Trekking and guesthouses in Thakhek

Question

Only a month to go and I am heading back to Laos. In addition of being excited, now it is also time for my  final preparations and questions.

My first stop will be Thakhek, and I want to do a multiple trip (trekking, kayaking and maybe biking over three days) while I am there, including a trip to the Kong Lor Cave. I have done some online search, and I can only find details from Green Discovery. The three day trip sounds good, and I met people in Luang Namtha who were very happy with GD. However, to compare trips, I wonder if anyone can recommend any agencies I could check when I arrive. Always nice to have options.

Also, I assume there are a good number of guesthouses. Can anone recommend one (budgeting between $10-$15 per night)?

Finally, I want to spend one full day in Thakhek to organise the trek, besides wandering the street of Thakhek, is there anything in town I should not miss?

bluecramp · Accepted Answer

We stayed in the Southida GH last time - close to the river beer shops and had a huge basic room for 80,000kip. Green Discovery have a GH too nearby which seems to be where most backpackers congregate but a room is a lot more then 80,000kip.

It is 100km from Thakhek to Kong Lor along a mostly flat straight road. We took motorbikes up to Kong Lor and stayed a couple of nights - a nice option if you have time. The Kong Lor village is small with about 6 guesthouses and a few noodle places, and there are a couple of small villages along the valley bottom which is full of tobacco plantation and driers.

I don't remember seeing another tour agent other than GD, but I am sure that some of the guesthouses run trips too.

Thakhek is a smallish town with a strong Vietnamese presence - there is a Viet food court behind the main market which has some good food. The 5-6 restaurants along the river are favourites for sunset beers & snacks too - a similar vibe to savannakhet but even quieter.

Scotsman79 · Answer

Thanks blue, I will check out rhe guesthouse when I arrive.

I like the idea of getting to Kong Lor village. I would like to do some walks though, is it possible to do so there, or would I need a guide (and if so is it easy to get one in the village)?

bluecramp · Answer

Not so much interesting walking from Konglor itself, as the village is at the end of a 30km long flat valley bottom with cliffs either side. Any walking from the village would be limited to the valley floor which is about 1km wide with the road running through the middle.

Once you go through the cave 7km to the other side though, there are a couple of homestay places in the village there, and more open ground for walking so you might have better luck there.

Scotsman79 · Answer

I will keep this in mind if I do not find a trek that interest me (or no one else is doing one). And I would love a homestay as well, so I could cover it there.

Must say I cannot wait to get back to Laos.....

Scotsman79 · Answer

Bluecramp, is there a public bus going to Konglor?

I just got a quote for a three day trek and nearly fell of my seat (this would be even considered expensive in some Western World countries....). I will check for trips in Thakhek, but might either go to the cave by bus, or hire a bike to explore the area. Any thoughts?

bluecramp · Answer

There is no bus to Konglor. You can take one from thakhek to the turn off 100km up the road, then wait for a songthaew for the last stretch of 70km.

An easier way is to rent a motorbike from thakhek - once off the main highway it is quite scenic and tthere are a few nice spots to stop at.

Scotsman79 · Answer

Thanks,

I will probably do that. Bit of a shame I cannot do the trek I was planning to do, but not paying silly money (or rather a rip off) for it.

Domyou think one of the guesthouses in Kong Lor can keep my bike safe while I might stay a night on the other side of the cave (would love doing some walking)?

bluecramp · Answer

I should think so - the family I stayed with were very friendly and spent a lot of time helping out a swiss couple who were sick. It was the "Eco-guesthouse" or something similar. Its a very quiet village at a dead end in the road, and not the kind of place that has opportunistic thieves walking around.

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Trekking and guesthouses in Thakhek

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