chang Cave. The food is similar to what you would find at home, but the taste is something you'll have to experience for yourself.

They all look delicious.

As we continued our walk towards the Jatt Cave, the atmosphere became increasingly lush. Trees were strategically planted to enhance the landscape and provide shade, effectively mitigating the heat. As we approached the cave, the temperature noticeably dropped, creating a refreshing ambiance.

Light and smoke

The haze you see is not fog, but smoke from a nearby fire. The afternoon sunlight illuminates the smoke perfectly, creating the illusion of fog.

: Jung Cave in Vang Vieng:

Tham Jang Cave is located approximately 1 kilometer from Vang Vieng town. It has a total of 147 steps to climb. Before entering Tham Jang Cave, there is an additional entrance fee. Upon reaching the top, visitors will encounter Tham Jang Cave, which is divided into two zones: the left-hand side cave and the right-hand side cave. The left-hand side cave leads to a viewpoint overlooking the Song River and green rice fields. The right-hand side cave features various stalactites and stalagmites. The cave maintains a cool temperature due to a river flowing from the mouth of the cave to the ground below.

The interior of the cave is adorned with beautiful limestone stalactites and stalagmites. Normally, I am not a fan of cave tours due to the feeling of claustrophobia, difficulty breathing, and the constant darkness. However, upon entering the Jang Cave, I must commend the lighting team for their exquisite work. The lighting is neither excessive nor insufficient, and the wires are neatly concealed. The image above depicts the left side of the cave, which I was unaware of what to expect as I ventured deeper.

Approaching the end of the left-hand path, we encountered a Buddha statue adorned with offerings and surrounded by worshippers. Intrigued, we decided to try our luck with the fortune sticks. After shaking the筒, we were met with an enigmatic result. Fortunately, a young Laotian woman standing nearby, who was taking photos at the scenic viewpoint, offered to help with the interpretation. However, even she found the message perplexing. (At this point, we couldn't help but wonder who we could turn to for assistance.)

Suddenly, I thought of Jai, a Laotian housekeeper at my old office. We were friends on Facebook, so I took a picture and tagged her to ask her to translate it for me. (I was really trying!) I don't remember the translation, but I know it was a mixed bag. Haha! If anyone can translate it, please give it a try...

The viewpoint of Tham Jang Cave offers stunning vistas of the orange bridge and Vang Vieng town. The Song River meanders through houses and mountains, while another angle reveals a golden rice field panorama. The cave's interior remains refreshingly cool, with a gentle breeze from outside.

We will now walk back towards the cave entrance to admire the beauty of the cave on the right side.

The stalactites and stalagmites shimmered under the light.

The glistening stalactites and stalagmites of the cave shimmered under the light, while the humid environment fostered the growth of lush moss, adding to the cave's captivating beauty.

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A bridge path was constructed due to the deep chasm below, through which water flows.

After exploring the cave, we continued our journey to the Pha Ngern viewpoint. Even though it was late in the evening, we still encountered vendors selling goods. Tourists continued to visit the cave, and the food available seemed similar to what we have at home. However, the taste is something you'll have to experience for yourself.

- On the way to Pha Ngern Cave -

The final destination of today's trip is the **Pha Ngan Cave Viewpoint**. Racing against time on a motorbike, the sun begins to set behind the mountains, preparing to bid farewell in the late afternoon. The obstacles to reaching the cave are....

Lost my way while driving, haha! Going back and forth for fun, right? 5555

Lao children go home after school.

As we drove, lost and racing against time, we witnessed the daily rhythms of life unfold around us. We saw children cycling home from school, herds of cows crossing the road, kind strangers offering directions, and children waving hello. It was a detour that, despite the confusion, felt far from wasted or time-consuming.

Evening atmosphere with herds of small and large cows

Despite the approaching dusk, we remained determined to reach Tham Pha Ngern. The allure of the evening light beckoned us forward, as this was our final day in Vang Vieng. We were unsure when we would return, and we were unwilling to miss this opportunity.

