Fire and Water
Luang Prabang is ablaze with fluid delights and fiery traditions by Chris Otchy

“Drink beer with me?” was the invitation from a bleary eyed local sitting on a red plastic stool beside dusty Khem Kong Road. His name was Piya, a 26-year-old with a wide, flat face and a gap toothed smile that made him look at least ten years older.

“This is how you drink beer in Luang Prabang,” he uttered after offering some of his fatty buffalo soup. He grabbed a small cup and filled it with barely a mouthful, then downed it in one go like a shot, leaving just a tiny sip at the end, which he then tossed into the street as an offering of sorts. Then you pass it to the next person. Piya was an expert beer drinker.

Piya was happy to inform that he was a boat driver that lived about 30 kilometers upstream from Luang Prabang. Like many people from surrounding villages, he came to the city everyday to give tourists rides across the river or to nearby attractions. In a town like Luang Prabang, the tip of which is speared by the Mekong and Nam Kham rivers, it’s a good profession to have.

“This river is my life,” he said, gazing over the muddy waters that cut a swath through the thick vegetation on either side. “In my village, this water is everything—we bathe in it, we cook with it, we drink it, and as a boat driver, I make my money from it.”

Where the Water Takes You
With over 300 monks living in the city itself and several dozen temples to see, those who come to Luang Prabang for spiritual healing should not have a problem satisfying their need. While the temples are justifiably gorgeous and certainly worth checking out (the most impressive being the

Wat Xiang Thong complex at the very end of Sakhalin Rd.), those staying for more than two days will surely hunger for something else to explore.

That’s where Piya and his brethren come in. Taking a stroll down Khem Kong Rd. running along the bank of the Mekong River, you soon come in contact with boatmen politely asking tourists if they would like to take a ride to one of nearby attractions. One of the most popular destinations is the Pak Ou Caves. These caves are located about 25km up the river from the city and take two hours to reach by boat, one hour to return (downstream). The cost is usually about US$10, though adept hagglers might be able to get a somewhat cheaper fare. The caves themselves are divided into two sections, upper and lower, and are filled with Buddha statues. The upper one is less impressive and is much darker, so if it’s hot out and you can’t bear the steps, skip it. Entrance to the caves is about US$1.

Kuang Si Waterfalls are another attraction visitors won’t want to miss. About 30km away from the town, you have to take a jumbo or tuk-tuk to get there (about US$8-12). The whole trip takes about a half a day, but it’s worth it. There are four levels of falls to visit, the bottom of which you can splash gaily around in. The upper falls can be a bit of a trek to get to, but they reward the hiker with a commanding view of the lush valley and a misty spray that refracts the sunlight, making rainbows enhance the already magical setting.

Fiery Traditions
Those lucky enough to make it there in early-October can take part in the Nam Boon Bong Fai, or Festival of Light. Basically this event is the Laos version of Loy Kratong. It is a festival that celebrates the end of the rainy season and is a time of renewal for the Laos people. Accordingly, the purifying elements of both fire and water take key roles in the proceedings. During the day, long boat races take place on the river, while at night people light candles on small handmade boats and kratongs. A procession carrying these candled boats down Sakhalin Rd takes place on the key night before setting them in the water near Wat Xiang Thong. So many firecrackers are employed in this procession it becomes as smoky as it is deafening. The sight of those krathongs and boats floating down the river, though, is certainly more inspiring than doing so in a klong near your house here in Bangkok.