In my previous post, I have mentioned about my trip on the slow boat down to Me Kong river to get Luang Phrabang. On this article, I will tell more my continuing journey in Luang Phrabang, the very ancient town in Laos. If you miss the previous one, please click this link to it: https://bitly.com.vn/kyrq7q
After arrving Luang Phrabang port, we had no idea what our plans for next few days. I and my fellow-traveller looked at each other with a sunny smile😆 and gave a decision together: look for a homestay to take a rest first. After 30 mins searching on Booking.com , we find a place with affordable price for both. We quickly called a tuk tuk, arrived that place, brought our bag back inside and relaxed for a while.
During my resting time, I snatched an opportunity to search google a bit information of Luang Phrabang. "Wowwww!" A lot of interesting things just jumped off the page at me, and I just knew that Luang Phrabang was certified by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage site in 1995.
Luang Phabang or Louangphabang, commonly transliterated into Western languages from the pre-1975 Lao as Luang Prabang, literally meaning "Royal Buddha Image", is a city in north central Laos, consisting of 58 adjacent villages, of which 33 comprise the UNESCO Town Of Luang Prabang World Heritage Site. It was listed in 1995 for unique and "remarkably" well preserved architectural, religious and cultural heritage, a blend of the rural and urban developments over several centuries, including the French colonial influences during the 19th and 20th centuries (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luang_Prabang)
I also saw over 15 destinations that tourists must to visit in Luang Phrabang. I shout out “Jesus, too much for my 2 day trip here to vist”. After nearly 1 hour for reading, finally I picked 3 must- visit destinations up on my list. After all, I knew where I should go and do in 2 days staying here.😆
In the evening, I and my friend decided to walk around the town to look for a coffee shop or a bar to enjoy a bustling nightlife. In a sudden, a voice of man echoed in the other side of road “Hey Rose, Rose”. I looked up and tried to regconize who is calling my name. "Ahh, Arno, Arno, right?" I said. He responded “Hello my flower, how are you and where are you going?” Haha. I was very surprised about our emotional reunion (Arno is a French man who I met on the slow boat). After some chattings, he and Pascal (his fellow-traveller) invite us go to one of the best famous bar in Luang Phrabang – Utopia bar and restaurant. I agreed immediately without any hesitance, and then we went together to the bar.
Utopia is a bar and restaurant by the riverside of the Nam Khan river, which takes about 5 minutes to go from the center of Luang Prabang. It has a hippie-style design that attracts many younger and tourists in the city. It is totally relaxing when you lean on mattresses and listening to classical music in their tropical garden or on bamboo tables near the riversides. There is also a yoga class in the morning. On some occasions, they celebrate some events such as live music, board game, and movies in the evening.
(https://www.bestpricetravel.com/travel-guide/top-5-nighlife-activities-in-luang-prabang-430.htm)
Admittedly, the vibe in Utopia bar is so different from others that I have been visited before (you can get review on reference above). There was no vacancy although that time was over 8 p.m. Arno dragged me in his table with 3 other friends (they were on the slow boat trip with us too). We told a lot of things, shared about one’s journey with each other and drunk some wine till 11 p.m.
We were too excited to get more fun. Before saying goodbye, we huddled round the table and took some photos in our joy.
Walking back to the homestay, Arno took my hand and asked me if tomorrow we could go to visit some place, the more people join, the more fun we have. I was astonished twice time because his destination visiting tomorrow was repetitive to me. I laughed out loud, and yes, "see you tomorrow, Arno, I and my friend will meet you there.” I said.
Kuang Si Falls
Next day, we met each other at the place we have said last night. We continued to take a tuk tuk, moving to the Kuang Si Falls, the famous attraction with the premitive beauty, that was our main visiting in the morning.
We have to pay 20.000 kit for entrance fee, Kuang Si Falls in my eyes just like a tropical jungle with a lot of vegetation living in the humid conditions.
After wandering around to watch and see the scenery, Arno asked us if we want to climb to the highest place in this fall. He did not tell me there is a place to swim, I still did not wonder what there is. Maybe I have followed my mind, once more time, I letted him take me there. I did not think that there will be a natural blue water for swimming in this cascade in the highest altitude till the moment I have seen it.
20 minutes later, we have reached to the very top of the fall. On the way to climb it, please careful with the slippery terrain, no railing, there are some places full of water and muddy with the stairs also. Once you visit here, please take a bit time to climb the very top, you not only see a part of Laos’ view from above but also immerse yourself in a very transparent flow.
Arno asked me if I want to swim to the turquoise swimming pools.
“Absolutely no, I just have only one outfit, I don’t want to be wet”. He seemed like very familiar with this place cause he prepared one suit for swimming, swim fins and so on.
Up till the noon, we went down the fall and ready to come back homestay. Arno took me to the wooden footbridge which are in front of the falls. He asked “Do you like this plalce, Rose?” “Sure, it is just like the heaven.” I responded. We spent some minutes to take pictures in this footbridge before going out.
Say goodbye Arno, I and my friend went ahead to the second destination.
Mount Phousi.
Well, Mount Phousi is exactly a sacred hill for local people here. When we reach to the gate, exactly there are 2 gates (the front gate and the back gate), the porter tooke us 40.000 kip for entrance fee for 2 people.
With over 1000m high, I have no clue how many stairs we have to step to reach the top of hill. The porter gave us the sign impling more than 300 ladders. Yeah! It is not too much for us. We got in the gate with a lot of joy and curiosity. There was a woman wearing Laos’ traditional custom waved her hand, asked us to buy a set of joss stick and water. We rejected quickly and kept climbing.
Finishing over 100 ladders, we met a viewpoint in my left hand, I thought this site is for tourist take a rest a bit before go to the top.
Keep climbing, I saw a small temple with some Buddha statues, I got some goose bumps without any reason, I have no idea why my body react like that. I told my friends that we should go to the top as soon as possbile.
Here we are! The top of hill was in front of our eyes, almost the whole landscape of the peninsula could be taken in front the top from any sides.
What struck me was a golden roof at the top which is called That Chomsi, it has a style architecture proper of pagoda that is as same as in Myanmar.
Initially constructed in 1804 by King Anourathurath, That Chomsi was restored in 1914 and again in 1926 when the 328-step staircase was erected. Due to its peculiar position on top of the hill, the rectangular shape stupa stays on a three-tiered base with lotus-flower designs in the four corners. From foot to tip, the stupa measures 21 metres. A terrace at the foot of the stupa offers a momentous panoramic sight of the town. (https://www.gpsmycity.com/attractions/that-chomsi-10877.html)
We sitted there, played with cat while waiting for the sunset in the afternoon. The owner of homestay suggested us watching the sunset moment in the top of hill, so we cannot miss it out.
End of the day, we walked to our place, both of us were burned out to keep going. We made up our mind to sleep early for tomorrow trip getting to Vientiane, the capital of Laos.
Dear Readers! Thank you so so much for taking time to read my post today. Writing and telling about Luang Phrabang always give me more inspiration to take more tours around Asia in general and Viet Nam in particular. Have a great day. 😘 ^^
[//]:# (!pinmapple 19.890699 lat 102.137135 long I got here ^^ d3scr)
[//]:# (!pinmapple 19.753198 lat 101.992768 long I got here too ^^ d3scr)