Luang Prabang, Laos

We rented a couple of pretty nice mountain bikes and headed into the karst-filled hills. The ride was beautiful, a great way to see small villages somewhat off the beaten path. From Vang Vieng we took a crowded mini bus to Luang Prabang. Imagine taking a 300km. ride on old Whistler-style road in a super crowded bus with no brakes and very little steering. The views were breathtaking but by the end we were nervous wrecks. It was worth it to get to Luang Prabang however. This is another UNESCO world heritage sight similar to Hoi An in that the city has retained much of its architectural heritage including the most amazing Wats, or temples, we have seen yet. Luang Prbang is home to thousands of buddist monks and their orange colored robes fill the street. The city is also a gastronomic delight with many beautiful restaurants serving wonderful Laotian cuisine. We have decided to hang in here for a good long time as it’s a great place to relax as well as having lots of excursions to be done in the surrounding countryside.

A journal entry from: S.E.Asia: Traveler Bev and Larry