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| @ Luang Prabang |
"The traveler sees what he sees; the tourist sees what he has come to see."
- Gilbert K. Chesterton -
It is not difficult for charming
personalities of Luang Prabang to secure its place in some traveler hearts. Tranquil
atmosphere, fresh mountain air, beautiful Laos’s traditional wooden houses,
French colonial architecture, and an easy lifestyle spell their magic for young
and mature explorers around the globe.
What make Luang Prabang a pleasant city to
visit? Different minds, different answers. :)
I spend my life in a megacity like Bangkok.
High rise buildings, traffic congestion, rush hours, complex situations are
normal scenes. At some point, I think I just needed a good break to leave my town
and appreciate places that I have never been. Sometimes, I want to do like most
tourists would do, see what I have come to see. And here they are.
DAY 1: Sunset at Phou Si Hill
With 328 steps and height of 100 meters, you
will get a stunning view of the entire city and the two rivers from the top of
Phou Si Hill. The main entrance is on Sisavangvong Road, opposite the Royal
Palace Museum. I bought a bunch of marigold to worship the Chomsi Stupa and
make a wish for blessings. On the way back, we went down to Phou Si Road using the
back steps which offered several resting spots.
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| The Royal Palace Museum |
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| Phou Si Hill |
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Watching sunset from Phou Si Hill was a peaceful moment.
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DAY 2: The Buddhist Alms Giving Ceremony
and Visiting Temples
An iconic image of Luang Prabang is the alms giving
ceremony in early morning. Five o’clock was the time we supposed to get up in
order to join this genuine religious tradition. Once we got the main street, we
bought our offerings consisting of a basket of sticky rice, bananas, and snacks
from the local people before the alms giving started. Around 200 Buddhist monks
would leave their temples and walk silently in a single row to gather their
daily meal. Villagers and tourists would kneel down to get ready to give their
offerings to the monks, and you could make a wish at the end of your offerings.
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| The Alms Giving Ceremony in the Morning |
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| Well Preserved Temples in Luang Prabang |
DAY 3: Day Trip to Waterfalls and
Hmong Village
We hired a tuk tuk taxi for our day trip to
three places. First, we got on a river boat to Tad Sae Waterfall which there
are many interesting things to discover such as the beautiful stepped waterfall,
nature trails, elephant rides, and kayaking.
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| Tad Sae Waterfall |
Second, we went to Kwang Si Waterfall which
would take around 45 minutes from the city. This waterfall is extremely picturesque.
I was very impressed by the turquoise water and multi-tiered falls. It’s also a
good idea to escape the heat by swimming and diving in the pools along the
cascade. In the same area of the falls, there is the Asiatic Black Bear Rescue
Center where I bought a t-shirt and donate some money to support.
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| Kwang Si Waterfall |
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| Turquoise Pools |
Last, our driver dropped us to visit Hmong
Village where they produce handicraft souvenir and textile for tourists to
purchase. Children in the village are so lovely and friendly. Some of them
speak English pretty well. I smiled to see their innocent nature.
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| Hmong Village |
DAY 4: Boat Trip to Pak Ou Cave
Pak Ou cave or the famous Buddha cave is the
limestone cliff above the Mekong River that keeps hundreds of Buddha statues
for centuries. From Luang Prabang, it took about 2 hours upstream. Beautiful
scenery, white clouds, and fresh air from the river made me feel wonderful. Halfway
to the cave, we stopped at Whiskey Village where they make the local rice
spirit. Some shops would put snake, scorpion, and other animals inside the
bottom to make a stronger whiskey for vitality.
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| Boat Trip |
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| The Mekong River |
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| Whiskey Village |
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| Pak ou Cave |
At the end of the day, sunset at the Mekong
riverbank was such a sensible time for me. I feel happy to be here. :)
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| Sunset at the Mekong Riverbank |
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| Night Market |
DAY 5: Joma Bekery
The last day of our trip, we went to have a
cup of coffee at Joma Bakery by bicycle, and visited Wat Visuonnarath Temple
and Wat Aham Temple before having a flight back to Bangkok.
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| Chill Out Day |
This trip was ended with endless wonderful
memories. ♥
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| The Khan River |
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