Luang Prabang, located in north-central Laos, is a city
steeped in history and spiritual charm. Its name means "Great Holy
Image" and it served as the ancient capital of Laos. In 1995, its old town
center was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city is named after the
revered Buddha statue Prabang, a gift from Cambodia, now housed in the
Royal Palace Museum.
Arrival
in Luang Prabang
After a long journey from Vientiane, Laos’ capital,
I finally reached my guesthouse at 9:30 PM, greeted by the thumping beats of Gangnam
Style blaring from the reception area. The friendly receptionist, as I
would discover, was quite a fan and played it constantly during my two-night
stay!
Day
1: Coughs, Temples, and a Waterfall Adventure
Missed
Traditions, But Not the Charm
Unfortunately, I woke up too late to witness Luang
Prabang’s iconic alms-giving ceremony, which takes place daily at around 6:00
AM. Every morning, monks in bright orange robes walk in a silent procession,
accepting food offerings from both locals and tourists. An important Buddhist
tradition, I hope to catch next time.
After a simple yet satisfying breakfast of freshly cooked
omelette, banana, baguette, and tea, I set off in search of a pharmacy. Days of
walking under the scorching sun had taken their toll, leaving me with a
persistent cough.
In
Search of Medicine... and Serendipity
The pharmacy recommended by the receptionist was closed, so
I wandered leisurely down a nearby street lined with traditional timber houses
and colonial mansions, an unmistakable reminder of Luang Prabang’s French
heritage. Eventually, I found a small pharmacy, and thanks to some charades, a
friendly pharmacist handed me a box of Bisolvon.
On the way back to the guesthouse for my scheduled
waterfall tour, I managed to visit two nearby temples:
·
Wat Manorom (founded
in 1372) houses a massive bronze Buddha that was destroyed in 1887,
painstakingly reconstructed, and restored again in 1971 with gold leaf-covered
prosthetics.
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| The gate of Wat Manorom. The shot was taken from the compound. |
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| Wat Manorom in Luang Prabang, Laos. |
·
Wat Ho Xiang, or “Lottery Pavilion,” built in 1705, features naga-decorated
stairways and dramatic wall paintings depicting scenes of hell. (I came to visit this temple from the backside).
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| Gate of Wat Ho Xiang in Luang Prabang, Laos |
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| Inside the compound of Wat Ho Xiang in Luang Prabang, Laos |
Tour
Mix-Up and a Lucky Break
A hiccup in my itinerary occurred when the receptionist
forgot to book my morning tour to Kuang Si Falls. Thankfully, another staff
member found a spot for me in the afternoon group. Although I lost four hours
waiting, I was still grateful for the chance to see one of Luang Prabang’s most
stunning natural attractions.
Kuang
Si Falls and Water Festival Fun
At 1:30 PM, I joined three fellow travelers in a songthaew
(a covered pickup truck) for the 29-kilometer, 50-minute ride to Kuang Si
Falls. It was the first day of Pi Mai Lao (Lao New Year), and just like in
Chiang Mai, Thailand, the city was celebrating with a joyous water festival. We
were repeatedly doused with water by revelers on the roadside. One group even
caught me off guard with buckets of water through the window!
The other
passengers at the back had a good laugh seeing both me and the driver finally
drenched in water. They’ve been hit by water from the time we started the ride
because songthaew’s back is an open window.
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| On the way to Kuang Si Falls - water guns vs. buckets of water. |
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| Lao happily throwing water on us. |
Entrance to the falls is 20,000 kip, and it’s open daily
from 8 AM to 5:30 PM. The forested path to the falls also features a Bear
Sanctuary, home to rescued black bears housed in spacious enclosures.
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| Walking through the forest to see Kuang Si Falls. |
The area around the falls is shady and peaceful, with changing huts, picnic benches, and plenty of families enjoying the water.
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| Multi-level falls of Kuang Si. |
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| Me in Kuang Si Falls. |
One group caught my attention while I was walking around, admiring the beautiful scenery and the sound of cascading water. It was a group of teenage boys, about twelve or more, singing enthusiastically, drawing a small crowd. After shyly clapping along, I eventually joined their group for photos after having a lighthearted conversation with one of the boys, who was busy videoing the group.
He could speak a little English and understood what I was saying.
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| With a group of Lao teens at Kuang Si Falls. |
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With her Lao little brother.
|
An
Unfinished Climb and a New Friendship
I attempted to hike to the top of the falls but turned back
halfway. It was too steep and slippery to risk alone. On the way down, I bumped
into the group that was driving in front of us on the way to the waterfall. One
of them invited me to join their water fights, but I had to return to the
parking lot by 5 PM.
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| Kuang Si Falls, Laos. |
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| Kuang Si Falls, Laos |
Before exiting, I took more photos of the bears and bought
a souvenir shirt from the sanctuary shop. While waiting for our final
passenger, I chatted with our driver and browsed the local food and clothing
stalls.
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| Kuang Si Bear Rescue Centre in Laos. |
I was the first one to reach the
parking lot, and after five minutes, the couple arrived, but the last passenger came
back 30 minutes later, so while waiting for him, I checked the stalls of clothes
and food in front of the entrance of the falls and talked to our driver.
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| Lao handicrafts stalls in front of Kaung Si Falls. |
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| Food stalls in front of Kuang Si Falls |
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| Clothes and bags for sale in front of Kuang Si Falls. |
I met the boy from the singing group with whom I spoke at the parking lot, and he asked for my
Facebook. We’ve since become good friends, chatting regularly to help him
practice English. Four months later, we even met again!
