Luang Prabang, Laos

Luang Prabang is a beautiful Paradise in the hills of northern Laos and is the absolute highlight of our trip. This is mainly because we’ve been lucky enough to meet up with Prue and Warwick and share some incredible experiences with these intrepid travelers, they are an ispiration and so much fun to travel with. The kids are always excited to be with their grandparents but to be in Laos together is very special indeed. It’s also because this place is magic.

Luang Prabang is a UNESCO world heritage city that has been inhabited since 8,000BC. The scenery is magnificent with layers and layers of jungle clad mountains gently rolling down to meet the Mekong River, where Luang Prabang sits at the convergence of two rivers. The surrounding hills are dotted with golden temples, the air is fresh and clean and the Laos people are very calm, gentle and spiritual, and have a wicked sense of humor. I really hope to come back here.

The first day we arrived was a huge festival day for the town so we were lucky enough to see the parade of dragon fire boats. 44 local villages make the boats, parade them down the main drag of Luang Prabang at night and then launch them into the River to be judged. It was hectic in town but we all joined the buzz.

During our days we packed in as many activities exploring the wonderland as we had time for in a week. We spent a day cruising up the river in a long boat, taking in the river life of the locals, stopping at sacred caves, eating another best lunch ever and watching local weavers making scarves and rugs. The next day we went out to the Kuang Si waterfall to swim in clear, cool torquise water in the natural and beautiful terraced pools below the falls. As we walked up to the falls we passed through Free the Bears Sanctuary where they provide a safe home and rehabilitation for the Moon bears that are rescued from poachers who capture the bears in order to extract their bile for medicine. Our lunch this day was truly at the most beautiful restaurant we had ever been, sitting on a deck in a tropical garden with the waterfalls flowing underneath and all around us. We tried frogs legs for the first time but were not keen, will stick to the traditional Laos cuisine for now on. There is a lot of French cuisine here as Laos was colonized by the French and there are still beautiful bakeries and pasteries everywhere we go.

Yesterday we walked with Elephants and I am a different person today after this experience. I’m going to write a separate entry about the Elephant encounter.Read more