photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Khanh | profile | all galleries >> Laos >> Mekong River & Pak Ou Caves tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Mekong River & Pak Ou Caves

After knowing so many Vietnamese restaurants named after this river, it was nice to finally get to cruise down the Mekong to the Pak Ou Caves.  Though not the longest river in the world (it's only 12th), it does travel though much of South East Asia - there are boats/ferries that can take you from Lao to Thailand in a few agonisingly boring days.
 
Anyway, a couple of uneventful (ie boring) hours up the Mekong on our sheltered boat, we were at the Pak Ou Caves.  Actually two caves, the first and smaller one near the river is Tham Ting, where hundreds or thousands (depending on who you ask - or perhaps your viewing angle) of buddas can be found perched up in the cave.  Because it is smaller, after you immediately ascend the steps you are immediately among the buddas.  And I mean among, because you get the feeling it's all around you due to their close proximity.  Plus, I like this cave because you get a great view of the Mekong from the cave.
 
I wasn't so enthusiastic about the next cave though.  Tham Phum is located only a few hundred metres away and up some stairs.  Not the most pleasant thing to do in the Lao humidity.  Anyway, at the top of the stairs you are greeted by a gated entrance that looks like it came out of Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom.  Actually, it's not that bad; the cave is deeper (and thus cooler) with some budda paintings on the wall and has a few buddas too, though much less than at Tham Ting.
 
Sign of Mekong River
Sign of Mekong River
Down to Mekong River
Down to Mekong River
Boats on Mekong River
Boats on Mekong River
Joyce and Noon at Mekong River
Joyce and Noon at Mekong River
Boat on Mekong River
Boat on Mekong River
Joyce and Noon on Boat
Joyce and Noon on Boat
Petrol Station on the Mekong
Petrol Station on the Mekong
Mekong River
Mekong River
Boat at entrance to Pak Ou Caves
Boat at entrance to Pak Ou Caves
Noon at Pak Ou Caves
Noon at Pak Ou Caves
Buddas at Tham Ting Cave
Buddas at Tham Ting Cave
More Buddas at Tham Ting Cave
More Buddas at Tham Ting Cave
Even more Buddas at Tham Ting Cave
Even more Buddas at Tham Ting Cave
Lots and lots of Buddas at Tham Ting Cave
Lots and lots of Buddas at Tham Ting Cave
A Budda at Tham Ting Cave (Profile)
A Budda at Tham Ting Cave (Profile)
A Budda at Tham Ting Cave (Close Up)
A Budda at Tham Ting Cave (Close Up)
Hundreds of Buddas at Tham Ting Cave
Hundreds of Buddas at Tham Ting Cave
Budda Shrine
Budda Shrine
Budda Shrine 2
Budda Shrine 2
Looking out onto Mekong River
Looking out onto Mekong River
Buddas in the Tham Ting Cave
Buddas in the Tham Ting Cave
Fortune Telling Sticks
Fortune Telling Sticks
Chinese Zodaic
Chinese Zodaic
Jasmine Incense
Jasmine Incense
Stairs to Tham Phum Cave
Stairs to Tham Phum Cave
Entrance to Tham Phum Cave
Entrance to Tham Phum Cave
Tham Phum Cave from inside
Tham Phum Cave from inside
Inside Tham Phum Cave
Inside Tham Phum Cave
Paintings on Tham Phum Cave
Paintings on Tham Phum Cave
Buddas in Tham Phum Cave
Buddas in Tham Phum Cave
Buddas in Tham Phum Cave 2
Buddas in Tham Phum Cave 2
Water Chute inside Tham Phum Cave
Water Chute inside Tham Phum Cave
Back to the Mekong
Back to the Mekong
Back on the Boat
Back on the Boat