Sunset
and Serenity on Phou Si Hill
Back in town just before sunset, I hurried toward Phou Si
Hill, located conveniently near my guesthouse. I had to climb the 358 steps to
the summit for panoramic views of the city. Midway, I paid 20,000 kip at the
ticket booth and caught my breath.
Haw
Kham, or the Royal Palace is just across the Phou
Si. As it was already evening, the palace was already closed for visitors, but I
still got a glimpse of it across Phou Si.
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| The Wat Ho Pha Bang at the grounds of the Royal Palace in Luang Prabang, Laos. |
The palace was converted into a museum
after the monarchy was overthrown by the communists in 1975. It was built as a
residence for King Sisavang Vong and his family during the French era in 1904, and the last to occupy it was the King’s son, Crown Prince Savang Vatthana, and
his family. There’s a temple inside the palace grounds called Wat Ho Pha Bang
that I’ve seen from the place I was at across the street. This temple houses
the sacred Buddha statue Prabang.
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| Steep steps at Phou Si in Luang Prabang, Laos |
After
another uphill climb, I paused at a temple called Wat Than Phou Si, where a few
people were quietly praying. On my way up, I crossed paths with many people
heading down, suggesting the summit had been quite crowded at sunset. I’m
pretty sure it must have been difficult for them to capture a good photo of the
view.
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| That Chom Si - the stupa at the top of Phou Si, Luang Prabang, Laos |
On the summit stands That Chom Si, a lit golden stupa. I
was alone with two monks, quietly absorbing the peaceful views. By the time I
descended, the sky was dark. I had to take the same route back since the
alternate path was unlit.
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| Downtown lights as seen from the top of Phou Si. |
It was pitch
dark, and I felt as if I were walking with my eyes closed. To make it more
challenging, the steps were steep. A young monk saw me struggling and
silently walked a few steps behind me, lighting the way with his flashlight
until I reached the bottom safely. A silent act of kindness I won’t forget.
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| The steep steps were unlit at night. Wandering Raine's shadow in the picture :) |
Night
Market and a Vegetarian Buffet
The street at the foot of Phou Si, by the time I got down, was transformed into a bustling night market. Vehicles were banned, and pedestrians roamed
freely, browsing colorful handicrafts, paintings, and food stalls.
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| Night Market in Luang Prabang, Laos |
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| Night Market at Luang Prabang, Laos |
Near the end of the street, I discovered, after an hour of walking through the market and finishing my banana share, a popular vegetarian buffet for just 10,000 kip. I loaded my plate with an assortment of flavorful, spicy dishes and joined others sitting along the roadside. Despite needing a full bottle of water to tame the heat, the food was delicious!
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| Vegetarian Buffet for 10,000 kips at the night market in Luang Prabang, Laos |
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| My plate of vegetarian food - Night Market, Luang Prabang, Laos |
Late-Night
Temple Visits and Mekong Wandering
Still energized, I wandered through the quiet streets,
passing temples like Wat Choumkhong and Wat Xieng Muan. I strolled along the Mekong
River, noticing stalls selling snake wine, before returning to the guesthouse
past Wat Phra Mahathat and Wat Ho Xiang, which I visited the next morning.
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| The stupa at the top of Phou Si. |
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| Restaurants along the Mekong River, Luang Prabang, Laos |
Wat Phra Mahathat, built in 1548, holds the ashes of two notable Lao princes. Its entrance is guarded by silver-colored naga statues. Beautiful even by moonlight.
Day
2: River Crossing and Sacred Cave
I hired the same songthaew
driver from yesterday for a half-day tour and a ride to the airport. When he
told me to meet him at 8:30 AM on the street behind the house, I assumed it was
to keep the arrangement hidden from the guesthouse.
But when I came downstairs
for breakfast, I realized the front of the guesthouse had transformed into a
bustling market that stretched along the street. That’s when it hit me. It’s
Lao New Year.
The driver picked me up on foot because he couldn’t find a parking space at the agreed meeting place. After an
hour's drive through the lush countryside, he led me to the river crossing for
the Pak Ou Caves. I paid for a round-trip boat ride across the Mekong River.
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| Riding a songthaew (passenger vehicle in Laos and Thailand adapted from a pickup or a larger truck and used as a share taxi or bus). |
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| Closer photo of a boat on the Mekong River. |
Pak
Ou Caves: Where Buddhas Reside
The lower cave, Tham Ting, is easy to explore. The upper
cave, Tham Theung, requires climbing 250 steep steps and a flashlight to see
inside. I followed a group with a flashlight and admired over 4,000 Buddha
statues, mostly wooden and damaged, left there because throwing away a Buddha
image is considered disrespectful.
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The lower cave is called Tham Ting.
|
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| Some of the Buddha statues at the lower cave Tham Ting in Pak Ou. |
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| My silhouette at Pak Ou Caves |
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| Inside the upper cave called Tham Theung. |
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| Steep steps from Tham Theung going down to the Mekong River. |
Crossing the river back, I joined a group of shy locals who
smiled warmly at me.
As I was
struggling to climb up the embankment to a village known as Whisky Village, a
shy Lao man took pity on me and offered a helping hand, pulling me up when he
saw I was alone and having a hard time.
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| View of the river from the cave. |
I rested at a small restaurant before walking around the
village. There wasn’t
much to see in the village. It’s a small place with just a few stalls selling
whisky infused with snakes and scorpions, and handwoven scarves made by local
women.
According to
the driver, drinking the whisky is said to boost your strength and courage.
Luang Prabang has an atmosphere like no other. It’s spiritual,
slow-paced, and filled with small, unforgettable moments of kindness and
wonder. From water fights to mountain-top stupas, silent monks to singing
teenagers, this city has a soul that stays with you long after you leave.
It was a short stay in this peaceful town, but the memories
I made here are etched forever.
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