Epic Travel → Asia & the South Pacific → Laos → Tham Pha Nya In

Location: Western Khammouane Province, Laos

Time Required: 1 hour

Red Tape/Notes: Dry season only, access to the cave would be covered in water during the wet season. Bring a flashlight; cave is quite dark once you’re away from the entrance.

What’s Nearby?: Thakhek, Ban Nakhang Xang Trekking and Caves, Tham Nong Pa Seuam, Tham Pa Fa (Buddha Cave), Green Climbers Home, Xe Bang Fai River Cave (close-ish)

We visited this cave solely because we had a little extra time and it was right off the road – and we were happy we did, because we were pleasantly surprised and enjoyed it much more than the nearby (and more frequently visited) Buddha Cave. The approach to the cave is up a rather scenic set of pleasantly curving brick and cement steps, and once inside you’ll find two shrines with several Buddha images, including some very old wooden images (these were more interesting to me than the images found at the Buddha Cave). The main cavern itself is quite large, with a number of nice cave formations, and lovely views down to the water below at the bottom of the cave. You can also climb down for better views of the lake, but the water is considered sacred, so please don’t touch it (and certainly you can’t swim in it).

Epic Travel → Asia & the South Pacific → Laos → Tham Pha Nya Inh