Overview
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About the Tham Lod Cave
With a length of 1,5 kilometers, the Tham Lod Cave is one of the largest caves in northern Thailand. It is located in Mae Hong Son, about a 45-minute drive from Pai. The cave is filled with impressive stalagmites, stalactites, bats, wall paintings, ancient wooden coffins, and sometimes even snakes.
No artificial lighting has been installed to protect the wildlife in the Tham Lod cave. A guide will lead you through the cave with a gas lamp, which makes the experience a little more mysterious and unique. The guides usually speak little English, but they will try their best and show you with a lot of imagination which animals and other things you can recognize in the cave formations: frogs, elephants, crocodiles… you will be amazed by how much imagination the Thais have.
Another unique feature of the Tham Lod Cave is the Nam Lang River that flows through it.
Fun Fact: The Tham Lod Cave is also referred to as the Tham Nam Lod or Nam Lod Cave. The word ‘Tham’ means ‘caves’ in the Thai language. ‘Nam Lod’ is translated to ‘river that flows through it’. All together, this name literally means ‘Caves through which a river flows’.
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Visiting the Tham Lod cave
The Tham Lod cave system consists of 3 main chambers. The names of the chambers already give away a bit of what can be seen:
Column Cave
The main attraction of this chamber is a gigantic column from floor to ceiling, around 25 meters high and 4 meters wide.
Doll Cave
In the chamber, you will find numerous small stalagmites, that look a bit like little dolls.
Coffin Cave
The Coffin Cave is the third cave. Due to the river that flows through the cave, you can only reach this chamber with a bamboo raft. In this part of the cave, you will find several centuries-old wooden coffins scattered throughout the chamber.
When you visit the Tham Lod Cave, you can choose between 3 different tours where you explore 1, 2, or all 3 caves. Only during the tour where you visit the 3 caves, will you sail across the river on a bamboo raft, with only the gas lamp for lighting. In the dark light, you’ll see hundreds of fish swimming around the raft.
Besides the wooden coffins, the third cave in itself is no more spectacular than the other two. However, we thought sailing the bamboo raft across the river was a unique experience.
Practical
Prices are per group of a maximum of 3 people.
- Visit Column Cave: 300 THB/group
- Visit Column Cave + Doll Cave: 350 THB/group
- Visit all three caves, including bamboo raft: 600 THB/group
IMPORTANT NOTE: Tham Lod Cave entrance fee is NOT included in the ticket price of Lum Nam Pai Wildlife Sanctuary. The prices mentioned above are for the tours run by the local Shan Village. You don't need to pay the park fee for the Tham Lod Cave. At the entrance to the sights of the national park (such as Ngam Sai Hotspring) is stated that Tham Lod cave is included, which is not correct.
Daily open from 08:00 am until 05:00 pm
How to get there
The Tham Lod cave is located approximately 50 kilometers north of the town of Pai. It is about a 1-hour drive along a stunning road through the mountains. On your way, you should definitely stop at the Kim Lom viewpoint. To reach the Tham Lod Cave, you can either drive there yourself, join a tour, or share a private taxi.
Self-drive: Scooter or car
The cheapest way to reach Tham Lod Cave is to rent a scooter and drive yourself. Prices for a motorbike rental vary from 200 – 400 baht per day, depending on the model. Keep in mind that the road runs through the mountains and can sometimes be steep and very winding, including some very sharp hairpin bends. If you are not an experienced scooter rider, we do not recommend this.
If you would like to discover more places in Thailand, it is also recommended to rent a car. The roads are generally in good condition and you can travel through the country with much more freedom.
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By Tour
From Pai, the easiest way to get to the Tham Lod Cave is by joining a group tour, that you can book with one of the tour operators in town. You can also join a group tour to the Tham Lod Cave from Mae Hong Son or from Chiang Mai.
By Private Taxi
If you find other people, who are interested in visiting the Tham Lod cave too, you can take a private taxi and share the costs. However, if you’re traveling solo and can’t find people to share the ride, this might not be your best option.
Best time to visit the Tham Lod Cave
Generally, Thailand knows 3 seasons: the wet season (May to October/November), the cool season (November to February), and hot season (March to May).
Because the Nam Lang River flows through the cave, accessibility depends on the level of the water. During the monsoon season, from July to September/October, the Tham Lod cave usually fill with water, making it impossible to visit them.
Right after the rainy season, from November to January, the water levels start to lower again, although not all caves reopen at the same time. First, the Column Cave reopens, followed by the Doll Cave, and, at the end of winter, the Coffin Cave also opens again. By summer, from January to February, all 3 caves are usually open. However, the amount of rain can never be predicted and it is possible that 1, 2, or all 3 caves are open during the rainy season or all winter long. So, it is always worthwhile to check the cave conditions, even if you are exploring the area during the rainy season or winter.
You should definitely avoid traveling to northern Thailand during the burning season, usually during February and March. This is when the local farmers burn their trash and their fields to make it fertile again, causing the air to become completely polluted and visibility to become very poor.
As for the best time during the day to visit, it’s best to go as early as possible to beat the crowds.
Where to stay
The Tham Lod cave can be visited from Pai, where you have a wide variety of accommodations such as hotels, hostels, and guesthouses. You can also visit the cave from Mae Hong Son, although you have slightly less choice of accommodations here.
If you have a little more time or if you simply prefer this, you can also stay near the cave. Although the options are quite limited, there are still some beautiful and unique accommodations close to the cave, like the Cave Lodge.
Another very unique place you can stay, about a 20-minute drive from the Tham Lod cave, is Ban Jabo. It is a very small but beautiful village located on top of a hill. Many of the homestays here offer some incredible views of the rolling mountains and the valleys filled with mist. It is not possible to book these accommodations ahead. However, it is not touristy at all, so places are unlikely to be fully booked, and you can just show up to get a room.
Hotels
Find the best places to stay in Pai and enjoy a comfortable trip.
Other Things to Do
There are a few other things to do near the Tham Lod Cave, such as enjoying the views in Ban Jabo or taking a dip in the Sai Ngam Hot Springs on your way to the cave from Pai. Around Pai Town, there are even more great things to do! You can read everything about it in our guide to what to do in and around Pai.
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Win-Win for everyone
Did you know that, if you buy or book something through our links, we receive a small commission?
However, you still pay the same and therefore have no extra costs! So a win-win for everyone. This way, we can continue to add even more travel inspiration and tips to this blog for your next adventure. Thanks a lot!
