14 Unmissable Things to Do on the
Thakhek Loop
14 Unmissable Things to Do on the Thakhek Loop
The Thakhek Loop is a motorcycle loop located in central Laos and is one of the best adventures you can do when visiting Laos. It’s got it all from mountains, caves, amazing riding and more. No matter what type of traveller you are, the Thakhek Loop has something for you.
I was on the Thakhek Loop for 4 days and it was action packed! There’s just so much to do and see, it’s incredible and definitely the must do activity when visiting Laos. If you are planning on doing the Thakhek Loop and want some tips and a full itinerary check out my Thakhek Loop Guide & Itinerary.
If you are planning on doing the Thakhek Loop check out some of my other posts:
Now without further ado, in no particular order, here are my 14 unmissable things to do on the Thakhek Loop!
Table of Contents
- 14 Unmissable Things to Do on the Thakhek Loop
- 1. Crawl through Dragon Cave and Climb the Viewpoint
- 2. Swim at the Cool Pool
- 3. Slow Down and Enjoy the Remoteness
- 4. Boat Ride at Kong Lor Cave
- 5. Sunset over Tha Lang Lakes
- 6. BBQ at Sabaidee Guesthouse
- 7. Stay at a Bungalow at Kong Lor
- 8. Ziplining at The Rock Viewpoint
- 9. Pha Katai Viewpoint
- 10. Try Lao Food at Rice Field View Restaurant
- 11. Enjoy the Long Rides
- 12. Stop by the Side Often!!!
- 13. Visit Song Sa Waterfall
- 14. Explore Untouched Local Life at Lak Sao
- Final Thoughts
1. Crawl through Dragon Cave and Climb the Viewpoint
Dragon Cave was one of the most unique experiences I had on the Thakhek Loop. Usually cave experiences are all relatively similar with just you entering the cave, walking around and if the cave isn’t super grand or has a unique formation or something, it’s all about the same.
The experience at Dragon Cave is completely different. It’s a completely unsupervised exploration of the cave where in some parts you have to duck and weave to enter certain chambers and caverns. It’s certainly no extreme caving but definitely outside the ordinary caving experience.
There also aren’t any barriers or anything so you can get up as close as you want to the stalactites and stalagmites.
Also from within Dragon Cave, there is a short hike that climbs to the top which offers a stunning panoramic view of the surrounding landscape. It’s a breath of fresh air and a look into the ever changing scenery you encounter on the Thakhek Loop.
2. Swim at the Cool Pool
The Cool Pool is a natural freshwater swimming hole nested between some large limestone formations as you ride your way through to Na Hin. The place is peaceful, tranquil and surrounded by lush greenery. It’s the perfect place to rest up and relax after a long day on the road.
On a hot Laos day, taking a dip to swim is a refreshing way to recharge and revamp yourself for the adventure to come. The water here is crystal clear where you can see everything in the water. From plants to fish, even small crustaceans!
You’ll meet many travellers resting at the Cool Pool before making their way to Na Hin where they’ll stay the night!
3. Slow Down and Enjoy the Remoteness
The Thakhek Loop is hectic and is an absolute adventure. You’ve got so much to do from visiting caves, trekking viewpoints and everything in between. It’s action packed and energetic but amidst all that, it’s important to not forget to just slow down a tick and simply enjoy the remoteness.
This doesn’t mean just stop and do nothing but a little reminder to enjoy every moment you’re in and not just be focusing on the highlights of the trip. Sometimes the best experiences and the long lasting memories are the moments that just pass by and the experiences you feel by only being in the remoteness of Laos.
It’s different for everyone but I vividly remember the feeling of just cruising around, enjoying the small things you encounter and the indescribing feeling of being an adventurer! So make sure to at times slow down and enjoy the remoteness of the vast Thakhek Loop!
4. Boat Ride at Kong Lor Cave
Kong Lor Cave is the biggest cave system in Laos and is definitely one of the main attractions on the Thakhek Loop. For most people the Kong Lor Cave is one of the last big stops on the road before going back to Thakhek the next day to finish the Loop.
The boat tour through the cave is a must do activity. From my travels I don’t think I’ve ever visited a cave as grand before and it’s a complete adventure traversing through the cave. There are many stops throughout the boat ride to explore various caverns and crevices and what amazed me was its grandeur. The caverns echo the sounds around you and you simply get lost in its magnificence. Definitely an experience you need to do on the Thakhek Loop.
The boat ride itself is around 200 000 Kip per person if you do it with others. I’d say plan visiting Kong Lor Cave as a half day activity.
If you want more information about visiting Kong Lor Cave, check out my post HERE!
5. Sunset over Tha Lang Lakes
Tha Lang is usually where most travellers spend their first night on the loop and it’s an amazing place, filled with its unique landscape of flooded forests (you’ll understand what this means when you actually see the place).
What really surprised me when I did the Thakhek Loop and something I didn’t even plan for was how spectacularly the evening sunset looks from across the main bridge. I think it was the perfect way to unwind for the day and share our amazing experiences with each other as we finish off the first day of riding.
I’d suggest arriving in Tha Lang by 5 pm to watch the full sunset!
6. BBQ at Sabaidee Guesthouse
Sabaidee Guesthouse is one of the most popular places for people to stay on their first night on the Thakhek Loop in Tha Lang. It’s a vibrant social place and a great place to meet people also doing the Thakhek Loop.
One of the most memorable parts of my time at Sabaidee Guesthouse was its nightly BBQ. It’s a buffet style BBQ costing around 100 000 Kip and it’s definitely well worth the price. The BBQ is not all about the food but the experience with it.
For me it was a great way to meet new people on the loop and share our plans and experiences so far. It kind of set the tone and many of the people that we met that night we continued to travel with for the rest of the loop! It’s just a unique experience to just meet people and bond together about shared experiences and journey ahead.
