Day 1
We are in Laos. It’s 32 degrees Celsius and humid at 7 PM. I have no idea how we’ll be climbing mountains and stairs tomorrow. For now, here’s an evening view of Vientiane. A triumphal arch inspired by the French one and an ancient black stupa. Also, magnolias are blooming here. At times, the sweet scent of magnolia mixes with the smell of the septic system. Such are the local realities.
Day 2
Today has been a day of surprises and discoveries! In the best way possible. ))
Swam to exhaustion in the beautiful Blue Lagoon near Vang Vieng, surrounded by magical karst hills—pure visual ecstasy.
Climbed up a ridiculously high viewpoint to capture all the beauty! First, I nearly died. Second, I still have some fight in me. Third, I apparently know how to swear (when no one hears me—there’s no other way to climb that). Fourth, I probably didn’t need to climb because afterward…
WE FLEW IN A HOT AIR BALLOON!!! For the first time ever! And not just anywhere—at sunset, over all these karst mountains, the river, rice fields, tiny toy-like houses, and surrounded by other colorful balloons and paragliders.
From our balloon, we could see 12 more hot air balloons!
The Lao people know how to put on a show! We were screaming with joy, waving at boats below, and they waved back. What an amazing first day in Laos!
Day 3
To be honest, my number one goal in Laos was to see the Plain of Jars. A unique, one-of-a-kind place on Earth. Kind of like Stonehenge, but still undiscovered by mass tourism. It holds mysteries waiting to be solved!
Basically, across the plateau near the city of Phonsavan, thousands of jars are scattered, ranging from 0.5 to 3 meters in height and weighing up to 6 tons. Most of these giant stone vessels are cylindrical, but some are oval or rectangular. There are also stone discs that were presumably used as lids. However, only around 16 of these “lids” have been found.
Around 2,500–3,000 years ago (?), these vessels were made from granite, sandstone, rock formations, and calcified coral. However, such rock is not found anywhere nearby. That means they were carved (or molded?) somewhere else and then transported here. But why? No one knows for sure. There are many theories, but no definitive answers.
My theory? A roadside picnic. Some ancient race of giants threw a massive party here—for some reason, exactly here and nowhere else! Now, we just have to live with this mystery.
There’s also a cave where bones and some clay pottery were found. Based on these findings, the estimated age of the jars was determined. However, scientists are far from certain that the people from the cave had anything to do with the jars.
P.S. During the “Secret War” with the U.S., this area became a battleground. Some of the jars were destroyed by bombings. Even today, much of the land remains uncleared of explosives, so the ancient jars can only be safely visited in seven designated locations on the plateau. Elsewhere, it’s genuinely dangerous.
I can already predict what you’re thinking: No, we didn’t go beyond the barbed wire, we only explored where it was safe. But the experience was absolutely unforgettable! For a lifetime!
Day 4
Luang Prabang – walking around the city is a pure delight!
Here’s what we planned to do in Luang Prabang in just 12 hours:
Visit Kuang Si Waterfalls (Kuang Si Waterfalls, 30 km from Luang Prabang) – the main natural highlight of the area;
Stop by the Tat Kuang Si Bear Rescue Center on the way (specializing in the conservation of the Asiatic black bear population);
Climb to the top of the highest waterfall and swim in its upper pool;
Visit an eco-farm with civets (small animals that eat coffee berries, excrete the beans, which are then processed into the famous Kopi Luwak coffee), and try it;
Visit the National Museum – the Royal Palace;
Climb Phou Si Mountain with Wat Chom temple – the best viewpoint, 340 steps;
These are cages. Each contains a pair of small birds. You buy them to set them free. A dirty business. But when you release them, your heart skips a beat – they are so joyful, and you immediately feel like you’ve done a good deed.
Take a two-hour sunset cruise along the Mekong River;
Visit the night market
Done! Buddhist temples and monasteries were left for tomorrow.
Day 5
Spent the fifth day of our vacation strolling around Luang Prabang, popping into a bunch of temples. Pretty impressive. A very nice little town, I must say.
The procession of orange-robed monks at dawn. Since time immemorial, Luang Prabang has upheld a unique tradition known as the “alms-giving ceremony.” Tourists from all over the world come to witness this exotic ritual. So today, I got up just after 5 AM and headed to the main street of Luang Prabang.
By this time, various sections of the sidewalk were already lined with carpeted mats. The almsgivers are ordinary people, settled in, some on small stools, others kneeling, with baskets of food in front of them.
Even before dawn, at 6 AM, barefoot monks in orange robes began to appear in long processions. Most of them were just boys. In Laos, every male citizen from the age of 8 is required to spend some time in a monastery, strictly following 227 monastic precepts. Some stay for a month or two, while others remain for life.
So, the monks walked along the rows of almsgivers, collecting rice in their bowls and placing biscuits or other small treats into their shoulder bags. And then—our paths happened to align as I headed back to my hotel while they made their way to a nearby monastery—the orange-robed monks walked ahead of me, sharing their offerings with the poor. Such an incredible tradition.
And we wrapped up the day with dinner at the night market food court—something for every taste: local dishes, Chinese, Korean, even pizza and burgers for the stubborn ones.
Day 6
Yesterday was a tough day. The second-to-last one in Laos, by the way.
We decided to return to Vientiane (the capital) via Route 4. Supposedly, it’s paved. Though there were warnings about a brutal mountain pass—unpaved. Best to avoid it in the rain. But hey, it didn’t seem like it was raining… or so we thought.
At first, everything was fine—beautiful, even. Then we drove into fog as we ascended. Then came the warning: “9 km of dangerous road.” Well, okay.
And then—a line of parked trucks. What are they doing here?! Not exactly the best place for a rest stop.
It all became clear soon enough. The trucks were stuck in the mud on the mountain pass, almost completely blocking the road. Almost… which was lucky, because sometimes they block it entirely.
This time, there was a narrow gap, at least for non-trucks. Of course, we had to stop a few times, watching as a tractor unsuccessfully tried to pull one of the trucks free. But in the end, we squeezed through.
We breathed a sigh of relief at the end of those brutal 9 kilometers. And, I must admit (though Buddha wouldn’t approve), we couldn’t help but feel a little smug watching the long line of oncoming trucks and 4x4s( no regular cars here ) knowing they still had to tackle all of this… and on the way up.
There was one more surprise waiting at the bottom. A truck, seemingly overjoyed at making it down safely, had tumbled into a ditch. Luckily, not a deep one.
Looks like its karma was a bit off.
Well, after that, there was plenty of beauty.
Midway through, we stopped in Vang Vieng to check out some caves (that particular gestalt was still unfinished).
And we decided—nature is at its most stunning right here, in Vang Vieng.
In the capital, we drove around the city and stopped by the largest stupa in Laos. Today, we’re flying to Hanoi.
