ถ้ำแม่กาษา

Tham Mae Usa

Useful Information

Location:	Tham [cave] Mae Usa, is signposted off the Mae Sot to Mae Ramat highway. (16.887230, 98.641004)
Open:	All year daily. [2021]
Fee:	Guide THB 300. [2021]
Classification:	Karst cave
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:	L=1,019 m, A=400 m asl, VR=88m
Guided tours:	D=90 min.
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:	John D Dunkley (1995): The Caves of Thailand, Broadway, N.S.W. : Speleological Research Council, 1995, 124 p. : ill., maps ; 30 cm. p 64, ISBN 0958925399. M. Ellis, S. King, E. Waters, D Barrett, T. Fitch (2003): Shepton Mallet Caving Club Expedition Report, Thailand, February 2002, Shepton Mallet Caving Club Jl Ser 11 (3) Spring 2003 pp 92, 94, survey and 6 colour photos. Journal series 11, contents and abstracts
Address:	Tham Mae Usa, Ban Mae Kasa [area], Mae Sot, Tak [province], Thailand.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

Description

ถ้ำแม่กาษา is transliterated either as Tham Mae Usa or Tham Mae Kasa or Tham Mae Ka Sa. It is named simply after nearby town Mae Kasa. The town is located in the plains of the Thaunggin River, at the foot of a steep limestone karst ridge to the east. It is quite famous for the Mae Kasa Hot Spring, which forms a sort of pyramid of deposited calcite. It seems the spring is quite popular among locals and te tourist town is quite crowded on weekends. South of the spring is a Buddhist temple high up on the hillside which was built inside a cave opening. The cave Tham Mae Usa is located high above the village and reached by foot. From the hot spring cross the road, hen the small lake on the bridge, from the temple on the other side a steep tails leads up to the cave entrance.

The cave is not very well developed but there is a trail and there are guided tours with local guides. The guides cost 300 Baht for parties up to ten persons. The tour takes up to three hours, however, with a personal guide it is possible to modify te tour. The cave is known for a huge bat colony, although the published number of one million bats is obviously exaggerated.

There are over 850 steps to ascend to the entrance from where a steeply descending route, spiralling down between boulders, leads to a large chamber 50 m wide and 15 m high, with much guano and many bats. Below this chamber the cave follows a very large, straight passage along the strike towards the south. The passage is up to 30 m wide by 20 m high and in parts has a smooth earth floor for a straight 100 m. Despite being a show cave the going is quite difficult in places with very subdued lighting so boots and your own light are recommended. The tour ends at a lake but the cave continues for another 100 m to a mud choke.

Text by Tony Oldham (2004). With kind permission.