Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang is a very peaceful small place in Laos.

Through our travel guide, we learned that Laos borders not less than five countries. The inhabitants, about 7 million, consist of about 50 ethnic groups, which can be summarized into three or four major groups (depending on the travel guide). The largest group are the Lao people. But there are also mountain peoples who are hardly connected to the infrastructure.

In Luang Prabang, everything is very cozy. No rush. On the first evening, we were on our own and ate on the banks of the Mekong. It was delicious - and extremely cheap. You can easily eat here, including drinks, for about 10 euros. However, that's 100,000 kip.

The second day was filled with all sorts of temples. Most of them were built in this century because everything was destroyed here.

On the third day, we took a boat trip on the Mekong. At one stop, we visited a rice schnapps distillery. The schnapps is bottled at just under 60%. A particularly highlight were the snakes, scorpions and all sorts of other animals soaked in schnapps. The Laotians really drink it. When visiting a weekly market, there was a lot to see: fruits, vegetables, and nuts that I didn't know yet. Please also pay attention to the meat counter!!!!!! The final point was a cave that is revered or visited as a national sanctuary and place of pilgrimage of all Buddhists.

On the fourth day, we went for a hike to a waterfall. We first drove a short distance with a small bus. Take a look at the roads here too. They are better field paths that cannot be used during the rainy season. There are several pools at the waterfall where you can swim.