Category: Laos

On By jaycm6In Laos, Travel Blog 2015-16Leave a comment

Tat Kuang Si Waterfall

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A most amazing day at Tat Kuang Si waterfalls outside Luang Prabang, Laos! it was breath-taking, unreal – something I’ve previously only seen pictures of or on TV.   Huge amounts of water pouring from a mountain top and steep drop into lots of deep pools you could swim in all the way down.  I walked up the path, saw some falls and thought how gorgeous it was.  I was thrilled to se it, the surrounding jungle forest and them take a dip in the cold green waters of the pool I chose.  rocks and roots underfoot but only went neck deep for a ‘swim’ but lots of people in there, and around including babies.

 

It was heavenly.  Then in a sarong I took, sat to dry off eating the suggested picnic I took of fruit a plums, lychee, grapes, banana and mango mmm and crisps, with orange juice and water, sat by the pools.  Delicious environment!

Then I saw people walking on so changed to my shorts again, and continued up the path to find more pools, mini falls and getting more beautiful.  Then I saw ‘the main attraction’ that I hadn’t expected – an amazing waterfall of about 200 feet or 60 metres, over limestone rocks, giving the green colour from the phospherous!!!! Just … beautiful, awe inspiring and a wow moment!  even the videos cannot do justice to the real thing!!! The mist spreading over us standing on the bridge to witness the mighty force of nature, and of course, the beauty!!!! Just amazing, in that jungle forest, with huge trees about 40m high or more, knarled old trunks that have stood the test of more than time!!! I enjoyed this trip so much…

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I was travelling with some seemingly high calibre students on gap years or holiday travels (from their conversations) with perfectly no-accent English, and two foreign couples so listened to ,travel tips and reminders, ideas and options in where to go, what to do in my next stops of Vang Vieng and Vientiane which was very helpful!!!

On the way up to waterfall we walked through a bear sanctuary, bears taken from bile factories, and now playing happily under the sun, in great compounds, by beautiful jungle and platforms and ropes.   The stories, background and help was explained and then we reached the most stunning water scapes ever with pools in phosperous blue, high falls into deep pools where we visitors could dip and wallow, relaxing and enjoying these lovely views too.

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4000 Island Adventures!

On By jaycm6In Laos, Travel Blog 2015-16Leave a comment

Don Det is one of three main island people live on and visit in this area.  It was like nothing I’d experienced before and I loved it – so did Bex!  In fact, everyone did!

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It was local and village like, cut off from the mainland and other islands other than hours of travel to get there.   There were wooden homes on stilts (flooding) over areas of land for a buffalo, pig, chickens and ducks, dogs and cats and children to run around in.

There was a school at one end, away from the tourist centre by the dock area for ease of getting in and out, and a village itself nearby.  The children were all ages, and came and went along the paths as we moved around exploring or wandering.

There were rice fields up that end too, on the sunset side of the island where we stayed – me at Happy hostel and Bex at one lower down, that I’d looked at but didn’t book, with individual wooden huts set back off the river bank.  Happy Place had huts right on the river but no air don in there, although there were hammocks that I got to try when one was empty!  Bex had a hammock outside on her veranda too which, one day, I just fell asleep in and it was heavenly!

I wandered round, followed the path around the island, and met Bex coming the other way, after the boat meeting, and that’s when we planned our trip out!