Full Day Pak Ou Caves by Boat from Luang Prabang


Sightseeing  :  Laos  :  Louangphabang  :  Luang Prabang  :  Day Trips
  • Full Day Pak Ou Caves by Boat from Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang, Laos

Trip Type:   Day Trips
Duration:  9 hours
A scenic boat ride will take you from Luang Prabang to the Pak Ou Caves, where you will find thousands of Buddha icons which have been created by the locals and pilgrims over several decades and continue to grow year after year. As you sail along the Mekong River towards the caves, observe the rustic lifestyle of the riverside communities. learn about the importance of transportation and commerce and visit a rice wine-making village also known for its traditional weaving crafts. Local guide, entrance fees, hotel pickup and drop-off and lunch are included on this 9-hour guided tour.

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A scenic boat ride will take you from Luang Prabang to the Pak Ou Caves, where you will find thousands of Buddha icons which have been created by the locals and pilgrims over several decades and continue to grow year after year. As you sail along the Mekong River towards the caves, observe the rustic lifestyle of the riverside communities. learn about the importance of transportation and commerce and visit a rice wine-making village also known for its traditional weaving crafts. Local guide, entrance fees, hotel pickup and drop-off and lunch are included on this 9-hour guided tour.After a short transfer from your hotel in Luang Prabang to the boat pier, your guide will escort you to the already waiting local boat that brings you slowly upriver.

Laos has numerous rivers, waterways and streams 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 this landlocked country. By taking a local boat cruise (around 1.5 hours of cruising time from Luang Prabang to your first stop), this is probably one of the most rewarding ways to discover the laid-back life style along these waterways. Before reaching the famed caves, enjoy a lunch stop at a local village (meal included), called Ban Xang Hay, a village which specializes in making traditional rice-wine. The village also continues their efforts to keep the art of traditional weaving methods intact.

After lunch and a short continuation of your sailing journey, you will reach the confluence of the Mekong River and the Nam Ou River, the latter of which the name of the caves has been derived (meaning ‘Mouth of the Ou’).

The caves, cut out of limestone, are directly located at the banks of the Mekong and consist of a Lower Cave called “Tham Ting” and upper cave called “Tham Phun”. Tham Phun is the main attraction, where currently you will see more than 3,000 Buddha images in the form of intricately carved statues. The Buddha statues range in size from a few centimeters tall to the height of a human and are crammed into the cave which is nestled in a limestone cliff. The caves continue to be an important destination for local pilgrimages.

After visiting both caves, return to your boat and enjoy a leisurely cruise downstream back towards Luang Prabang. As you cruise along, observe the daily activities of fishermen. Note how they throw their nets with elegant arm gestures. 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.  The villagers rely on the water for their livelihood.

Just before you reach your disembarkation point in Luang Prabang, you will take a moment to hop over to the other side of the river to get a glimpse of the lives of the locals in the village of Ban Xieng Mene. Walk through the village and visit the local Vat Long Khoune temple with its beautiful mural paintings. Finally, cross the Mekong River over to Luang Prabang where your driver will meet you and transport you back to your hotel in Luang Prabang.




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