The interior of Tham Nong Paseuam cave in Khammuan province. - VT
VIENTIANE: Several leisure activities will be available in the area of Tham Nong Paseuam cave in Thakhaek district, Khammuan province, starting in April.
The concessionaire has been granted permission to operate the site for a period of 50 years, with developments taking place on an area of 9.89 hectares and 404 hectares being set aside as a conservation area.
Visitors will be able to take hikes in the area, go kayaking, and explore the cave’s dramatic interior, where a service and information centre will be set up.
The concessionaire is investing US$3 million in the development and is currently building a car park, toilets and restaurant, improving the access road and installing a bridge inside the cave, according to the Khammuan provincial Information, Culture and Tourism Department.
Tham Nong Paseuam cave is located in Nakhag Chang village, about 17km east of the provincial capital Thakhaek.
Khammuan province is home to numerous natural wonders, especially the many limestone caves that are secreted within its rocky outcrops. Sites such as Kamphaengyak, also known as the Giant Wall, and the Sangsou and Nam Sanam waterfalls, should also be on travellers’ itineraries.
At Phou Phamarn hill, there are zip-lines for the adventurous, a canopy walkway through the trees, and hikes led by guides through forested areas.
Visitors can also buy locally-made goods such as rice baskets made from woven bamboo, as well as clothing and other items made from naturally dyed cotton.
Last year was a bumper year for tourism in Khammuan, with more than 800,000 tourists sampling the province’s scenic and cultural delights, generating revenue of 1 trillion kip. - Vientiane Times/ANN