7. Stay at a Bungalow at Kong Lor
If you are visiting Kong Lor Cave, which is a must on the Thakhek Loop, I also highly recommend staying a night at the amazing bungalows situated right by the ricefields and limestone cliffs. More specifically stay at Kong Lor Khamchalern Guesthouse & Restaurant or Thongdam Guesthouse.
The views from these bungalows are perhaps the best I’ve seen from any accommodation ever and for me by far the best view of the Thakhek Loop period!
From your bungalow the view consists of just endless golden ricefields guarded by a wall of tall limestone mountains. Words simply cannot explain how breathtaking the view is and when on the Thakhek Loop, a definite must stay accommodation.
If you want to find out more about the bungalows at Kong Lor, check this out.
8. Ziplining at The Rock Viewpoint
The Rock Viewpoint is the place to be if you are an adventure activity lover! It’s located towards the end of the Thakhek Loop and usually is the last big activity done before heading back to Thakhek to close the loop.
The Rock Viewpoint is filled with tall jagged limestone mountains and here you have a chance to partake in a bunch of activities from ziplining, crossing spider net bridges and simply traversing the terrain.
There are a variety of options available ranging from half day to full day adventures.
If you are into this kind of stuff, The Rock Viewpoint is a must visit!
9. Pha Katai Viewpoint
If you choose to ride the Thakhek Loop anti clockwise which is the recommended route, Pha Katai Viewpoint is one of the first viewpoints you’ll encounter.
The hike up is interesting to say the least with some very questionable stairs and not so up to standard features. Although the way up may seem a bit dodgy, it’s a fun short hike up and anyone can do it.
Once you make your way to the top, Pha Katai Viewpoint gives you a chance to see some of the vast sceneries that the Thakhek Loop has to offer. The view is spectacular with the view reaching far into the distance.
It’s a great quick stop on your first day on the Thakhek Loop and a great activity to do to take things slow.
10. Try Lao Food at Rice Field View Restaurant
The Thakhek Loop is filled with endless views of its lush golden rice fields. When I was on the loop, I wanted to go to a place where I can simply relax and wind back as I enjoy the view of the ricefields.
Lucky for us, Rice Field View Restaurant is there for us!!!
We wanted to find a restaurant that had an amazing view to eat lunch at and lucky for us we found a place called Rice Field View Restaurant right on google maps and the restaurant certainly didn’t disappoint!
If you want an itinerary full of these stops such as Rice Field View Restaurant, check out my full Thakhek Loop Itinerary.
The local food was great and the view spectacular. A perfect way to spend lunch on the Thakhek Loop.
11. Enjoy the Long Rides
When I hear people talking about the Thakhek Loop, what I often don’t hear is the part how amazing the riding experience is on the Thakhek Loop. I mean it is a motorcycle loop so you’ve got to think there are some amazing roads and for sure it does not disappoint.
The roads are easy to ride but have some amazing sections all through the Thakhek Loop. From windy mountainous roads and thrilling hill climbs, the roads on the Thakhek Loop are a rider’s dream.
If you enjoy riding, you can definitely relate when I say for motorbike trips like these, its as much about the journey as it is about the destination. Riding for me was just pure dopamine and at many times I just wanted the road to go a bit further. Even after 4 days of riding I wanted more and more as the experience was simply unforgettable.
So when you’re on the loop, don’t forget to enjoy the long rides, feel the change in scenery and experience all that the roads on the Thakhek Loop can offer.
12. Stop by the Side of the Road Often!!!
The Thakhek Loop is filled with marked locations however, it has even more unmarked spots that deserve a stop along the road. It’s often not highlighted that the entirety of the Thakhek Loop is one ever changing scenic ride.
When riding, you get glimpses of the scenery but to truly appreciate the environment, its worth taking a quick stop just to marvel at where you are riding. Places like Tha Lang where the flooded forest is or the roads towards Lak Sao have some incredible scenery often not mentioned in posts about the Thakhek Loop.
You’ll encounter lush European esc green scenery all the way through to roads traversing through rich jungle flora. These often unmarked spots definitely add up and builds the overall adventurous spirit of the Thakhek Loop.
My advice is take as many stops along the road as you need, else you risk missing something extraordinary!
13. Visit Song Sa Waterfall
Song Sa Waterfall is a nice quick spot to visit before making your way to Tha Lang. It’s a small waterfall running along the river and a nice place to relax and take in the atmosphere. On a hot day it’s also a great place to take a quick dive to cool off.
If you’re a bit more adventurous there are a few rocks you can even jump off from and some of them can get quite high!
14. Explore Untouched Local Life at Lak Sao
What’s often not as talked about is that the Thakhek Loop isn’t just filled with mountains and nature. There are many small towns and rural villages along the route and a great chance to witness the untouched way of life of the locals.
No better place to do so than in my opinion Lak Sao. Compared to other towns you may pass through, Lak Sao is actually comparatively larger but it really highlights the everyday livelihoods of these people. No fancy signs or tourist marketing, just locals going about their everyday life.
I think there’s a real subtle beauty of being able to witness the local way of life as you get to truly live in the moment like the locals without the fancy romanticization. Have a quick stroll around, buy some snacks, have lunch.
It won’t be grand or spectacular but what an opportunity it is to experience the untouched local life on the Thakhek Loop.
Final Thoughts
There are so many things to do on the Thakhek Loop and even if you tried, there still would be more things you can do. From mountains, caves all the way through to just blissful riding, the Thakhek Loop has it all. Hope my post on the 14 Unmissable Things to Do on the Thakhek Loop was helpful in planning your trip. Check out some of my other posts about travelling the Thakhek Loop and Laos.
What are you waiting for? Get out there!!!