snapshots: luang prabang

9th - 17th January 2012


Luang Prabang, Laos

Arrived in Luang Prabang on the evening of the 9th. The city was designated a world heritage sight in 1995 by UNESCO and as a result accommodation is fairly expensive in comparison to the rest of Laos and Thailand but still ridiculously cheap compared to Europe. Superb value for money though because this room cost me about £6!

If the accommodation was expensive then eating was most certainly the opposite. Every night I would go to the night market where for 10,000 kip (12,000 kip to the pound) you were given a plate and faced with a large spread of platters each containing piles of delicious noodles, rice and fried vegetables. The only limitation was how much food you could pile onto your plate as it was a one serving affair. Needless to say I had an Everest sitting on my plate every evening. Communal tables with benches were available to eat on where I got chatting to a few other travelers.

Sisavang Vong Road. The central high street which cuts through the middle of town. Luang Prabang itself sits on a peninsula of land and it's tip marks the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers.

The Laos version of the famous tuk tuk.

Climbing up Phou Si; the sacred hill of Luang Prabang which rests in the center of the peninsula. The black headed serpent snake is called a naga. A striking image prevalent in Buddhism and Hinduism.

The top of Phou Si presented some truly dazzling views of the green mountains which surround Luang Prabang. A late afternoon sun raged on the horizon bouncing light off the rippling currents that raced past in the Mekong.

Along the main high street rests the Royal Palace which is now home to the city museum. It was constructed in 1904 by the French whose influence can be seen throughout the country as Laos was a French colony for the first half of the 20th century.

Niall, Me and Amy.  I first met this Irish couple in Jodphur, India and unbelievably I bumped into them again in a local cafe. This is us at the bowling alley.....At11pm all the bars close in Luang Prabang at which point everyone goes bowling! Obviously.

Caught some monks going for a dip in the Nam Khan on one of my walks.

Wat Xiang Thong under development. Nicknamed the 'Golden City Monastery' it was built in 1560 and is famous for it's elegant curving roof which according to the rough guide is compared by locals  to a mothering hen sheltering her brood.

A local builder having a break from repairing the Wat Xiang Thong. Nifty hat.

Due to the French connection, Laos snacks come in the form of crunchy baguettes filled with ham, bacon and chicken. This woman became my regular as she made a darn good sandwich.

In another coincidental meeting, bumped into Karen and Hayley who I met in Chiang Mai at the local food market one evening. They said they were going to check out some waterfalls the following day and so we met at noon to go visit the Kouang Si waterfalls together.

The idyllic crystal clear pool of Kouang Si.

It was possible to jump off the waterfall into the ice cold refreshing waters which were so clear they didn't look real. A rope swing also sent people hurtling into its clear depths.

Karen, Me and Hayley.

On the final day with  the girls went for a bike ride around town, heading first over the river where we cycled along dusty paths through small local villages. Also got this cool shot of a monk, protected from the sun's savage stroke by a big umbrella. A surreal twist on it's associated function back in England.

Ending the cycle ride down by a small beach which rested on the shores of the Mekong.

A slow boat heading off up the Mekong under a later afternoon sun.