A completely natural limestone cave in northern Thailand that can only be explored by bamboo raft.

Text and photos byXiaosheng

This time, Xiaosheng is introducing Tham Lod Cave, the most extraordinary natural wonder in Mae Hong Son Province, northern Thailand. There are many naturally formed caves across Thailand, and during my seven solo trips so far, I’ve visited quite a few. While many of these caves are naturally formed, many have been used by later generations to enshrine Buddha statues. However, Tham Lod Cave is entirely a natural cavern—and one of the most worthwhile attractions in northern Thailand, in my opinion.

Tham Lod Cave is located between Pai District and Mae Hong Son Province, about 50 kilometers from Pai District. You can reach it by taking a turnoff at the 141-kilometer mark on Highway 1095 and driving about 8 kilometers. However, this route is very winding and difficult to navigate, so there’s a scenic viewpoint around the 20-kilometer point where you can take a break and enjoy a cup of coffee.

This viewpoint is the highest point in the surrounding area, and on a clear day, the view is spectacular and refreshing. However, the temperature drops near the top, so be cautious in cold weather.

　Because this attraction is relatively secluded and not easy to find, I’ll show you how to get there. At the 141-kilometer mark on Highway 1095, you should turn onto the fork (pictured above). But I’ve come here three times and often ridden past it because sometimes I ride too fast and the sign isn’t very obvious. If you ride past it, you’ll end up in a busier small town, and then you’ll have to turn back and take another road to reach the destination (pictured below). Drive another 8 kilometers, and you’ll arrive.

Once you arrive, you’ll need to buy a ticket—but it’s more like renting a bamboo raft, because you can’t explore the cave without one. The cave has three sections: if you only visit caves 2 and 3, it costs 300 baht; to explore all three caves, it’s 400 baht. In addition, you must hire a local guide, which costs 150 baht. Although each group is limited to three people, four people can actually share a boat.

In this pitch-black cave, you need to hire a local guide with an oil lamp to lead the way. They told us it was a gas lamp, but we kept smelling kerosene, so it’s probably an oil lamp. It’s truly a unique experience.

Photo with the local guide. Although we hired a guide, most of them don’t speak English, so most of the time it was like talking to a brick wall. Some guides try hard to communicate with gestures, but in the end, they usually give up—haha.

Tham Lod Cave is located in the Soppong area of Mae Hong Son Province, just 50 kilometers from the famous mountain town of Pai. There are many caves near Soppong, but Tham Lod Cave is the easiest to reach and the most breathtaking. This natural cave gives off a sense of wonder right from the entrance, and the small stream inside means you must rent a bamboo raft to explore. The darkness of the cave also requires a local guide with an oil lamp to lead the way.

Along the way, the boat and guide lead us through the cave, and at the entrance, there are many vendors selling fish feed. That’s because the fast-flowing stream inside the cave is home to many fish—not only are there a surprising number of them, but some are also huge. When you toss in a handful of feed, the sight of all the massive fish rushing for it is truly intense, and even those of us on the raft get splashed by the water they stir up while competing for food.

Among Tham Lod Cave’s three chambers, each offers its own stunning features. Many stalagmites growing upward from the ground and stalactites hanging down from the ceiling merge together, indicating that this cave has existed for a very long time. Later, we met a guide who spoke Chinese, and he said the cave is 600 million years old—no wonder the cave is filled with spectacular stalactites and uniquely shaped rocks forged by time.

To make exploration easier for visitors, wooden steps have been installed throughout the cave. But since the cave is pitch-dark, the humidity is very high, and the wooden steps are extremely slippery. So if you’re planning to explore the cave, watch your step carefully—a friend of mine slipped and fell due to the wet floor, though fortunately, it was just a minor scrape.

The rock formation that looks like a waterfall is formed by fine streams of water flowing over its large surface for a long time. Carbonate crystals formed through precipitation create this effect. Under the light, it not only resembles a waterfall but also emits a crystal-clear, glowing sheen.

This rock formation has a very unique shape. It’s made of carbonate spreading outward from a central channel in the ground, but its form is slightly different, and its top is also covered with a small crystal formation, presenting itself in a way that’s distinct from other rocks.

Stalactite columns. When water droplets fall from the ceiling and repeatedly accumulate over time, crystal deposits form. What forms on the ceiling are stalactites, and what forms below are stalagmites. When the two meet, they create a stalactite column. The stalactite columns you see now have taken countless years to form into their current shapes.

