Cave, floating on an inner tube, a river and great scenery: the Water Cave seems to combine aspects from all of Vang Vieng’s main attractions into one special experience. Jump in the cool water, head to the very low mouth of a cave, grab the rope and pull yourself hand-over-hand up the underground river for 500 metres. The tunnel is narrow and very low in parts, with eerie formations on the ceiling. Though the water is not so deep, the darkness and disorientation makes for an exciting experience. It takes approximately 20 minutes to reach the end before having to turn back.
The Water Cave is often included in a popular full-day trip, with the cave followed by a picnic lunch then an afternoon of kayaking down the Nam Song. This means the cave is extremely crowded and rather chaotic before noon, with screams and chatter echoing throughout making for a less than peaceful experience. We recommend you try it in the afternoon and hopefully there will be fewer people. If it was quiet we imagine how mysterious and thrilling it would be. It wouldn’t be cheaper than an organised tour but it would be far more pleasant and a very pretty drive by motorbike or bicycle.
