Tham Lod Cave - a fascinating and mysterious cave system in Thailand (20 photos + 1 video)

Tham Lod is a cave system in the Thai province of Mae Hong Song, stretching for more than one and a half kilometers. The Lang River (Nam Lang) flows along its entire length, right between the rocky walls. And so the only possible way to explore the long cave is to use a bamboo raft of dubious strength and resort to the help of a local guide armed with a primitive gas lantern.





At the entrance to the chamber there are clearly traces of civilization and human presence. But the veneer of everyday life disappears immediately after entering inside. There is no lighting here, a bewitching twilight reigns. And the absence of the usual amenities adds a sense of mysticism and anticipation of adventure.



The Fish Cave, as it is also called, is a real show of stalactites and stalagmites. Though dumb and frozen. It took millions of years to create it. At various points along the journey, depending on the time of year, guides stop to give tourists the chance to step onto the muddy ground and slippery bamboo walkways to get a closer look at the rock formations. Their height can exceed 200 meters.





The system consists of three cameras. The first is called Tam Sao Hin. With an area of ​​400 square meters and a height of about 50 meters, according to some sources, it claims to be the largest in the world.

The second is Tam Tuk Ta or the cave of dolls, so named presumably because of the shapes of the formations, in which, if you are not too picky, you can find similarities with humanoid figures.



There Phi Man - the third part - is special. Here are the burial places of representatives of the Lava tribe. Some are even over 1,400 years old. They are not publicly accessible to tourists; most of the space is fenced off and closed to the public due to the danger of collapses and the sacredness of the place itself. But several empty coffins are left specially for visitors, who, according to tradition, throw in change.



At the end of the path, a ray of light breaks through the darkness. The lush green vegetation outside can be blinding at first. The hole at the end of the cave is huge, and thousands of birds flutter, filling the space with the flickering of feathers and a chorus of voices.

Archaeological excavations in the area have proven that Tham Lod was used as a burial site by the Hoabin people.