After an early start from Vang Vieng in two private minivans, we took the long and winding road through the mountains to Luang Prabang. A journey of around six hours, it took in some of the most incredible scenery yet in Laos as we passed through lush, green mountains covered in trees and draped in early morning cloud, a remnant from the previous night's thunderstorm. We stopped en route to take photos and gaze at the view before continuing on our way past sleepy little villages consisting of little more than a few bamboo houses perched at the side of the road or that hung precariously off the side of a slope, many looking like they'd blow over in a strong wind. Children, dogs, chickens and kittens played in the dust, a copper-coloured dust that seemed to permeate everything including the inside of the minivan.
The roads were riddled with potholes and uneven tarmac. In many stretches, the road was reduced to little more than rubble and dirt-tracks as the driver manoeuvred his way around steep inclines and hairpin bends, dodging lorries, motorcycles and road-fixing trucks coming in the opposite direction. It was a bumpy ride but one that was also quite exhilarating.
After a few stops along the way, we arrived in Luang Prabang in the early afternoon and were immediately struck with the place. Before the separate kingdoms of Laos were unified, Luang Prabang was a kingdom in its own right. Also, as part of French Indochina it has retained its colonial past both in its beautiful architecture and street layouts and in the many French-style bakeries in the town. Nowadays Luang Prabang is also an UNESCO World Heritage site.
We wandered into town eager to make the most of the rest of the day by exploring. The night market was just setting up. A whole street was closed off and lined with stalls selling local handicrafts like bags, jewellery, scarves, paintings, t-shirts and wooden carved souvenirs. As markets go, it was one of the best we had seen so far on our trip. Dinner that night was also one of the highlights of the trip.
In an alleyway off to one side of the market was a fascinating and intoxicating mix of food stalls selling stews and curries in large metal bowls, barbecued meat and fish on skewers, packets of curious looking dried foods and baked goods and, at the end, a couple of makeshift restaurants where for 10,000KIP or around 80p you could get a plateful of freshly-prepared Laos food. Various rice, noodle and vegetables dishes as well as spring rolls and pasta, we couldn't believe our eyes. The place was packed with other travellers eager to sample the food and keen to bag a bargain. We piled our plates high and struggled to finish it all.
After taking in the atmosphere and enjoying a leisurely stroll back to the hotel, I headed to bed as I had an early start next day.
Next day I was awake before 5am to go and see the traditional dawn ceremony that takes place in many of South-East Asia's mainly Buddhist countries, the monks receiving morning alms. We stood and watched as saffron-robed monks from each of the town's Wats filed barefoot and silent past local townspeople receiving offerings of sticky rice into the metal containers concealed beneath their robes. This food would later form the basis of their only meal of the day. As the final line of monks filed past us to return to the temple, we wandered down to the river and watched the town come to life as food stalls and street sellers set up their stalls for the day. After coffee and bagels at a Western style coffee house we headed back to the hotel to get ready for that morning's excursion.
We were headed by songthaew to the Kuang Si waterfall and bear sanctuary, forty or so minutes outside Luang Prabang. After a short walk to the waterfall, the more energetic took a longer hike to the top of the waterfall while the less energetic wandered downstream to the swimming spot to cool off against a charming, picturesque backdrop. As we left the waterfall we headed to the bear sanctuary within the park to see endangered Asaiatic Black Bears that had been rescued from poachers. While it was heartening to see the charity operating in Laos, it was still sad to see them behind cages in captivity.
That afternoon, on another baking hot day, I took a walk into town to the National Museum and Royal Palace. Until 1975 when the monarchy was overthrown by communists, Haw Kham was the royal residence for King Sisavang Vong. Rooms were laid out as they would have been during his reign with an impressive collection of Buddhist statues behind glass cases in the main hall. Dinner that night, on our last night in Luang Prabang, was a return visit to the food market then it was back to the night market to pick up more gifts for family and friends back home.
Despite having spent such a short amount of time there, Luang Prabang and the Laos people had made an indelible impression on me. Such beautiful faces, a mixture of Thai and Chinese ethnicity, endearing kindly faces, that formed into instant smiles whenever you smiled at them or greeted them with 'sabaidee'. Laos bewitched me with its beautiful people and its amazing scenery. As we left Luang Prabang the next day, we passed through more beautiful tree-lined avenues of colonial-style buildings housing boutique hotels and fancy restaurants. It feels like a town and a country that is on the way up. If ever you're in South East Asia I would urge you to visit Laos, Luang Prabang in particular.
Early next morning we caught another songthaew to take us and our bags down to the river to catch a slow boat that for the next two days would be our home as we sailed down the Mekong to the Thai border. Sadly our time in Laos was almost over...