The cliff faces remain scarred by bomb fragments, some of which found their way into cave openings and caused carnage. Rock falls were the biggest danger. Once a class of several dozen school children was killed, Phimmavong said. Another time, a colleague was crushed in the bed next to his. King Savang Vatthana died in one.
Some caves appear untouched since the war.
In one that served as a hospital, bloody bandages lie strewn about. Others are being cleaned up for public display. Intense renovation has gone into the relatively luxurious complexes that housed the main Pathet Lao leaders. Those caves feature sleeping quarters, offices, air-tight chambers to wait out gas attacks, and private toilets. Officially, the caves have been accessible to the public for some time.