ถ้ำแม่อุสุ

Tham Mae Usu - Mae Usu Cave


Useful Information

Location: 15 km north of Amphoe Songyang and 95 km NNW of Mae Sot. Signposted from, Mae Sot. Mae Sariang Highway No. 1085 at Km. 95-96.
(17.304081, 98.155798)
Open: All year daily 8-17.
[2022]
Fee:  
Classification: SpeleologyKarst Cave
Light: LightIncandescent
Dimension: L=1,586 m, VR=41 m (plus 60 m + karst fenster), A=125 m asl.
Guided tours:  
Photography:  
Accessibility:  
Bibliography: John D Dunkley (1995): The Caves of Thailand, p 64
(2003): , Shepton Mallet Caving Club Jl Ser 11 (3) Spring 2003 pp 92, 94, survey and 6 colour photos.
Address: Tham Mae Usu, Mae U Su, Tha Song Yang District, Tak 63150, Tel: +66-5555-7190.
TAT Office, Tak Province, Tel: +66-5551-4341-3.
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

ถ้ำแม่อุสุ (Tham Mae Usu) is the underground course of the Usu river, which flows through the karst tower from the western side to the easter. The resurgence ner the village Mae U Su is also the entrance for the cave tour. Quite typical for Thail show caves, it gets a little rough. It's necessary to walk some distance through the river to reach the ascent to the fossil part of the cave. That the reason why it is not possible to visit the cave during the rainy season. The cave has a parking lot and a barbecue area in front.

The show cave entrance is 20 m wide and 5 m high in one side of an impressive sinkhole. A large streamway can be followed to a wooden ladder leading up into impressive fossil chambers which eventually lead back down to the resurgence entrances. All the water in the cave is very warm, about 30 °C, and is probably the result of geothermal heating.


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