I would like to just take some time to touch on the few things we did outside of Luang Prabang and to share my final thoughts and feelings of Laos.
We did the day trip like all other tourists to the Pak Ou Caves. They are famous for their thousands of small Buddha statues. Many of the statues are said to have been carved in the 16th century (I think it is more likely 19th, but who knows). The round trip boat ride which includes an unexciting stop at the Whiskey Village costs 65,000 Kip and entrance to the caves costs 20,000. The ride to the caves takes 2 hours and the ride back takes 1 hour. I share this information for those who are going to go. My recommendation is to skip them. I really can’t highlight how unimpressive these caves are. It takes 10 minutes to walk through the lower cave and 5 to walk through the upper cave. You would be better off doing an extra day trekking. I don’t understand why these caves are considered to be in the top ten things to see in Laos.
The other place we visited outside the city was Khuang Si Waterfall. The falls were beautiful and for those willing to make the steep climb up the side, there are calm pools right at the edge of the waterfall that make for a nice spot to swim. The 20,000 Kip you pay to get into the waterfall also covers the Bear Sanctuary. The sanctuary is a safe haven for Asian Black Bears. A stop here will give you more views of bear activity than any zoo.
On the way we had a few depressing and insightful experiences. That day Simon, Myles, Tim, and I joined Jagan and Aruna’s tour guide. The guide stopped at several small villages for us to see examples of the Hmong people’s homes. What was really upsetting was that each village was set up just to get tourists’ money. The little children were forced to dress up and ask people to buy their goods. We even saw one mother kick her little girl when she didn’t want to stand up and wear her headdress. We all walked away feeling uncomfortable. These villages are a great example of the ugly side of tourism- child extortion.
Our last day in Laos we stopped at the Ethnicity Museum. It gave a lot of information about the diverse groups of Laos. Some of the people migrated from Cambodia and many from China. An oversimplified way of classifying the people is by the elevation at which they live. The ancestors of those living at higher altitudes most likely migrated to the region later than others and thus had less accessibility to farmable land. Many of the tribes are famous for their handicrafts whether that be weaving, basket making, etc. The museum was small, but had a nice exhibit on the lives of Lao women. This room really made me stop and think about what daily life would be like for a woman in a rural village. There was a TV that was running interviews with different generations of Lao women. They spoke about child labor in the old days and their beliefs in the need for the woman to remain in doors for 1 month after the birth to avoid bad spirits. They talked about how childcare is nonexistent, so mothers have to carry their babies on their backs everywhere they go. I really respect the strength of these women and their ability to carry such a heavy load literally and metaphorically.
Laos has taken a spot in my heart next to Taiwan. It is a calm and laid back country with a strong and kind people. I never felt like someone was going to steal my purse or that someone was being aggressive towards me. The land is lush with rich foliage, rolling hills, and large rivers. There is so much space to explore and so much of it is untouched. So I must say goodbye to Laos with a heavy heart and prepare for the throngs of Cambodia. I suggest you come to Laos and absorb the way life use to be all over the world- man living with the land.
We did the day trip like all other tourists to the Pak Ou Caves. They are famous for their thousands of small Buddha statues. Many of the statues are said to have been carved in the 16th century (I think it is more likely 19th, but who knows). The round trip boat ride which includes an unexciting stop at the Whiskey Village costs 65,000 Kip and entrance to the caves costs 20,000. The ride to the caves takes 2 hours and the ride back takes 1 hour. I share this information for those who are going to go. My recommendation is to skip them. I really can’t highlight how unimpressive these caves are. It takes 10 minutes to walk through the lower cave and 5 to walk through the upper cave. You would be better off doing an extra day trekking. I don’t understand why these caves are considered to be in the top ten things to see in Laos.
The other place we visited outside the city was Khuang Si Waterfall. The falls were beautiful and for those willing to make the steep climb up the side, there are calm pools right at the edge of the waterfall that make for a nice spot to swim. The 20,000 Kip you pay to get into the waterfall also covers the Bear Sanctuary. The sanctuary is a safe haven for Asian Black Bears. A stop here will give you more views of bear activity than any zoo.
On the way we had a few depressing and insightful experiences. That day Simon, Myles, Tim, and I joined Jagan and Aruna’s tour guide. The guide stopped at several small villages for us to see examples of the Hmong people’s homes. What was really upsetting was that each village was set up just to get tourists’ money. The little children were forced to dress up and ask people to buy their goods. We even saw one mother kick her little girl when she didn’t want to stand up and wear her headdress. We all walked away feeling uncomfortable. These villages are a great example of the ugly side of tourism- child extortion.
Our last day in Laos we stopped at the Ethnicity Museum. It gave a lot of information about the diverse groups of Laos. Some of the people migrated from Cambodia and many from China. An oversimplified way of classifying the people is by the elevation at which they live. The ancestors of those living at higher altitudes most likely migrated to the region later than others and thus had less accessibility to farmable land. Many of the tribes are famous for their handicrafts whether that be weaving, basket making, etc. The museum was small, but had a nice exhibit on the lives of Lao women. This room really made me stop and think about what daily life would be like for a woman in a rural village. There was a TV that was running interviews with different generations of Lao women. They spoke about child labor in the old days and their beliefs in the need for the woman to remain in doors for 1 month after the birth to avoid bad spirits. They talked about how childcare is nonexistent, so mothers have to carry their babies on their backs everywhere they go. I really respect the strength of these women and their ability to carry such a heavy load literally and metaphorically.
Laos has taken a spot in my heart next to Taiwan. It is a calm and laid back country with a strong and kind people. I never felt like someone was going to steal my purse or that someone was being aggressive towards me. The land is lush with rich foliage, rolling hills, and large rivers. There is so much space to explore and so much of it is untouched. So I must say goodbye to Laos with a heavy heart and prepare for the throngs of Cambodia. I suggest you come to Laos and absorb the way life use to be all over the world- man living with the land.
