Laos — Tour from Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ), Laos — Summary
A great way to see the local countryside and nearby attractions
My first day tour in Laos was great and a full-day tour.
The taxi picked me up from the hotel at 8 am, and I returned at 4:45 pm, tired, hot, thirsty, and exhausted from a fantastic day out.
The tour included:
- Tham Ting (Tam Ting)/Pak Ou (Pak Ou; ถ้ำติ่ง) Caves
- Ban Xanghai (ບ້ານຊຽງຮາຍ): Liquor & Silk Village
- Kuang Si Waterfall (ນ້ຳຕົກຕາດ ກວາງຊີ)
- Bear Rescue Centre
- Kuang Si Butterfly Park
And it was great.
Tham Ting (Tam Ting)/Pak Ou (Pak Ou; ถ้ำติ่ง) Caves
The first stop was the Tham Ting (Tam Ting)/Pak Ou (Pak Ou; ถ้ำติ่ง) Caves.
The taxi took me from Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ/ຫຼວງພະບາງ) to Ban Pak Ou (ບ້ານປາກອູ) a fishing village on the Mekong River. From there, I caught a boat across the river to the caves.
The caves were divided into the lower cave and the upper cave.
Of the two caves, the upper one is of more interest.
The caves are worth visiting as they provide an insight into the local religion and customs. However, if you don’t like water, you may find the trip across the Mekong and getting in and out of the boats a problem. Also, the path between the caves is a bit steep.
If you visit the caves, try to get some time to sit in the upper cave with your torch turned off, as it is a great experience.
Ban Xanghai (ບ້ານຊຽງຮາຍ): Liquor & Silk Village
The second stop was Ban Xanghai: Liquor & Silk Village.
The amount of local wildlife crammed into bottles of the local whisky was alarming.
Walking around the village, seeing and learning about how they make Lao Whisky was interesting.
But, I found silk production most interesting. The level of craftsmanship was impressive.
The visit to the village was fascinating.
If you visit, follow my taxi driver’s advice — “the whisky is very strong, so only one glass at breakfast and 2 in the evening".
Kuang Si Waterfall (ນ້ຳຕົກຕາດ ກວາງຊີ)
The Kuang Si Waterfall was the highlight of the tour. The falls were beautiful.
The falls are split into two parts — the lower and upper pools — and make sure you visit both.
The lower pools are stunning and popular.
And the upper pools are a bit of a hike, don’t have as many visitors, and are more impressive than the lower pools.
I enjoyed every minute I spent at the falls. The scenery and the sound of the falls and the jungle were incredible.
Well worth a visit.
Bear Rescue Centre
The visit to the Bear Rescue Centre was sad and also uplifting.
Considering what the bears had experienced to get to the centre was sad. The cruelty at the hands of humans. But it was also encouraging to see that people cared and this work was being done.
My visit was very educational, and I am glad I went.
Kuang Si Butterfly Park
My last stop of the day was the Kuang Si Butterfly Park.
The park had beautiful waterfalls.
And the butterflies were stunning.
Again, another place worth visiting and exploring.
Summary
Hiring a taxi for a day (with the help from the people at my hotel — Le Bel Air Resort) was worth the expense, and the places they suggested I visit were a great choice. We were out for about 9 hours, which was 9 hours well spent.
For me, the highlight of the tour was the Kuang Si Waterfall (ນ້ຳຕົກຕາດ ກວາງຊີ) as I found them to be breathtakingly beautiful, and I enjoyed wading through the pools in the upper section.
Two warnings, be careful on the trails at the falls as they are not well maintained and can be a bit tricky. Second, be prepared to be bounced around in the back of the taxi. The side roads to the places I visited were far from smooth, and my back was quite painful when I returned in the late afternoon.
