Pak Ou Caves of Laos on the Mekong River

August 02, 2016

Pak Ou Caves through the Centuries

A beautiful boat ride along the mighty Mekong finds our way to the mysterious Pak Ou Caves. Legends say that merchants venturing from Thailand to Luang Prabang would stop along the way at these caves. They would place a Buddha statue and plead for safe passage to the “King Naga”. This was a giant sea serpent who was believed to be resident in these caves. During the course of time, the Laos people would also make pilgrimages to the caves. This was so they could place their Buddha statues and pray for their own blessing. To this day, it is still common for young Laos couples wishing to marry to make the journey and place a Buddha statue together hoping for a wonderful marriage.

Pak Ou Cave inside

A Journey up the Mekong River

The air was brisk and cold. “Pak Ou Caves is one of the most respected holy sites in Laos,” our guide explained. Our boats park at the small dock and I see a white staircase leading up to the entrance. The sun greets me as I exit the boat. The pleasant smell of incense fills the air as I ascend the steps. Inside there are as many as 4,000 Buddha icons strewn about. Countless Buddha statues are positioned everywhere. And the atmosphere in the cave is indescribable.

Incredible Views of Laos Countryside

We stop for lunch at a restaurant overlooking the Pak Ou Caves and this marvelous stretch of landscape on the Mekong River. During the meal, our guide encourages us to try a soup called “Or Lam”. This delicacy is local to Luang Prabang and the surrounding hills. The soup is composed of many wild mushrooms, roots, herbs, pork, and a spicy edible wood. As it goes down, I notice the hot stew has a nice blend of flavor and consistency which warms the body.

A Detour – Laos Whiskey Production

On our return journey, we detour to a village along the river which specializes in making Laos whiskey. Jars filled with rice are all around. The villagers are brewing various rice wines. They then take the wine and distil it to make a very strong “Laos Laos” or Laos Whiskey. The old man near me offers a taste. I first smell the distillate which is strong enough to instantly clear my nostrils. I take a sip. It has a sweet but overwhelmingly intoxicating affect. I declined to finish the shot. Finally, it was time to return to the hotel and take a well-deserved nap.