Luang Prabang was the most peaceful city either of us have ever been to. Nestled on a peninsular at the junction of the Mekong and the Nam Khan rivers, it is not a particularly large city but it certainly is charming. The sounds of monastic chimes are carried on a gentle breeze which pervades through boutique shops, cafes, art galleries and quaint – but expensive – guest houses. The nightly market has a technicolour plethora of scarves, rugs, bags and purses; and you’re not beseeched to buy anything if you don’t want to. Chiffron-clad monks are omnipresent, and smile beatifically as they stroll past picturesque colonial French buildings.
On the first day we visited a nearby waterfall, forget the name now, but it was a 30k tuk-tuk ride outside of town. the journey gave us a chance to take in some of the countryside. The people here live much more pastoral, or traditional, lives than in Thailand. They live in wooden shacks with thatched rooves; chickens, buffalo and goats roam freely, often with their young in tow; firewood is piled up on the roadside; and verdant rice paddies stretch as far as the base of the gigantic mountains in the background.
The waterfall itself was amazing. We trekked to the very top, climbing an almost vertical cliff face, to be rewarded with a magnificent view. At each level there was a sparkling azure lagoon that you could swim in – we’d never seen water so blue, it was as if we were at a water park!
So becalmed were we by the whole Luang Prabang experience that we decided to have an hour-long Laos massage. It was very therapeutic and we came out feeling even more relaxed, had a cup of tea, and went to bed.
Aaah Luang Prabang
We arose at 5am for the journey to Vang Vieng. It was undoubtedly our worst journey yet, involving a 7-hour public bus journey along treacherously winding mountain roads. It was OK when we were high in the mountains, looking down on valleys enveigled in the morning mist; but when we descended into the mist things became a little…uncertain (Amy was in tears!). We passed another bus that had broken down and inherited its passengers (they were given little stools to sit on in the aisles!). They included a bag of live chickens and, of course, a screaming baby (well, what nightmareish journey would be complete without one!?) and without the air-con we were promised, it made for a sweaty ride.