After a short walk to the boat pier, the traditional long-tail boat cruise takes us up the Mekong past scenes of rural riverside life, until reaching the Pak Ou Caves at the confluence of the Nam Ou River into the Mekong. Laos has several waterways that have traditionally been used as the local form of transportation and they continue to be used in that manner today in many parts of the country. Taking a local boat cruise is probably one of the most rewarding ways to discover the life along the rivers. As you cruise along, observe the daily activities of fishermen, how they throw their nets in an elegant arm gesture, and rely on the water for their livelihood. For the villages settled along the Mekong, the River plays an important role in their daily life and usually represents the only means of transportation and commerce. Two hours upstream from Luang Prabang, disembark to visit the famous Pak Ou Caves. Two caves in a limestone face are filled with hundreds of Buddha images, which were deposited here over centuries. Pak Ou remains a popular pilgrimage site for local people. During Lao New Year in April, the caves are crowded with devotees who gain merit by ceremonially washing the Buddha statues.
The upper and lower caves are explored, before stopping for a Lao style lunch at a nearby restaurant.
Your lunch is at local restaurant overlooking the Mekong.
After lunch, we say goodbye to the village and cruise downstream for two hours on the Mekong River. Only a short distance away from the Pak Ou Caves, lies the village of Ban Xang Hai. This village has for centuries made the earthen jars used as fermenting containers for Lao wine. Nowadays, it specializes in producing a wide range of lau lao (Lao whisky) and lau hai (Lao wine). Be sure to try just a little.
We return to Luang Prabang by the same boat, continue by car to visit Ban Xangkhong, the well-known village for its wood paper making and also Lao silk weavings with natural dyes, where you can do shopping there, then transfer back to your hotel for a free evening on your own.