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Region: Northern Thailand> Province: Mae Hong Son>Location: Soppong
Soppong sights and attractions
Tham Lod - One of the most impressive caves in Thailand
Description
Tham Lod is considered one of the most impressive caves in Thailand, partly for its size, partly for its attractive limestone stalactite formations and partly for the unusual coffin cave hidden within the main cave. In its entirety, Tham Lod is over over 1.5km in length, though it's considerably smaller than some of the caves that can be seen in neighbouring Laos, and further afield in Vietnam.
That the Lang River flows through over a third of the cave's length gives you the opportunity to float through on bamboo rafts -- floating along in the darkness, listening to and smelling the bats overhead, makes for a unique experience.
A typical visit includes a float through some of the cave followed by climbing through other portions to see the coffin cave and a couple of other caverns. A complete visit should take about two hours depending on your pace. Try to time you visit around late afternoon as at sunset thousands of bats fly out of the cave and thirty thousand swifts fly in. This spectacle can be viewed at the exit to the cave and has to be seen to be believed.
Caving - Loads to do
Description
Pang Mapah district has more than 200 caves, five of which are over four kilometres long with world class formations. It's a terrific area for exploring if you're a caving enthusiast. Tham Lod is obviously one of the highlights, but there are plenty of other treats.
Tham Pi Man, or Spirit Caves, contain prehistoric coffins that have been carbon dated to approximately 1700 years old. There are 83 Pi Man Caves in Pang Mapah, and little is known about the civilisation that built them. In seven of the caves in the area, two species of the uncommon eyeless cave fish have been found (one cave has both varieties in one stream). One of these uses their fins to 'walk' up waterfalls. Pictures can be found on the walls at Cave Lodge, if you don't want to spend the time searching.
'Fossil Cave' has 280 million-year-old fossilised shells and 'Waterfall Cave' has beautiful formations and an awesome 30-metre waterfall.
Cave Lodge offers a few day tours of combined walking and caving starting at 450B for 4 people. Specialist caving expeditions cost 650B for transport, expert guide, caving light, helmet and lunch. They also advocate independent exploration, and provide a very busy map to all the sites of interest in the area, but recommend that you don't go out alone, and always let them know your intended route and time of return.
Kayaking - Lots of options for exploration
Description
Kayaking is a great way to see Tham Lod and the pretty Lang River, while having fun paddling and navigating mini rapids. Strongly promoted by Cave Lodge, this trip is one of the most popular activities they offer. The trip lasts about two to three hours, depending on the level of the water and the size and coordination skills of the group. After departure, there is an initial period of acclimatisation as you master handling the inflated rubber kayaks, and meander down the river at a slow pace.
The river runs though the centre of Cave Lod and this is definitely the highlight of the journey, taking about 15 minutes to navigate through the darkness, listen to (and smell) the bats and look at the amazing limestone formations lit only by your headlamps. The river then flows on downstream, past pretty scenery and over small rapids that test your kayak handling skills. During the dry season, the river is low and rapids are not particularly fast.
The expedition ends with a tuk tuk drive back to Cave Lodge. The trip costs 490B per person, and can depart at any time between 10:00 and 15:00 from June to February. It's also possible to do a longer version of the trip which goes further down river, past Soppong and goes for three to four hours. This costs 990B per person and requires a minimum of two people.
Other activities - All roads lead to Cave Lodge
http://www.cavelodge.com
Description
There are plenty of other activities that can be organised by Cave Lodge. They say that their three-day trip rafting on the Pai River is the best adventure in Thailand. There are no villages from put in to take out, more rapids than any other river in Thailand and stunning scenery. It costs 3,050B, departing on Tuesdays from November to May.
They also sell two-day rafting trips on the Kong and Pai Rivers. Similar to those that are sold in Pai, they enjoy great rapids, spectacular scenery, waterfalls and wildlife. Overnight is spent camping by the side of the river, and eating local food cooked by the guides. The trip finishes with transport to Mae Hong Son, back to Cave Lodge or anywhere in between. A minimum of six people are required, and the cost is 2,150 baht per person. The same trip can also be done in one day when the river is high, with an early start and a late return. This is possible when the river is high from July to October, and costs 1,600 baht.
Mountain biking can be done as a guided half-day trip for about 800 baht, or a full day combined with the kayaking trip for 1190 baht. Their bikes are sturdy and new.
Guided day tours can be done for 450 baht per person with a minimum of four people. These include combinations of local walks and visiting caves.
You can learn to cook traditional Shan or Thai dishes in the Cave Lodge kitchen. Delicious local food will be taught by their kitchen chefs for 30 baht a dish.
Tours and Trekking - Some very good value options
Description
In addition to the wide range of activities offered by Cave Lodge at nearby Tham Lod, it is possible to organise day tours and treks directly in Soppong as well.
Little Eden's main day tour includes a visit to Tham Lod and some local hilltribe villages, as well as bamboo rafting, elephant riding, some walking and lunch all for 1,100B. They also organise half and full day treks for 300B and 600B per person respectively, as well as a two hour trek to local Coffin Cave (one of the Tham Pi Man which contain 1700-year-old wooden coffins belonging to an unknown civilisation) for 200B.
If you really want to escape the Pai trekking routes, Cave Lodge has four licensed guides, who can take small groups with a minimum of four people on two night or three night treks through the forested border mountains, visiting Red Lahu and Karen tribes. A three day, two night trek costs 1700B, while a four day, three night trip will cost 2,200 baht. There is a guide and helper on each trip, and accommodation in a local village overnight. You will stay as guests in a family home, and sleep dormitory style on the floor with a thin mattress, with a sleeping bag or blanket and a mosquito net.