Tham Lod Cave
A river cave with three chambers, bamboo rafts and swifts that stream out at dusk.
Tham Lod is a 1.6km river cave near Soppong, 45km from Mae Hong Son, with a stream running through it. The visit is by bamboo raft with a local guide and costs 450 baht including lanterns. Allow 90 minutes.
Open Tham Lod Cave in Google Maps19.5690, 98.2770
Prices and hours are our current best information, not a published rate. Confirm on the day before you travel.
A river cave with three chambers, bamboo rafts and swifts that stream out at dusk.
The cave is one of the largest in Thailand, with a 30-metre-high entrance chamber where swifts and bats nest by the thousand. At dusk they swap places — the swifts come in and the bats leave — which is one of the best wildlife spectacles in the north. The cave also has prehistoric coffins and pottery dated to around 2,000 years ago.
The raft trip through the cave, poled by a local guide with a gas lamp, is one of the most atmospheric experiences in the north. At sunset, hundreds of thousands of swifts return to roost.
What you’ll actually see
- The entrance chamber at dusk, when the swift and bat exchange happens
- The prehistoric log coffins in the side chambers
- The stalactites and the 30-metre columns in the main gallery
- The bamboo raft ride through the cave, poled by a local guide with a lantern
How to visit it well
- Arrive around 5pm for the swift spectacle.
- The raft is per boat, not per person — good value for groups.
- The cave floor is slippery; bring a torch.
Mistakes worth avoiding
- Coming at midday and missing the dusk bat flight, which is the best part
- Refusing the guide — you cannot navigate the cave alone and the lantern is essential
- Wearing shoes that cannot get wet; the raft is low and you will wade
Is it worth it?
Worth 90 minutes and the best cave experience in northern Thailand. Time it for 5:30pm so you get the bat flight on the way out. Combine it with Ban Rak Thai and Pai on the same loop.
Common questions
450 baht for a raft with a guide and lantern, which covers up to three people. Entry is included in that price.
Arrive around 5pm so you are at the entrance for the dusk exchange between swifts and bats, roughly 5:45pm to 6:15pm.
About 40km east of Pai on Route 1095, an hour by car. It is 45km from Mae Hong Son.
Yes. The route through the cave is not marked and the raft is poled by a local guide who also carries the lantern.
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Last updated: October 2026 · Prices and hours checked by Kanya Pongsak