Exploring Luang Prabang
“After years of war and isolation, Southeast Asia’s most pristine environment, intact cultures and quite possibly the most chilled-out people on earth mean destination Laos is fast earning cult status among travellers. It is developing quickly but still has much of the tradition that has sadly disappeared elsewhere in the region. Village life is refreshingly simple and even in Vientiane it’s hard to believe this sort of languid riverfront life exists in a national capital. Then, of course, there is the historic royal city of Luang Prabang, where watching as hundreds of saffron-robed monks move silently among centuries-old monasteries is as romantic a scene as you’ll experience anywhere in Asia…
Colour is the first of Luang Prabang’s virtues to greet travellers. Pearly frangipanis with their heady perfume, banks of overgrown trees peppered with scarlet flowers, the burnt sienna robes of hundreds of monks and their novices, and resplendent gold and claret wats. The brew of gleaming temple roofs, crumbling French provincial architecture and multi-ethnic inhabitants captivates even the most jaded travellers, and the quiet benevolence of the city’s residents lulls them into a somnambulant bliss.” – Lonely Planet
My journey in Laos began in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Luang Prabang, a tranquil city located in the north at the confluence of the Nam Khan River and the Mekong River. With a staggering amount of sites to be visited and scenery to be photographed I spent a long time before my arrival trying to create an itinerary that would allow me to cover this enchanting place, however I had not taken into consideration just how relaxing this place is so had to add in an extra few days simply to adjust to this slow paced country!
My first day out was to Tat Kuang Si, a three tier waterfall located roughly 30 kilometres south of Luang Prabang. Surrounded by lush forest, the falls begin in shallow pools atop a steep hillside, these then lead on to the main fall which has a 50m cascade. The water from the main falls then flows into beautiful turquoise coloured pools which make the whole site a truly spectacular place to visit.
After a day of such beautiful natural landscapes it was time to visit some of the temples located within the city, namely Wat Xieng Thong, Wat Ho Pha Bang and Wat Pahouak. Located near the northern tip of the peninsula is Luang Prabang’s most magnificent temple, Wat Xieng Thong. The complex is one of the most important Lao monasteries and remains a significant monument to the spirit of religion, royalty and traditional style of a fascinating city. There are over twenty structures on the grounds including shrines, pavilions and residences, and so I spent many hours here trying to capture this amazing place both inside and out!
Wat Ho Pha Bang, which translates as the Royal or Palace Chapel, is located at the north-eastern corner of the grounds of the Royal Palace Museum. It is a relatively new structure built in traditional style and is used as a permanent shrine for the Pha Bang, Luang Prabang’s most sacred image. Sadly I didn’t get a chance to go inside the temple as it was closing but I did manage to get a few shots of the exterior.
Wat Pahouak, although only very small and largely unnoticed by many visitors, has some amazing murals dating from 1860 AD covering the interior; the paintings are remarkably well-preserved when you consider the heat and humidity they endure. Built in the nineteenth century, Wat Pahouak is a wonderful Buddhist temple that gives the strong impression that it has been around for much longer.
With some temples photographed I felt the need to get back into the surrounding landscape and so I booked myself onto a half day tour to visit the Pak Ou Caves, getting there by sailing down the Mekong River on a small boat. Riverside life has always fascinated me and the journey to the caves was not disappointing, we even managed to make a small stop at one of the villages along the way which was an added bonus.
The caves themselves are split into two, the Tham Ting or lower cave, and the Tham Theung or upper cave. Sadly I only had an hour to spend here, although when I booked the tour the timings were somewhat different, and so I focused my attention on the lower cave. It is said that people have been climbing into the Pak Ou caves for a couple of thousand years, the caves were initially used for the worship of river spirits until Buddhism spread into Laos, and gradually over countless years more than 4,000 Buddha images, mostly the standing Buddha of the Luang Prabang style, have been placed within them.
My evenings in Luang Prabang were spent by finding a new place to watch the sun go down over the majestic Mekong River, and it seems it was not only me but everyone who was visiting at the time who also did this. Surrounded by the tranquillity that this city oozes, watching the sunsets here was a magical experience and luckily for me each evening rewarded the onlooker with fabulous colours that seemed to last much longer than anywhere else I have been on this trip so far.
Sadly it was time to move on as Laos has so many amazing places to see, and in stark contrast to this sleepy city my next destination was to be the backpacker mecca of Vang Vieng.