Luang Prabang, Laos

Giving alms to Buddist monks

I have just spent three wonderful days in Luang Prabang, Laos (in travel speak 4D/3N) and now I am wondering why I left.

It is a truly wonderful, peaceful, town that offers calmness I have hardly ever experienced in a tourist destination.

This trip was an unexpected detour which I hadn't actually planned when I set off to Hanoi but as number one daughter was passing through Laos and it seemed so tantalizingly near I got online to find Vietnamese Airways offering flights and in the blink of an eye I was winging my way from Vietnam to Luang Prabang in Laos when the day before I hadn't even heard of it.

I did have a slight visa issue because once I had left Vietnam I used up my single entry visa which, cleverly, I realized on the Thursday when I arrived. This meant a couple of trips to the Vietnamese Embassy in Luang Prabang and US$50 to that I could return to Hanoi and continue my original trip. The office is open from 7.30am-11.30am, closed for two hours and then open until 4.30pm, it is closed at the weekends and public holidays so I count myself clever to realise I needed to get the new visa in my passport before arriving at the airport on a Sunday. Could have been tricky...

But now I wish I hadn't been so clever and been made to stay in Laos longer - then I could still been there saying "Oh dear, I have to stay because I don't have a visa for Vietnam!"

Luang Prabang is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because it has such well preserved temples and was the chosen capital of King Sisavangvong and his family. Ho Kham is now the Royal Palace Museum. The main event happens at sunrise each morning as hundreds of monks dressed in orange, who all live in the well preserved temples, walk along the main street to collect alms. To see this sight means getting up very very early which I can smugly announce I did.

My room at Villa Santi Hotel and Spa was literally 20 steps away from where the procession walks by. Did I say how early I got up - 5.30am! But because in my head that is still night I didn't actually wash or dress. You've guessed it, I was one of those people in the street in their pyjamas. I did avail myself of the hotel's robe so I wasn't so indecent.

Three ladies immediately flocked around me pushing rattan plates with sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves. I sat on the pavement and as the monks walked by I put food in their bowls, as did many others also crouching on the pavement.

I then had a row with the three ladies who seemed to want far too much money for their services and tutted a lot when I refused to give them what they asked for. This didn't seem fitting for the previous spiritual experience of feeling so close to the monks and soaking up the calmness of the early morning. They wanted 80,000 kip whereas the younger crowd were asked for 10,000 kip.

Number one daughter's opinion about this is that I don't look like a backpacker so they think I'm rich. She suggests I get myself some tie dyed items and a t-shirt stating the last place I visited. (I went tubing in Vang Vieng Tubing) That way I cease to be a target for explotation. I might try it.

Water Falls

Outside of the town accessable by affordable tuktuk are two sites of water falls. Tat Kuang Si falls. There are freezing plunge pools and rope swings for the thrill seakers.

The night market which is set up each evening from 5.30pm to 10pm is the quietest market in the world. The traders remain polite yet attentive and there is no hasstle. Not one stall holder shouted "Pound of bananas" they had class. The items for sale were exquisite and very origianl. I have visited tourist markets many times but his one had very high quality items at reasonable prices. But not being hussled and bussled to buy was such a refreshing change. As well as the market there are wonderful boutique style shops lining the main strip on Sikavangvong Street plus wonderful cafes and restaurants offering Laos, Thai and Indian food as well as western style coffee shops.