Overview of the Kong Lor Cave Guide
In this Kong Lor Cave Guide, we’ll go over everything you need to know before visiting this marvelous natural phenomenon. Known as Tham Kong Lor by the Laotians, this is one of the most interesting caves in Southeast Asia and a top destination in Laos. It is often described as the highlight of the Thakhek Loop and is the activity that travelers dedicate lots of time to and travel out of the way for. Without the Kong Lor Cave, the Thakhek Loop would be closer to a loop shape, not whatever this is:
If Loopers dedicate 2+ hours of their valuable time to drive here (and another 3 hours for actually visiting the cave), then you know that this is not to be missed. We hope that this Kong Lor Cave Guide not only gives all the information you need to visit, but also inspires you to make the trek to this incredibly unique natural wonder.
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Safety Wing’s Nomad Insurance is how we travel knowing that if something bad were to happen to us, we’d be protected. They cover medical assistance if you get sick or get into an accident which gives us peace of mind while on the road. In addition to medical benefits, they also cover lost baggage, travel delays, and even evacuation from political and environmental dangers! They have additional add-on coverage for non-US residents for extreme adventure activities, electronics theft, and US coverage. This is a must-have for every long-term traveler!
History of Kong Lor Cave
There are various legends of how and when Kong Lor Cave was fully explored. Apparently, locals noticed a duck that looked foreign to the Kong Lor area come through the cave. Then, various goods appeared and the locals knew there must be another side to the river. Seven brave men armed with a bamboo raft and many torches decided to explore the cave and found the other side 7.5 kilometers away. Locals had been aware of this cave but it only opened to tourists in 2002, so this is a fairly new attraction.
The Typical Kong Lor Cave Visit
After purchasing tickets at the ticket booth, you’ll walk 5 minutes down a dirt road to the next ticket booth, where you’ll get your life jackets and flip flops if you don’t have appropriate footwear. We don’t recommend using the flip flops they provide as they get stuck in the mud easily – just wear your own flip flops or waterproof shoes if you have them!
Tip: Read the information boards in the ticket booth for cool local legends, scientific information regarding the formation of the cave, and how the cave was discovered!
You’ll walk around a lagoon with sandy beaches to get to the mouth of the cave and your boat. The boat ride through the cave to the other side takes about an hour with two stops to explore more of the cave. The first stop is this huge cavern just five minutes in:
And just a couple minute boat ride away you can continue admiring the stalactite, stalagmites, columns, and draperies. There’s a sandy beach in the cave, which I’ve never really seen before. You’ll likely spend around 10-15 minutes walking around here and the guides will get you on the other side of this stop. Neither of these stops had other people here, which was insane for us to see. If this was in Thailand or Bali, this place would be packed!
From here, it’s another 10-15 minute boat ride to the other side of the cave. The ride is absolutely surreal. To give you an idea of how magnificent this is, the cave ceilings go as high as 100 meters above the water. After you leave the cave on this side, you’re immediately met with views of magnificent limestone cliffs.
Bat Natane, or Natane Village, is a 5 minute boat ride from the mouth of the cave, where we saw some water buffalo cooling off!
On this side of the cave, you have some free time to explore Ban Natane/Natane Valley, go to a restaurant (we went to Natane Resort’s restaurant), rent a bicycle and do a 1.5 hour loop, or cool off with a dip in the river! If you want to stay more than an hour, you’ll have to pay extra for this! The Natane Resort seems like a super interesting place to relax and unwind after doing the Thakhek Loop, or just as a quick stop! The view from its restaurant is stunning, so we’d definitely recommend popping by here.
Some people will take their motorcycle by boat through here and do the “Loop Extension”. However the roads going through this route are extremely rough!
On the way back through the cave, you don’t do any stops, so the ride is quick. It only took us 17 minutes!
For the adventure-seekers and endurance athletes, kayaking the cave is a great way to avoid the loud motor boats, but this will definitely take up most of your day.
Best Time to Visit Kong Lor Cave
The best time to visit Kong Lor Cave is in between November and March. You don’t want it to be too late in the dry season as there won’t be enough water to boat through. We went in November and even then, there was one part where we got out and our guide gunned it over the rocks to get to the other side. Towards the end of dry season, there will be more of these scenarios. However, this does not mean you can always visit during the wet season. The cave often floods and produces dangerous scenarios for people visiting and the local guides. The sweet spot is just after rainy season in November, when there won’t yet be lots of people!
Packing list
- Dry Bag: You can use a regular backpack but you’ll have to hold it during the ride as the boat gets a bunch of water in it.
- Wind Breaker: It can get a little bit chilly when you’re speeding through the straightaways in the cave, so come prepared!
- Money: The nearest ATM is a 1 hour drive away and no one takes credit card, so be sure to bring enough cash with you!
- Water Shoes: You’ll find yourself walking in knee-deep water so make sure you have shoes or sandals that can go in water.
- Swim Suit: You can go in the water before the cave entrance and in the river near Ban Natan if you desire. There are toilets to change in near the ticket booth.
- Towels: We love these lightweight, quick-drying microfiber towels.
- Clothes You Don’t Mind Getting Wet: Your butt will get wet sitting on the boat, and you might get splashed on the boat ride.
How Much Does the Kong Lor Cave Cost?
In November of 2023, tickets only cost 150k Kip or $6 USD, which included the boat trip, the life jacket, and flip flops. If you want to stay longer in Ban Natane (on the other side of the cave) you will have to pay a bit extra.
