To reach our next destination we relied this time completely on local transportation as we considered the tourist transport to be a bit too expensive. Other than that, we like to travel with the locals. This meant that we had to use a chain of vehicles: walking to the small busstation - city bus to the interprovincial busstation - bus to the crossroad of the roads 13 and 8 (simultaneously a cargo bus for bags full of lime) - Songteaw ("Tuktuk-bus") to the village of Na Hin - Songteaw to Kong Lo village. After 8 hot and sweaty hours we arrived under the marvelling eyes of our fellow passengers in Kong Lo. This village could win the award for the friendliest place in Laos . As we strolled past the wooden huts literally everyone greeted us, weaving and smiling. The next day we encountered our Indina-Jones-adventure. The cave of Kong Lo consists of a 7.5 km long tunnel with cathedral-like cavities, connected through a river. In a shabby wooden boat we floated through the darkness past huge stalactites and bizarre rock formations. A fantastic reward for our adventurous journey.
Um zu unserem naechsten Ziel zu gelangen, verliessen wir uns diesmal komplett auf die einheimischen Transportmoeglichkeiten, da uns der Preis fuer den Touritransport etwas zu hoch erschien. Ausserdem gefaellt es uns, mit den Locals zu reisen. Das bedeutete fuer uns folgende Reihe an Transportmitteln: Laufen bis zur kleinen Busstation - Stadtbus zur interprovinzialischen Busstation - Bus bis zur Kreuzung der Hauptstrassen 13 und 8 (gleichzeitig Lieferwagen fuer im Gang gestapelte Saecke voller Limmeten) - Songteaw ("Tuktuk-Bus") bis zum Dorf Na Hin - Songteaw bis Kong Lo Dorf. Nach ca. 8 heissen, abenteuerlichen Stunden kamen wir unter den staunenden Blicken der Mitreisenden in Kong Lo an. Dieses Dorf hat den Award fuer den freundlichsten Ort in ganz Laos verdient. Wir spazierten zwischen den Holzhaeusern hindurch und wirklich jeder Dorfbewohner gruesste und winkte laechelnd. Am naechsten Tag machten wir uns auf zu unserem Indiana-Jones-Hoehlenabenteuer. Das Hoehlensystem von Kong Lo ist ein 7.5 km langer Tunnel mit kathedralenartigen Hohlraeumen, durch den sich ein Fluss schlaengelt. Im lottrigen Holzkahn glitten wir durch die Dunkelheit vorbei an Riesenstalaktiten und bizarren Felsformationen. Eine fantastische Belohnung fuer unsere abenteuerliche Anreise.
To reach our next destination we relied this time completely on local transportation as we considered the tourist transport to be a bit too expensive. Other than that, we like to travel with the locals. This meant that we had to use a chain of vehicles: walking to the small busstation - city bus to the interprovincial busstation - bus to the crossroad of the roads 13 and 8 (simultaneously a cargo bus for bags full of lime) - Songteaw ("Tuktuk-bus") to the village of Na Hin - Songteaw to Kong Lo village. After 8 hot and sweaty hours we arrived under the marvelling eyes of our fellow passengers in Kong Lo. This village could win the award for the friendliest place in Laos . As we strolled past the wooden huts literally everyone greeted us, weaving and smiling. The next day we encountered our Indina-Jones-adventure. The cave of Kong Lo consists of a 7.5 km long tunnel with cathedral-like cavities, connected through a river. In a shabby wooden boat we floated through the darkness past huge stalactites and bizarre rock formations. A fantastic reward for our adventurous journey.
To reach our next destination we relied this time completely on local transportation as we considered the tourist transport to be a bit too expensive. Other than that, we like to travel with the locals. This meant that we had to use a chain of vehicles: walking to the small busstation - city bus to the interprovincial busstation - bus to the crossroad of the roads 13 and 8 (simultaneously a cargo bus for bags full of lime) - Songteaw ("Tuktuk-bus") to the village of Na Hin - Songteaw to Kong Lo village. After 8 hot and sweaty hours we arrived under the marvelling eyes of our fellow passengers in Kong Lo. This village could win the award for the friendliest place in Laos . As we strolled past the wooden huts literally everyone greeted us, weaving and smiling. The next day we encountered our Indina-Jones-adventure. The cave of Kong Lo consists of a 7.5 km long tunnel with cathedral-like cavities, connected through a river. In a shabby wooden boat we floated through the darkness past huge stalactites and bizarre rock formations. A fantastic reward for our adventurous journey.