The river Pak Ou has two caves overlooking the mighty Mekong, Tham Theung and Tham Ting. These caves are filled with multiple images of the Buddha left behind by people hundreds of years ago. On your next trip to Laos, discover one of the most fascinating sites in this part of the Buddhist world.
History
The caves were discovered by King Setthathirath during the 16th century.
Tham Ting is the lower and smaller cave and is more accessible with sufficient light for exploring. Tham Theung, however, is higher up and pitch dark, so a torch is essential to see your way through the cave.
Location
Pak Ou is 25km northward of Luang Prabang near the Pak Ou River, overseeing the Mekong.
How to get there
You can reach the caverns in 2 hours via an upstream boat journey. If not, hire a taxi or a tuk-tuk to the village of Ban Pak Ou, which lies opposite the caves. When embarking on a Mekong River Cruise offered by the likes of Mekong Kingdoms, you’ll find that the caves are also part of the route.
Opening Hours/Ticket Fee
The caves can be visited from 8 am to 5 pm daily, and there is an entrance fee of 20,000 Kip per visitor.
