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Published: February 26th 2024
After an overnight in Bangkok to catch the flight, I headed to Luang Prabang in Laos.
Many travelers use the slow boat from Chiang Mai to Laos, but I asked some friends who had done that 27 hour journey and they said the scenery gets similar after some time. So I decided to save time and fly to Luang Prabang.
In Laos, I was doing only Luang Prabang and not exploring multiple places in the country. Partly because the other parts of the country had felt like rural India to me and the landscapes familiar, so I wanted to visit the place that seemed most unique to me.
Luang Prabang (means Royal Buddha Image), on the banks of the Mekong river is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
After arriving, I took a sunset cruise on the Mekong river. Originating in the Tibetan plateaus and finally meeting the sea in South China Sea, Mekong is a mystical river and means the Mother of Water. This river supports livelihoods all along including in the fertile Mekong delta in Vietnam.
Cruising on it, I could not help but wonder how we continue to pollute our water bodies (plastic bottles
Mekong River
She is the Mother of Waterfloating on the Mekong was not uncommon).
Next day, I headed to the Kuang Si waterfall, a popular destination about 30KM from Luang Prabang. Waterfalls which have limestone give this emerald green color, like Semuc Champey in Guatemala or Erawan Waterfall in Thailand and Kuang Si was the perfect example of that.
After a short hike up, I took a dip in the cool and refreshing waters. On the way down, the pools are lot more crowded, it's best to go early morning if you can.
Next day, I explored the Luang Prabang town and the night market. I also visited a Buddhist temple nearby and was fortunate to witness the chanting and prayers that evening, a serene experience. Buddhism seems deeply ingrained into people's lives, not just as any ritualistic belief but as a way of life.
I made some friends during my Kuang Si trip and had a great time hanging out with them and exchanging travel and life stories.
Laos, continues to remind me of India a lot (landscape wise), but also seems unique. A landlocked country which unfortunately is the most bombed country of the world (approximately 2 Million Tonnes of
Kuang Si Waterfall
Pools of Kuang Si Waterfall bombs were dropped here during Vietnam War), the resilience of the country and the people amazed me. Despite whatever hardships life may bring, the locals I spoke with had a smile on their face and almost a sense of "we can overcome anything" attitude in life. That is an attitude I have observed in India and I was inspired by that.
Laos will be back on my travel list for another time to explore more of the country, but for now, it's time to head out.
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