World Laos Louangphabang Muong Ngoi

Jason and Dawn - Around the world 2011

Laos - Day 2 - Bombshelter Caves May 3, 2012

Current population of just over 700 locals the village feels very small and quaint. One of the earliest Tai principalities in Laos was centered at Muang Ngoi. By the 12th century AD there were settlements in the area that were part of a chain of Tai Mueangs along the Nam Ou River. The current town dates from the 15th century and is the old district capital. In 1713, Chao Intasom, son of the first king of Luang Prabang, halted his army in Muang Ngoi to prepare for an attack on his nephew Chao Ong Kham, who succeeded the king. It was here that the two nephews came to an agreement and decided to share the throne together. In 1892, shortly before the incorporation of Laos into French Indochina, there was a military station with 25 soldiers which served as a frontier post of Siam. During the Laotian Civil War there were Pathet Lao forces stationed in a cave near Muang Ngoi. The town was uninhabitable for over 2 years due to the threat of bombing raids by the Royal Laotian Air Force, forcing hundreds of villagers to relocate to a nearby cave. This dramatically located riverside village has geared itself well to welcoming visitors. For somewhere so inaccessible (there are no roads here), it’s quite mind-boggling just how many guesthouses there are, though locals seem happy with the trade. Between pondering the mystical karsts and epiphany-inducing sunsets, you can explore the serene surroundings easily on foot. The village lies directly in the path of the Ho Chi Minh trail and was heavily bombed during the Vietnam war. Generators provide electricity from 6:30pm to 9:30pm. All three Buddhist temples within Muang Ngoi, with the oldest dating back to the 16th century, were destroyed during the Vietnam war by American supplied and Thai piloted bombers. On the site of one of the destroyed temples the current Wat Okad temple was rebuilt in the end of the 70's. Throughout the village, remnants of bombs can be seen everywhere, positioned on display to the visitors of the village, marked with the years they were dropped. According to records, from 1964 to 1973, every 9 minutes for 9 consecutive years, Laos was bombed by the US, making it the world's most bombed country in history! We decided to join David, Anya, Brian, Michael and Johannes for a hike up to the caves just after 4pm, when the sun is cooler. The Tham Kang cave and Tham Pha Kaew cave north of town were used as bombshelters during the Vietnam-war era. We trekked through town and down a path towards the caves, we were accompanied by a local dog Jason named, 'Laos'. She seemed to come out of no where and join as "head of the pack", we're all sure she's done this before with plenty of other willing foreigners. We stopped at the bottom of a mountain, where we were to begin our climb to the caves. Each of us had to pay a 'toll' of 10,000 kep to a local village woman. She gladly took our money and handed us two torches for inside the caves. Michael and Johannes dropped out, due to their still recovering injuries from their motorcycle accident. Jason, David, Anya, Brian, Laos and I set out on our mountain climb. Surprisingly enough the journey was a little steeper than we had anticipated but we all managed very well and did a superb job all the way to the top. However, our little four legged friend 'Laos' created a bit of a conumdrum for us. She could climb up the mountain like crazy but coming back down she adopted a fear for descending, crying and tucking her tail between her legs. Most of the time someone in the group scooped her up and handed her to Brian, he would descend down with her and put her back on the path when safe. The caves supplied us with spectacular views of the Nam Ou river below, inside we found some war remnants, Brian pointed out AK-47 parts, bowls, magazine carriers and bamboo posts for make-shift beds. Very cool to see. After visiting the caves we climbed to a look-out point where we could see the Muang Ngoi village below. As the sun set, we took in the breathtaking views all around us, snapped a lot of photos and made our descent back down the mountain. Our efforts of hiking rewarded by the beauty of nature, we couldn't ask for more - a perfect end to a great day! Arriving back in town, we split up and headed back to our rooms for a much needed shower (I sweat like crazy today, every day really) and got ready to meet up with the group for a buffet dinner. It was a great night, sharing beers and conversation and getting to know everyone. We have decided to stay another day, as well as Martina, David, Anya and Brian. Both Michael and Johannes move on tomorrow, they only have a week in Laos so they need to make the most of their time here.

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