Laos And Its Hidden Cave City

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Laos And Its Hidden Cave City

By D. Arul Rajoo http://www.bernama.com

VIENGXAY (Laos), May 29 (Bernama) -- Fancy staying overnight in one of the caves that once provided shelter to 23,000 people displaced during the Indochina War in the 1950s and 1960s.

Or why not take a tour of an amphitheatre at the Elephant Cave that once hosted an East German symphony orchestra, as well as morale boosting entertainment shows for its war-weary inhabitants.

Welcome to Viengxay, situated 640km northeast of the capital city of Laos, Vientiane, the home of a network of about 480 caves that once thrived as a `cave city' during the Indochina War.

In reality the cave hotel is not even on the drawing board yet, just the figment of imagination of some optimistic tour operators from Vientiane and Thailand who were recently taken to view one of the world's overlooked war secret.

"It may seem funny to expect bed and breakfast itinerary...but why not. People are seeking adventure and those who want to experience something new will love it," said a Laos tour company owner.

The caves in the landlocked country were once used by the communist or known here as the Pathet Lao during the civil war against the US-backed royalist.

In March this year the Laos Government announced the opening of five of the caves to international visitors, almost three decades after they served as the headquarters of the revolutionary movement, the Pathet Lao and its leaders.


REFUGE FOR FUTURE LEADERS

The caves in Viengxay housed the leaders and fighters of the Phathet Lao army, ordinary citizens and North Vietnamese en route to the south to escape the heavy bombardment by the American forces. The caves served their purpose up to nine years.

Laos Communist Party secretary general Kaysone Phomvihane, Nouhak Phoumsavan, Phoumi Vongichild, Khamtay Siphandone and "Red Prince" Souphannouvonghad had all stayed here before emerging as the leaders of the new Laos.

Some locals said Cuban leader Fidel Castro had visited the caves to lend the communist country's support.

Some of the caves also functioned as hospitals, shops, schools, printing house, government office, radio station, bakery and theatre while the fuel depot and light industry caves were established to support the war.

In the hospital cave, patients were treated by Cuban doctors while advisors from China, Soviet Union and other communist countries were among the frequent visitors to the caves where the leaders dwelled.


SITUATED IN A PICTURESQUE BACKDROP

Viengxay lies in the remote and scenic province of Karst Mountains in the Houaphanh province. It boasts for tall waterfalls, hot springs and a protected forest that is home to tigers and leopards. It takes a 27-hour bus journey from Vientiane to Viengxay.

There are dozens of ethnic villages, silk weaving industries and archaeological sites where villagers live in simple wooden huts and grow rice on steep hillsides.

Houaphanh province is the poorest in a country where 40 percent of the population survive on less than US$1 per day with most people involved in subsistence activities.

Tourism is now being heralded as a vital activity in the fight against poverty.

Laos hopes to turn the site into a popular tourist destination, similar to the other war heritage sites like the Cu Chi tunnels near Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam and the Killing Fields Memorial at Choeung Ek near Phnom Penh in Cambodia that attract hundreds of international visitors daily.


BACK TO THE PAST

The owner of the Sousath Travel in Xieng Khouang, Sousath Phetrasy, who had taken many film crew and former war veterans to the area, said he was 12 when he first arrived at the cave and later joined the revolutionary movement.

"It was not an easy life there, with almost daily attacks by the Americans. But the caves in Viengxay were better protected than Xieng Khouang, with heavy anti-aircraft weapons, as well as spies in Udon Thani (Thailand) to alert us on the movement of US planes...even the number of bombs they are carrying," he said.

Tour guide at the cave, Somkhit Bouaviengxay, 47, said he was only five when his parents took him to a cave in Ban Kian, about 58km from Viengxay where he once stayed for three months.

"My parents will go out in the night to find food or grow corn and paddy," he said.

Somkhit, who underwent English course before becoming a guide with a monthly salary of US$30, said dynamites were used to enlarge natural caves and build tunnels, adding that the caves used by leaders took five months to be completed.

Anti-rocket bunkers, meeting rooms, machine to pump in fresh air or to suck out biological bombs can be seen in the caves used by leaders.

SNV's Project Advisor in Viengxay, Tony Donovan said although the caves were opened to tourists in the 1990s, it was not heavily promoted to international travellers, unlike the more famous cultural and religious city of Luang Prabang.

"There are very few overseas travellers, maybe about 2,000 to 3,000 a year, or average of 10 a day. From the feedback given by the tour operators, we feel it has high potential due to its scenic and unique attraction like the caves, hot spring and wild animals," he said.



THE ROAD AHEAD

But Donovan admitted visitors to this remote corner of Laos must not expect an easy journey, although there is an airstrip in Viengxay and a small airport at Xam Neua 29km away the flights and seats are limited.

The nearest airport with scheduled flights to Vientiane is Xieng Khouang, a six-hour drive from Viengxay over the mountain range.

Visitors can also come from the Vietnam-Laos border, 55km away. Viengxay is a 300-km or eight-hour drive from Hanoi, and four hours from Mai Chau in Vietnam.

Another problem is lack of accommodation and restaurants that suits international travellers.

But for adventure seeking travellers a visit to this part of the world promises a very enriching and educational experience, as well as links to the World Heritage site of Luang Prabang and the mysterious Plain of Jars in Xieng Khouang.

Although there were fears that opening up the area to the outside world would affect its natural heritage, provincial officials are optimistic of its benefits and plan to make it a national heritage town.

-- BERNAMA

[Prenders88]

I'd love to see the caves, but the journey to get there puts me off.
I wonder how it will take before the new roads, hotels, are in place.
I don't think my arse could survive a 27 hour bus trip, or a flight where you land on a narrow airstrip.

[MuayThaiguy]

doubt there are many tigers there. very few left in the wild. those caves sound awesome!

[aznyron]

I'd love to see the caves, but the journey to get there puts me off.
I wonder how it will take before the new roads, hotels, are in place.
I don't think my arse could survive a 27 hour bus trip, or a flight where you land on a narrow airstrip.

P88 fly to Udon thani take the bus from there to Nong kha Vientieen border and get your visa and bus across the border and taxi to vientien the cost is about 500 baht from the airport correct me if i am wrong there are many nice hotels for about 6 to 800 baht a nite I stayed across from the day market don't ask me the name of the hotel it was 800 with a/c other rooms are cheaper