Fodor's Expert Review Pak Ou Caves

In high limestone cliffs above the Mekong River, at the point where it meets the Nam Ou River from northern Laos, lie two sacred caves filled with thousands of Buddha statues dating from the 16th century. The lower cave, Tham Ting, is accessible from the river by a stairway and has enough daylight to allow you to find your way around. The stairway continues to the upper cave, Tham Phoum, for which you need a flashlight. The admission charge of 30,000 kip includes a flashlight and a guide. Many visitors are not impressed by the caves or the tourist hordes but find that the scenery along the way makes the trip worth the effort. Ideally, it's best to visit the caves as part of a cruise tour to or from Houay Xai. Try to avoid visiting in the height of high tourist season, as it gets extremely crowded and unpleasant.

The town of Pak Ou, across the river from the caves and accessible by ferry, has several passable restaurants. It is possible to get to the cave by tuk-tuk from town, but then you'd miss the scenery, and you'll still have to catch a boat to reach the entrance.