Bat Cave in Phu Pha Man National Park, IsaanA visit to Tham Khang Khao ('Tham' means cave), the 'bat cave', is fantastic and well worth a days journey - the surrounding landscape of Phu Pha Man National Park is worthy of a visit in itself. Every morning and evening, at sunrise and sunset, a million or so bats return or leave en masse. It truly is a memorable spectacle. What makes it even more so is the location of the cave - about 50 meters up a small mountain, not in dense foliage. This means you're treated to a perfect view of the line of bats. You can see the long, thick line of them for kilometers into the distance. The line isn't perfectly straight - it snakes one way and then to the other, majestically.
You can make your way right up to the cave entrance. The smell of the bat droppings is, at first, overpowering (and not in a good way!). But after a few minutes, you get used to it. I went up at sunset. I made sure I was there a bit earlier (sunset is at about 6pm). They exit in bulk, instantly - there's no trickle before the main congregation. Suddenly, there's huge numbers leaving - The sound of a gust of wind was what drew me to them first of all! After a minute or so, there was a change and the line swelled to 2 or 3 times the size.
I wasn't sure where to look at times - at the bats at the cave entrance or to watch them fill the dusky sky. After perhaps 6 or 7 minutes, the line exiting becomes thinner, so it's all over fairly quickly.
WHERE TO VIEWTo get up to the cave entrance, there are no English signs telling you where to go but once you arrive at the car parking area, head to the right and make your way through a small gap in a fence (this might change though!). You can see the cave entrance from the car park so it's merely a matter of heading towards it.
Many decide to stay in the car parking area to view it. I think this is partly to avoid the smell but also it's getting dark by the time most of the bats have left and it's a relatively tricky 5 minute climb down. Think about briging a flashlight or make sure you don't hang about at the entrance too long.
Entrance is free. There are plenty of stalls in the car park to get a drink or a bit to eat. If you're returning on a motorbike, you'll no doubt come close to a few of these bats as they swerve to avoid you!
THE REST OF THE PARKI wish I had had more time in the whole park - the area is beautiful - farmers tend to their rice fields beneath large, stand-alone mountains. Close by to the bat cave is Tham Phra Cave and 17 kilometers away, Tham Pu Ta Lo Cave. 40 kilometers away is Namtok Tat Fa Waterfall. Unfortunately, the English signposting ends with the bat cave. The day was getting late so I didn't make it to any of these. You'll definitely need to ask for directions. The Thai wording for Tham Phra Cave is ????? For Tham Pu Ta Lo Cave, the Thai is ????? And for Namtok Tat Fa Waterfall, it's ?????? This might help showing the Thai for directions. (Thai words coming shortly! - bear with me!)
It'll be handy for you if you get a brochure about the area from the tourist information office in Khon Kaen. It has the Thai spelling for many of the sights in the area.
Getting ThereIt's quite easy. See this rough map to help you. Head west on highway 12 from Khon Kaen, signposted to Chum Phae. After 80 kilometers, you'll reach Chum Phae. Head straight through the town. After about 12 kilometers, take a right onto highway 201, signposted well to Phu Pha Man National Park. After about 10 kilometers, take a left to Phu Pha Man town. (signposted well). Go through the small town. Just after the town, you'll see a sign in English for the bat cave to turn right. 1 kilometer further, take a left (signposted). A further kilometer and you're there.
Return from Bat Cave to Khon Kaen Thailand
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