How to get to Kong Lor Cave
Thakhek Loop: This is a super important stop in the Thakhek Loop. Having a motorbike gives you the flexibility to explore everything you want to!
Check out our ultimate guide to the Thakhek Loop!
Direct Bus from Vientiane: You can take the 10 am bus from the south Vientiane bus station to Kong Lor, which takes around 10 hours and costs 200,000 Kip ($10).
Indirect Earlier Buses from Vientiane: You can take the 5 am, 6 am, or 7 am bus heading to Lak Sao from the Southern Bus Terminal to the Na Hin Bus Station. This bus takes around 7.5 hours and costs 160,000 Kip ($8). If you get there in time, you can take the 3 pm bus to Kong Lor for around 50,000 Kip ($2.50). You can also get a Songtaew (pick up truck with bench seating) to Kong Lor from the bus station. It cost us 500,000 Kip for four people and took about an hour. This option is best for those wanting to get to Kong Lor while its still light out.
Three Buses From Thakhek: This is the riskiest option. At the Inter Provincial Bus Station, ask for a ticket to Vieng Kham on any bus going north that will get you to Vieng Kham before 2 pm. Then tell the driver you’ll be getting off in Vieng Kham, and wait at this market for the 2 pm bus to Na Hin, which costs 20,000 Kip or $1 USD. You can also take a Songtaew but expect it to be much more expensive than the bus. After getting to the Na Hin Bus Station, you can wait until the 3 pm bus takes you to Kong Lor, or wait until around 6 pm when the bus coming from Vientiane arrives. These should both cost 50,000 Kip or $2.50 USD. You can also take a Sontaew here for about 300,000-500,000 Kip ($15-25 USD) depending on how many people are in your group.
Private transfer: You can ask your hotel/hostel if they know of anyone willing to take you to Kong Lor. This is definitely the most expensive option.
Renting a Car: This is better than renting a motorbike as it’s safer, and you have the same flexibility. However this is more expensive and you can only rent a car in Vientiane. If you do rent a car, we recommend renting a hatchback or bigger with four/all wheel drive on RentalCars.com.
Where to Stay in Kong Lor
The Spring River Resort has a beautiful view and they can take you to the Kong Lor Cave via boat. They can also organize a trip to Tham Nam Non Cave, which is a fairly new attraction. The downside of this is it is a little outside of the Kong Lor village, so you may want to have your own transportation.
The Konglor Cave Resort has cool bungalows and very kind owners. Thongdam Guesthouse has bungalows with beautiful views overlooking rice fields and the limestone cliffs. If you want to stay on the other side of the cave, you can stay at Natane resort, which has very beautiful views.
Although it isn’t in Kong Lor, the Rock Viewpoint has the coolest bungalows that overlook a limestone forest, and they can organize a tour to the Kong Lor Cave.
Read our post about the amazing adventures at The Rock Viewpoint!
How Long Does Visiting Kong Lor Cave Take?
Your Kong Lor Cave adventure can last as little as 1.5 hours if you opt not to explore Ban Natane on the other side of the cave. However, we recommend getting out and exploring the village and the Natane Valley. A good time for this is 2.5-3 hours.
Other Activities Near Kong Lor
- Take your motorbike on the boat through the cave and do the loop extension (pictured earlier in this article)
- Zipline at The Rock Viewpoint
- Hike to the Nam Sanam Waterfall: This 3 hour hike is best in or shortly after wet season
- Explore Tham Nam Non Cave, most of which is still undiscovered
- Kayak the Nam Hinboun River (organized by the Spring River Resort)
What to Eat in Kong Lor
Happy Restaurant & Bar has an extremely large variety for being a small restaurant in an extremely small town.
The Best One Restaurant Konglor Cave has delicious curry, super nice owners that boast a complete-satisfaction-or-your-money-back guarantee, and a really cool seating area with these amazing views:
That’s a Wrap: Complete Kong Lor Cave Guide
We hope this comprehensive guide of the Kong Lor Cave leaves you informed and inspired for your visit to the Kong Lor! Whether you visit the cave as part of the loop, part of a tour, or just part of your vacation, the natural beauty here will leave you speechless. The limestone cliffs in Kong Lor and the surrounding villages are amazing alone, but when you venture through the cave that hollows out these karst mountains, you will truly be in awe. We hope your time here is as amazing as ours was, and be sure to let us know in the comments how it goes!
Keep Exploring Laos…
- The Ultimate Guide To The Thakhek Loop: All You Need To Know Before You Go
- Vientiane: The Best Things to Do in Laos’ Capital
- Ultimate Guide to the Rock Viewpoint: The Thakhek Loop’s Most Adventurous Stop
- The Best Things to Do in Luang Prabang
- Ultimate Guide to the Kuang Si Waterfalls: Everything You Need to Know Before You Go
- Amazing Things to Do in Nong Khiaw
- The Best Things to Do in Vang Vieng
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Our Favorite Travel Resources
Accommodations: We use Booking.com for hotels and HostelWorld for hostels. We also use VRBO or TrustedHousesitters for longer stays.
Flights: We recommend using Skyscanner to find the cheapest and best flights.
Ground Transport: We use 12Go and Omio for buses and private transfers, and rentalcars.com and Discover Cars for rental cars.
Activities: GetYourGuide and Viator are the best websites for booking organized tours.
International Medical Insurance: We highly recommend SafetyWing for Digital Nomads and HeyMondo for those not traveling full-time, or who frequently engage in higher-risk adventure activities.
eSIM: We recommend Airalo or Holafly for getting data internationally.
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