COUNTRIES

Tat Kuang Si, 32km south of Lunag Prabang

Popular activity - jumping into the water from a swing

Ela and I were both recovering from flu and we didn't enter the water

A small but very pretty waterfall

Amazing limestone formations

The whole area has been turned into a public park and is quite busy with local and foreign tourists

The highest waterfall in Kuang Si. A long and steep path leads to the top of it

Arriving late in Vang Vieng, a small town set against the backdrop of stunning limestone peaks

Next day we hired a motorcycle and went to Poukham Cave

There seems to be a Buddha image in every cave, and there are many, many caves around Vang Vieng

Inside Poukham Cave

It's a long and slippery walk but it's worth going to the very end

Back at the entrance

There is a small lake near the cave, great for swimming

Fortunately, water buffaloes use a different lake

View from our hotel in the morning. Vang Vieng is a big party place, very noisy at night

Limestone mountains around Vang Vieng

River crossing. Some people simply walked across

That Dam (Black Stupa) in Vientiane, the capital city of Laos. Population just 200,000

Victory Monument in Vientiane, built with cement donated by the USA for the construction of a new airport

Pha That Luang, the most important national monument in Laos. A symbol of Buddhist religion and Lao sovereignty

Buddhists with incense at That Luang

Food vendor outside Pha That Luang (meaning Great Sacred Stupa)

There are many silverware sellers outside. That day we took a bus to Thailand, only 20km from Vientiane