Scooter to Xe Bang Fai

It's a nice change of pace to be fossil powered, the road blasts by and it feels much cooler. Zero sweating for a change, it's pleasant. Even at speed I keep my head higher and see more.

Xe Bang Fai cave is located in the Hin Nahm No national protected area near the Vietnamese border. It is out of the way and came recommended by two local sources. Using the scooter to get there is time wise timewise.

The cave is enormous and that is a vast understatement. The guide says nothing, he paddles the long boat into the black void. This is one of the longest navigable caves in the world, but we don't go very deep as the under ground river is not fully scouted and not accessible for tourists. Apparently there are some challenges lurking further up ahead.

Well into this darkness my guide and I set foot on a small beach, he let's me walk in front discovering the cavernous formations. He is silent and the enormity of the quiet dark space hits me. I am almost alone discovering this place.

It was put on the map, so to speak, in 2008 by a National Geographic team. Photos cannot do justice, this is an experience.

I decide to take a different route to get in position for tomorrow's Konglor cave. Going north by the Ho Chi Minh trail. This dirt road is traveled by convoys of large trucks trailing billowing clouds of red dust in their wakes. I'm completely covered by the time the sun starts setting and I find a local guest house. The large potholes make the trucks clang their loose metal parts in explosive bangs. It's the only place here. Despite the comfortable bed I get very little sleep.Read more