Adventure in Laos and Cambodia!

Having been to many other places in Asia, one of the first things that struck me about Luang Prabang is the slower pace of life. Even at its busiest, traffic was slower and calmer than almost anywhere else in Southeast Asia, and the locals had a pretty relaxed attitude. As someone that loves walking around, I found Luang Prabang to be a beautiful place to take in by foot. Whether you are strolling near temples or the river, the unique architecture and feel of the city reward exploration, and there are plenty of great places to catch the sunset on the Mighty Mekong. Dave, an old friend from high school, had never been to Asia before and quickly fell in love with the charms of the town. 

However, Laos is a country full of rural treasures as well, and we wasted no time in getting out of the city to see a bit of the countryside. Our first activity was a bike ride on quiet roads through local villages. Currently there are no bridges in the city from one side of the Mekong to the other, so the first thing we had to do was board a local ferry to get to the other side. This is a common commute for many people who live around the city, as was evident by the amount of cars, trucks, motorbikes, and people who were queuing and boarding the ferry with us. 
Once on the other side, we quickly biked through areas that had more cows than people, only seeing the occasional shop or car. Being quite a mountainous area, the roads were rarely flat instead constantly going down or up. Even as avid cyclists, our endurance was put to the test, especially as the cool morning heated up. As we biked we took frequent breaks to get coffee, a delicious noodle soup for lunch, and to check out a local pottery village. 

Much of modern day Laos was part of the Lan Xang kingdom, which often translates to “the kingdom of a million elephants”. That name signifies the importance of the animal more than the fact that there were literally a million, but sadly those numbers have dwindled to likely be less than a 1,000 wild elephants in the country today. MandaLao Elephant Conservation is a sanctuary for elephants that have been rescued from working in logging camps, as well as other “low welfare” tourist attractions such as elephant riding centers, which our partners would never help book. 

Before you even set eyes on the animals you have a briefing with a staff member who goes over how important elephants are to them personally, and how it has become their life’s mission to protect these great creatures. From there you put together “sandwiches” for their feeding time - essentially bananas stuffed with sticky rice and probiotics, and then set out across the river in a motorized canoe to meet your new friends. It is such a joy to spend time feeding them! With quite insatiable appetites the only limit is the time you have. After they have fed for about an hour you get a chance to walk with the elephants as they make their way from the river to a more inland area. 

KuangSi Falls is another very popular site near Luang Prabang. To make our day more active we started out in a nearby village and hiked for a few hours to reach the waterfall. At the village we got a glimpse of local life, far away from the city center and busy tourist areas. The hike was mostly flat with some rocky areas, and was shaded enough to keep from feeling the full effects of the tropical heat (and sun!). 

Once you arrive at the falls they are not only beautiful, but also a wonderful place to take a quick swim. The waters are refreshingly cool (almost cold!), and even though busy, we did not find it difficult to find some space away from the crowds. On your way out be sure to check out the Tat Kuang Si Bear Rescue Centre for a chance to glimpse sun bears - the world’s smallest bear!