Luang Prabang, Laos

The quiet, small-town charm of Vientiane was a welcome change from Bangkok, and as we drove  toward Luang Prabang things become even more relaxed. Our 13-hour bus ride wound deep into the mountains, overlooking gorgeous landscapes of sandstone and thick forests, and we didn’t see other people for hours as we climbed higher into the peaks. Unfortunately, the rainy season and landslides created deep potholes and made for an extremely bumpy ride. With narrow roads, no railings and the bus literally bouncing in the air with every hole, we feared falling thousands of feet off the edge. “Ok if we tip right, we grab the seats in front of us and hold tight while we roll…and if we tip left toward the cliff we break the opposite side window and jump out,” Brianna and I plotted during more precarious turns. Luang Prabang, once we finally arrived, was just as beautiful as we expected. A small, quiet town with fishing villages and temples along the Mekong River, everything seemed to move at a slower pace and sunny days stretched on into arresting sunsets. The entire city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, because of its “Outstanding example of the fusion of traditional architecture and Lao urban structures with those built by the European colonial authorities in the 19th and 20th centuries. Its unique, remarkably well-preserved townscape illustrates a key stage in the blending of these two distinct cultural traditions.” (whc.unesco.org).  Luang Prabang has more than 30 temples, so we spent our days there wandering through spectacular walls of mosaics depicting folk tales, or climbing steps to the highest temple for a perfect view at sunset. We read for hours by the river, and took a boat ride on the Mekong, stopping in a village tucked into the woods where families make paper and weave silk. Laos and Thailand are known for some of the best massages in the world, so we found a place and for $6 had an hour-long massage unlike anything at home. The masseuse pulled, elbowed and even kicked our backs, legs and arms, but nothing has ever felt so amazing!

One day, we went to Elephant Village, a camp in the jungle that works to keep elephants free from abuse while providing jobs for indigenous people in surrounding areas. The sanctuary currently supports nine elephants. Tourists can train to be mahouts, elephant trainers), or ride the elephants, and donations go toward their care and preserving the surrounding virgin river valley. Riding the elephant was so much fun! Our mahout jumped off to take our pictures, then decided we were fine and never got back on, so we clung tight as the elephant walked up rocks and through rivers doing whatever it pleased. When we returned other tourists seemed shocked to see us sitting on the elephant instead of in the seat provided, and that our guide was no longer actually guiding us. He was walking nearby, (and was obsessed with Brianna’s camera), so there was never anything to be worried about, but the others seemed confused, or maybe a bit jealous.

French bakeries, wine, elephant rides, tranquil mountain scenery and reading by the river on gorgeous sunny days…Luang Prabang is definitely one of my favorites so far!