Tham Piew Cave

To avoid being hit by bombs during the war years 1964-1973, many villagers lived in the cave systems of Laos. One such cave was Tham Piew, near Muang Kham. This held well over 437 people from nearby villages, mostly women, children and older people, while the men were away at war. They would sneak out the cave entrance at night to tend the fields, which were generally decimated by the bombing and rarely produced enough food. One day in the early 70s, four fighter planes directed rockets at the grotto. The first three missed, but the fourth hit its target killing all inside. Today there is no memorial at the cave, with only the charred rock hinting at the history.

It is possible to visit the cave by public songthaew, going north on the road to Sam Neua. Get off after about 4km, and follow the road about 1.5 km to the foot of the hill, and you'll find a steep set of stairs climbing up to the wide mouth of the cave. If you're not interested in walking, you could hire your own songthaew for the day, which would cost around 30,000 kip. If you do decide to walk, all the locals can direct you as this is a poignant part of local history and culture. There are always people tending the fields and cycling by. We found people here especially helpful and very eager to engage in help with directions.