Another stalactite column. If I hadn’t met the guide later, I wouldn’t have known that these caves are actually 600 million years old.

The small stalagmites in the cave, of course, aren’t as ancient as the stalactite caves. However, in some areas of the cave, there are many small holes on the ground. The guide said that during the rainy season, these holes emit water. I think the long-term erosion of these holes by water flow has also contributed to creating these remarkably natural wonders.

Some parts of the cave have hollows formed by acidic water flow. As these hollows continue to expand and can no longer support the weight of the soil above, they collapse. Therefore, exploring the holes carries some risk—you must follow the guide closely and never climb over the railings for safety.

Whenever I stop in this cave and look at the magnificent scenery before me, I’m always amazed by the wonders of nature. I’ve felt the same way on all four visits—it’s the most unique stalactite cave I’ve ever been to. (Yes, I’ve been here four times, bringing different friends each time XD)

This cave is not only entirely natural but also an ancient hanging-coffin site. In the second chamber, the dark shape in the middle looks like a deer. Research indicates it’s about 2,000 to 3,000 years old, painted by a hunter who came to the cave after burning pine and bamboo for light. Though time has faded the image under the cave’s marks, you can still faintly make out the deer’s outline.

This rock, needless to say, really looks like a frog.

And this rock looks incredibly like a crocodile—the stone is so lifelike, you can even clearly see its mouth.

When we saw this small rock, the guide smirked and gestured to tell us it looked like a woman’s breasts. The female members of our group were all envious of its full, round shape XD

The upper part of this rock looks like a person standing in the cave—an astonishing sight.

When the boat reaches the cave’s exit, you’ve arrived at the third chamber. But this chamber has a special feature—it’s inhabited by swallows and bats. Since these two animals have very different habits, the cave is occupied by bats during the day when the swallows go out to feed, and by swallows at night when the bats go out. So you can hear the calls of these birds throughout the cave, especially in the third chamber.

For me, who has visited this cave four years in a row since 2011, the third chamber is seriously stinky—filled with bird droppings, even on the ground and handrails. To move forward safely, my companions either had to touch the handrails (= touch poop) or crawl (= eat poop) XD. So be extra cautious in the third chamber. On my third visit, I couldn’t go deep because the smell was overwhelming, but on my recent trip, the odor had lessened. The strong smell is mainly at the entrance; once you go deeper into the cave, it’s much better.

The third chamber is smaller than the first and second chambers. It doesn’t have as many astonishing stalactites, but it does contain remnants of ancient hanging coffins from people who once lived here. Research suggests it’s a hanging-coffin cave, but now only coffin remains are left. These ruins prove that Tham Lod Cave was once inhabited. The first and second chambers were living spaces for ancient people, while the third was for burials. Another platform in the third chamber, according to the guide, was a cooking area—but I’m skeptical—would ancient people really use the same place for both burials and cooking?

After exploring the cave, although the exit was just ahead, we still had to backtrack upstream along the original path to get out of the cave. Fortunately, the stream wasn’t very deep, so the boatman could easily pull us out. During this time, the guide also worked hard to push our boat as we moved upstream. So, it’s only right to give a small tip to the hardworking boatman and guide afterward.

Tham Lod Cave was my first experience exploring a limestone cave. Although friends from mainland China said it couldn’t compare to the caves in Guangxi, for me, this cave was already incredibly amazing. Aside from having to take a bamboo raft to explore the small stream inside the cave, there were also many ancient hanging coffins and other relics. To this day, no one knows who built these hanging coffins. This rare journey is highly recommended to anyone visiting Pai. Just 50 kilometers further in lies Tham Lod Cave, which is sure to offer many unique discoveries. I’ve been amazed every single one of the four times I’ve visited this cave. In addition to Tham Lod, there are many other caves near Soppong. Though I’ve never visited them and can’t say if any are more special than the hanging coffin cave, those who are interested can check them out too and let me know what you find.

Tham Lod Cave (塘露石窟)
Location: Accessible via an 8 km turnoff at the 141 km mark on Highway 1095 (about 50 km from Pai District)
Price: Caves 1, 2, and 3: Bamboo raft 400 B, guide 150 B
Caves 2 and 3: Bamboo raft 300 B, guide 150 B
Prices are based on a group of up to 4 people

Xiao Sheng’s Wandering Journey
Every journey, every trip is about seeking — though I’m not always sure what exactly I’m searching for, what I ultimately gain often exceeds my expectations. And so, my wandering journey will continue, without end.