The cool light of the day

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: Silver Cave Viewpoint :

Upon reaching the entrance, there was an entrance fee, and it was starting to get dark. I didn't take any pictures of the way up or the path along the way because I was in a hurry to catch the sunset. The path, although steep, was easy to walk on because there were stairs and handrails. However, it was still tiring. The higher I climbed, the faster I walked, and I even passed by vendors selling bottled water and soft drinks. The lady was just getting off work and coming down. She told me that I could still make it up, and that there were still people taking pictures at the top. By the time I reached the top, I was completely out of breath. But luckily, I made it just in time to see the sun setting over the horizon.

Hike up to the red-roofed pavilion for a view of Vang Vieng town below.

Admire the cityscape of Vang Vieng as you bid farewell to the setting sun.

May the cool light stay with us forever...

- A descent into darkness -

After a while, we rushed down the stairs, using our trusty flashlights to illuminate the path. As we descended, everything became pitch black, and we couldn't see any light or path. We were the last ones to go down, hoping that Uncle, who collected the money, would be waiting for us below, as he had promised before we ascended.

"Uncle will wait downstairs until everyone comes down." (Really?)

The darkness descended upon them as they continued their descent, engulfing both the individuals and the surrounding atmosphere in an impenetrable blackness.

Fear of ghosts is greater than fear of people, so I quickly drove back to the accommodation where we checked out earlier in the morning. Fortunately, they kindly allowed us to shower and freshen up before our night journey to Luang Prabang.

Bus stop shelter on the way to Luang Prabang

The journey to Luang Prabang tonight, which will arrive in Luang Prabang in the early morning. The bus schedule on the ticket is 4 pm, but after reading the reviews before coming, the bus in Laos will not be on time. Like the driver's casual and chill, so I made up my mind that it shouldn't be more than 5 pm. I made up my mind like this. Give time to be late for 1 hour 555. The two-row car will travel around to pick up people in Vang Vieng city according to the guesthouses that come to contact and buy tickets with the agency in the city. Then take the bus to pick up people. To send it to the bus waiting hall (picture above)

Lao Sleeper Bus (VIP)

:: Tales from the Sleeper Bus ::

The bus has arrived at 11:30 PM. It was a great experience, even though I was so sleepy that I dreamt of going to Luang Prabang. The bus we booked was a sleeper bus, and I wanted to try it out to see how comfortable it was. I wanted to live like the locals and experience the atmosphere to the fullest.

Before boarding the bus, the bus attendant distributed plastic bags for each passenger to put their shoes in before carrying them onto the bus. At that moment, I thought the journey would be comfortable enough, with enough space to turn around and a sleep-inducing atmosphere. The staff would be polite, and I would sleep in a quiet environment. However, the reality was the complete opposite (tears were about to fall).

Let's take a look at the atmosphere. The sleeper train, people are actually sleeping (I thought it was just reclining seats like I'd seen in reviews). On the sleeper train, local people from the starting point will board first and occupy the beds. They also put their belongings everywhere. When we arrived, the foreigners were scrambling to get on and find good beds. We, Thai Karen, didn't know, we had never experienced this before, so we were relaxed and boarded last. Guess what? There were hardly any good beds left. The only available space was where a foreign man was sleeping and where the Laotian brother was sleeping. The Laotian brother generously went to sleep on the upper bunk with the foreigner. Thank you very much (Thank you!). So we ended up sleeping on the lower bunk with our friend. Sigh…

Inside a Lao sleeper bus

Resigned to the sleeping arrangements, having endured worse before. However, paying to sleep uncomfortably, crammed together, struggling to move? Throughout the night, loud music blared, preventing sleep. An unforgettable experience, to say the least. By the time we reached Luang Prabang, I hadn't slept a wink.

I will review Luang Prabang when I have time. ....

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