Pak Ou Caves Reviews (Luang Prabang, Laos)

Pak Ou Caves

Heywood, Victoria, Australia

February 20, 2001

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More renowned are Pak Ou Caves, twenty five kilometres from Luang Prabang, up the Mekong River. Here two caves in the lower part of the limestone cliff are packed full of Buddha images of all sizes and styles. With its impressive setting and ...Read more

From journal Laos Highlights

So many Buddhas

by catsholiday

ashbourne, United Kingdom

April 6, 2012

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Best of IgoUgo We met our guide at the landing stage in Luang Prabang and someone carried our bags down on to the boat. It was a long way down to the river as the river was very low but the plank across was wide enough and so we managed to get onto the boat ...Read more We met our guide at the landing stage in Luang Prabang and someone carried our bags down on to the boat. It was a long way down to the river as the river was very low but the plank across was wide enough and so we managed to get onto the boat without any nasty accidents.

Once on the boat we had a choice of most of the seats as the only other people on board were our guide, the manager of the hotel and Lan, a lovely Vietnamese girl who was a fellow guest and of course the driver of the boat. The boat was open sided but had a roof so we were out of the sun but able to see everything going up around us. The seats were wooden benches and there were plenty of life jackets on all the seats. I can’t say it was greatly comfortable but we felt the wind blowing through the boat and we certainly saw an awful lot more than we did when we were last on the Mekong river in Vietnam and Cambodia.

We were offered coffee or tea and our guide also pointed out that there was a toilet at the back of the boat. This was pretty basic but served the purpose!!

The journey to the lodge was early in the morning and on the way we saw local villagers gathering the river weed that is flavoured with tomato and garlic and sesame seeds flattened and spread it on to bamboo trays to dry. Once dried the sheets were rolled and packed into plastic bags. The large sheets are then cut into smaller squares to deep fry quickly before being served with a pretty potent chilli relish and served as a delicacy with drinks. We also passed fishermen, buffalo grazing on the banks, women washing clothes, children swimming and all sorts of activity that entertained us for the journey.

Just out of interest it is possible to go by the Mekong from Luang Prabang to Thailand. If you go by small speed boat it talks about 4 or 5 hours but you can go on a larger craft with cabins and this takes a couple of days but this is only possible when the river is the optimum depth.

After two hours we arrived at the Pak Ou caves. These caves face the mouth of the river Ou and there are two main caves both of which require you to climb some fairly large, steep and uneven steps from the landing area. Depending on when you arrive you may also have to go through several other boats to get to the landing area.

Both caves are full of thousands of Buddha statues. These statues have been placed in the caves over hundreds of years. The statues vary in size, condition and what they are made from. They are also in the many different poses of Buddha; some have flowers and gifts in front of them while others are so high up and on ledges that you can hardly see them. The caves are considered very spiritual to local people and they are a site of pilgrimage. During the Lao New Year which is in April there is a special ceremony when all the Buddha statues in every temple are ceremonially washed. There is a special washing pipe and bowl which is very ornamental and in most temples one can be found. There are two in these caves, these special highly decorated Buddha washing constructions are called Hang-Lin.

After climbing the many steep steps up to the second cave which is very dark inside. So dark that even with our torches it was hard to see all the statues in the cave. Both caves are kept really clean and there are several small stalls with local people selling items you can put on the offering tables, insence sticks and other souvenirs and snacks. Nobody was forceful at all and we just smiled as said ‘sabai dee’ and they smiled back.

The caves are quite unique with all their thousands of Buddha statues and for that reason alone they are worth the visit. There are a lot of very steep steps and those near the bottom cave are quite uneven and tricky so those with mobility problems would struggle. Close

From journal Templed out in Luang Prabang

Pak Ou Caves

by Kez

Broadbeach Waters, Australia

March 1, 2006

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Best of IgoUgo The Pak Ou caves are one of the most well known sights in the area. Filled with over 4000 Buddha images, there are two caves (one upper and one lower) set into a limestone cliff some way up the river from Luang Prabang. If you enter the closest ...Read more The Pak Ou caves are one of the most well known sights in the area.

Filled with over 4000 Buddha images, there are two caves (one upper and one lower) set into a limestone cliff some way up the river from Luang Prabang. If you enter the closest and lowest cave first on entry, you will see a small shrine with quite a number of statues. Take the stairs at the left and you enter the cave proper. It is absolutely crammed with Buddhas sitting and standing on every available rock space.

Continue along the path to the higher cave. This contains another shrine with a large number of smaller statues. The cave itself is much larger, and the ceiling stretches upwards. At each cave there is a small box for donations, and you can pay to hire a torch to explore the caves. You really only need the torch for the upper cave, as enough natural light filters into the lower cave. The best option to visit is to take a boat, which is easily arranged when you are ready to go. It is a half-day-trip, and approximately 25km from LP.

When we were there, the caretakers's kids came to meet us to pose for photos in exchange for a little hard currency. One was holding a young Owl, and the other was holding numerous baby Squirrels. It was only after some time that we realised that the poor little Owl was on a short tether made of elastic bands twisted together. The young girl would throw it into the air and the poor Owl would start to fly, only to be pulled back to earth and land with a thud. When we tried to explain that allowing the Owl to believe that it could fly and instead being pulled back and landing on the concrete path with a thud that would almost certainly hurt the poor creature we were given puzzled stares.

I contemplated the idea of buying back the Owl, but my partner quietly asked me "what would you do with it if you did so?" I had to give up the idea. I certainly couldn't pack it into my bag and fly back to Australia with it. How different our ideas of cruelty can be when in another place and culture? The boat also stopped at a traditional village where people were busy making snake whiskey. I sampled a little and it almost blew my head off. The other village was Xangkhongposa, which is a weaving and paper making village where they make some seriously beautiful handmade papers. You had the opportunity to see the papers being made and were able to buy some, but were under no pressure to do so.

The boat trip also gives the opportunity to see fishing with traditional nets, water buffalo wallowing in the shallows, and lots of kids all cooling off in the waters and giving a big wave to you as you pass by. The trip there and back is almost as good as the destination itself!

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From journal Luang Prabang - Southeast Asia's Gem

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Pak Ou Caves

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So many Buddhas

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So many Buddhas

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