| If you visit Laos, you may well struggle to believe | | | | Pathet Lao Party, who were considered the |
| that the peaceful and pristine environment you | | | | revolutionaries of the time. The leaders of the |
| see was once at the centre of a violent and | | | | Pathet Lao remained underground living in the |
| revolutionary war. Today, tranquil village life, the | | | | network of caves for almost ten years before |
| fascinating culture and the impressive natural | | | | emerging moving Vientiane in 1974 to form the |
| scenery of the country makes it high up on many | | | | Lao PDR government. To this day, the Viengxai |
| people's list of must-see holiday destinations. But if | | | | caves are seen by many as the spiritual birthplace |
| history is one of the main things pulling you | | | | of Lao's government. The vast network of |
| towards Laos, trekking under the ground rather | | | | underground caverns that comprise the Viengxai |
| than over it might prove to be of extra interest | | | | caves became home to many people during that |
| to you. | | | | period, with over 400 caves housing and |
| The Viengxai Cave Memorial | | | | sheltering at least 20,000 people. |
| The Viengxai Kaysone Phomvihane cave memorial | | | | Inside the Caves |
| lies hidden from the untrained eye, surrounded by | | | | Now open to tourists, it is possible for those |
| the forests and limestone mountains of the | | | | interested in Laos trekking to also venture |
| Houaphanh province. Only opened to tourists and | | | | underground and see the myriad of tunnels and |
| the general public in November 2009, these caves | | | | caverns for themselves. Within the caves, there |
| are not something that you will have seen if | | | | was once a school, bakery, shops, meeting |
| you've been to Laos trekking previously. | | | | rooms, sleeping quarters, and even a larger |
| The History of the Caves | | | | cavern which was turned into a natural |
| Whilst you're in Laos, trekking through the towns | | | | amphitheater, complete with pit for the orchestra. |
| will lead you into the path of many relics and | | | | Visitors can wander through the caves, with only |
| reminders of what will always be remembered as | | | | their imaginations to help them try and visualise |
| a particularly tumultuous time for the country. The | | | | what it would have been like to liver underground |
| Royalist regime began in 1964 and with it came a | | | | for almost ten years. However, English speaking |
| violent period of civil unrest which lasted into the | | | | guides will escort visitors through the caves as |
| mid 1970s. America backed the regime, and as | | | | part of a local tourism development project, |
| bombs were consistently dropped upon Laos by | | | | helping you to build up a better picture, and |
| US aircrafts on behalf of the Royal Lao | | | | sharing all they know about the nine years that |
| Government, many were forced to take shelter, | | | | the Pathet Lao spent inside the caves. |
| including leaders and members of the communist | | | | |