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Krabi nature trails - Top articleKao Mai Keao CaveStory & Photos : Steve Crawford
Going into unfamiliar territory summed things up for me, when I recently decided to visit Kao Mai Keao, a series of underground caves on the island of Koh Lanta. Exploring a cave for recreation may be called caving, potholing, or spelunking. OK, then it’s a spelunking adventure. The Kao Mai Keao Cave is located just off the lower of roads that cross Koh Lanta, and can be very easily reached by motorbike, however inexperienced you are. Turning off to the caves you are greeted by a dusty dirt road that winds through well-established rubber and palm plantations. This is an area of the island that is home to a large population of local Muslim families. These people live their lives in harmony with their surroundings, utilising the red alluvial soil to produce a variety of crops amongst the encroaching jungle vegetation. Arriving at the office and meeting quite a few other ‘spelunkers’, we were issued with headlamps and given a brief outline of what lay ahead in the next few hours. As we set off, the overpowering jungle humidity made me appreciate our guide’s advice that we should all carry some drinking water. At this point I must add that he also advised us we may get a little muddy, and that a pair of trainers may have been more suitable than my adventure flip-flops! Our pathway led us up through tropical vegetation, and when possible we took advantage of a rope or vines before emerging higher up the mountainside. Being surrounded by such a thick blanket of jungle, I asked our guide how on earth they ever found the cave entrance in the first place. It was a story that actually describes real adventure. As the story goes, 30 years ago a cousin was searching for wild bees’ honey. He had observed bees disappearing through the bush and into a cave opening in the rock face and followed them in with only the assistance of a cigarette lighter. As he went deeper and the gas began to run out, he sliced up his flip-flops and burnt the slices as a torch (I knew my flip-flops might be handy!) After further exploring into the cave system with the aid of a torch, a network of over 100 underground chambers was discovered over the years that followed. The fun began for us when we descended through a small indistinct hole in the rock and entered the series of diverse caverns that lay hidden below. Immediately you notice an earthy smell that fills your nostrils and the coolness of the air. Following our guide we clambered, without too much difficulty, along bamboo bridges and sturdy wooden ladders. Along the way our guide pointed out places of interest such as a fossil of ‘who knows how many years old’, and the classic cave experience: stalactite and stalagmite formations. My mind wandered to how this place would make a perfect natural wine cellar. At times the spaces ahead of us appeared as big as church halls, and in others you had to duck and squeeze a little to continue on. The effects of water over thousands of years on the limestone walls had left some very impressive results. The remaining crystals and minerals that remained threw off diamond like reflections into the beams of our torches. Water stains on the walls took on mystical perspectives when viewed from certain angles. No doubt about it this was an underground wonderland that had been born through the forces of nature and time. We walked in silence as torch beams guided us through the dampness. I tried to imagine in my mind just what this all would be like during a rainy wet season. Our guide kept us together as we began to ascend towards small system of crawl through tunnels. On the other side, a side passage opened up and we were overawed by a cavern roof that was covered by hundreds of hanging bats. Ahead we saw beams of light piercing the darkness that indicated our route into the outside world, and back in the humidity of the forest we rested and dwelt on what we all had just experienced. It had been both adventurous and rewarding, and trooping back down the mountain jungle track seemed a breeze. On the way down I began to consider just how I was going to get all the wine up into that cellar… Kao Mai Kaeo cave is open all year ‘round depending on weather. Entry is 200 baht. Thai restaurant and toilet facilities are available at the base car park. Elephant trekking can be arranged into the surrounding rainforest. Flip-flop manageable but not recommended. Difficulty out of ten: 4.
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Krabi nature trails
Adventure can take many forms. Maybe sushi for the first time, a new relationship or job, or even a first time bungee jump on a windy day. They all qualify. Webster’s dictionary defines adventure as “an exciting or remarkable experience.” It’s when we break out of our daily routine and dare to take on a new challenge, boldly going into territory that is unfamiliar to us. 