A World Heritage Site. And with good reason!
When I stepped off the tuk tuk, I looked down the street. WOW! I found the cleanest place in Laos! It was the epitome of "quaint". Little boutiques of shops lined the streets, with bicycles and scooters lined out in front. In the middle of the street was the Palace Museum, and across from that, a Wat on the top of a hill with an phenomenal view of LP.
While I was there, I decided to stay in a "Lonely Planet" Guesthouse and splurge a little. $15usd a night!! AHH, ROBBING ME BLIND! But-it was completely worth it. I had a comfortable huge bed, a flat screen (not sure why this was even in the room), an actual closet, wifi IN THE ROOM, 2 bottles of water, fresh (and clean) towels, and the bathroom - a shower that didn't soak the toilet and actual shelves to put my toiletries. Yup - this was backpacker paradise.
That night I met up with 2 guys that I met in Phonsavan and we had dinner down at the river and they told me about their day (as they had arrived the night before). Then we headed to the night market and had a beer. But then I had to be off, I had to book a tour for the next day....
When I woke up, it was off to the tour office. I started my day with a 2 hour boat ride to the Whiskey Village and Buddha Caves. The whiskey village was exactly that...a village that made and sold whiskey. And not normal whiskey. Snake whiskey. Scorpion whiskey. BEAR whiskey. Yeah, pretty gross stuff there.
The Buddha caves were a different story though! The caves were right on the water, and full of THOUSANDS of Buddha statues. It was like a huge Easter Egg Hunt, but for Buddha Statues!
After the caves, we headed back to the mainland and I was on to the next part of my tour...waterfall time (yup, another one!). I think this may be my favorite waterfall so far. You get to the park and on the first stop is a Bear Rescue Camp. ADORABLE Sun Bears just playing and swinging and rolling around. I imagine they are rescuing them from being made into a whiskey.
After the bear rescue center, I continued on to the waterfall. I came upon it, and it was a wonderful green blue, with little falls dumping into it. People were swimming and I though, eh this is cool. Then I went up a level, and it got better! Bigger falls, more swimmers, and a bridge! Ok, getting better. THEN, I went up to the top....Big Falls that people were jumping off of, a rope swing being used, and tons of swimmers. It was like a big party! When I got in, I was getting nipped at my feet! Little minnows were cleaning my cuts :) In Thailand you have to pay for the minnow massage!!
I stayed for about 2 hours, then headed back to town. Time to book my flight to VIETNAM! I headed to the ticket booth, and who did I happen to pass? Jessie and Yezzi - my favorite VV'ers!! So after I booked my ticket, we went to the night market for dinner. It's an actual buffet! You grab a plate (10,000kip) and fill it high with random Laos food. Best dinner spot ever! It was great to spend my last night in Laos with them...and I hope our paths cross again (but not in VV!)
Then I got a GREAT night sleep again in my FAB guesthouse...and slept in. Ahh, no bus to catch, no early tour, just sleep! I took my time checking out, then wandered over to the temple on the hill. The view of LP was stunning!
Then it was off to catch my tuk tuk...VIETNAM GET READY, BECAUSE HERE I COME!!
Sabadii,
Apes :)
When I stepped off the tuk tuk, I looked down the street. WOW! I found the cleanest place in Laos! It was the epitome of "quaint". Little boutiques of shops lined the streets, with bicycles and scooters lined out in front. In the middle of the street was the Palace Museum, and across from that, a Wat on the top of a hill with an phenomenal view of LP.
While I was there, I decided to stay in a "Lonely Planet" Guesthouse and splurge a little. $15usd a night!! AHH, ROBBING ME BLIND! But-it was completely worth it. I had a comfortable huge bed, a flat screen (not sure why this was even in the room), an actual closet, wifi IN THE ROOM, 2 bottles of water, fresh (and clean) towels, and the bathroom - a shower that didn't soak the toilet and actual shelves to put my toiletries. Yup - this was backpacker paradise.
That night I met up with 2 guys that I met in Phonsavan and we had dinner down at the river and they told me about their day (as they had arrived the night before). Then we headed to the night market and had a beer. But then I had to be off, I had to book a tour for the next day....
When I woke up, it was off to the tour office. I started my day with a 2 hour boat ride to the Whiskey Village and Buddha Caves. The whiskey village was exactly that...a village that made and sold whiskey. And not normal whiskey. Snake whiskey. Scorpion whiskey. BEAR whiskey. Yeah, pretty gross stuff there.
The Buddha caves were a different story though! The caves were right on the water, and full of THOUSANDS of Buddha statues. It was like a huge Easter Egg Hunt, but for Buddha Statues!
After the caves, we headed back to the mainland and I was on to the next part of my tour...waterfall time (yup, another one!). I think this may be my favorite waterfall so far. You get to the park and on the first stop is a Bear Rescue Camp. ADORABLE Sun Bears just playing and swinging and rolling around. I imagine they are rescuing them from being made into a whiskey.
After the bear rescue center, I continued on to the waterfall. I came upon it, and it was a wonderful green blue, with little falls dumping into it. People were swimming and I though, eh this is cool. Then I went up a level, and it got better! Bigger falls, more swimmers, and a bridge! Ok, getting better. THEN, I went up to the top....Big Falls that people were jumping off of, a rope swing being used, and tons of swimmers. It was like a big party! When I got in, I was getting nipped at my feet! Little minnows were cleaning my cuts :) In Thailand you have to pay for the minnow massage!!
I stayed for about 2 hours, then headed back to town. Time to book my flight to VIETNAM! I headed to the ticket booth, and who did I happen to pass? Jessie and Yezzi - my favorite VV'ers!! So after I booked my ticket, we went to the night market for dinner. It's an actual buffet! You grab a plate (10,000kip) and fill it high with random Laos food. Best dinner spot ever! It was great to spend my last night in Laos with them...and I hope our paths cross again (but not in VV!)
Then I got a GREAT night sleep again in my FAB guesthouse...and slept in. Ahh, no bus to catch, no early tour, just sleep! I took my time checking out, then wandered over to the temple on the hill. The view of LP was stunning!
Then it was off to catch my tuk tuk...VIETNAM GET READY, BECAUSE HERE I COME!!
Sabadii,
Apes :)
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