EuroSpeleo 2016

Kayah- the new caving frontier in South-East Asia

Oral|Dr Joerg Dreybrodt

Abstract

The Kayah State is located on the remote southern edge of the Shan limestone plateau in Myanmar. Here several karst ridges merge and valleys of 1000 m depth are formed by the Salween River and tributaries. After more than 60 years of civil unrest, the state could be visited for the first time by a speleological expedition with a special permission. A variety of tower karst landscapes hosting several large river caves are confirmed. Three of the five longest caves of Myanmar are documented from 2015-2016, with Red River Cave the 2nd longest with 3.8 km length. The state possesses also a rich tribal culture like the famous Long neck women and caves used as burial sites with coffins. Therefore it is interesting as destination for karst-related eco-tourism. The session gives an overview of the karst areas, major cave systems and concludes with an outlook and challenges faced for further exploration.