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taboo5 | profile | all galleries >> Laos >> Luang Prabang, Laos - Mekong River Cruise & Pak Ou Caves (12/2010) tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Luang Prabang, Laos - Mekong River Cruise & Pak Ou Caves (12/2010)

The Pak Ou Caves are caves overlooking the Mekong River 25 km. from Luang Prabang, Laos. They can be reached by boat from Luang Prabang. For a couple of thousand years, people have been climbing up to the Pak Ou Caves, to use them as a place of worship and as a place to create shrines to Buddha. Over the centuries, more than 4,000 Buddha images have been placed in the Pak Ou Caves. The Pak Ou Caves consist of two caves in a limestone cliff where the Nam Ou River and the Mekong River meet. The lower cave called Tham Ting is the smaller of the two. It is 50 ft. above the river and is open to sunlight. When you climb to Tham Ting, you realize that it is more of a shrine than a cave. There is a place to kneel and worship before the biggest Buddha images. The higher cave called Tham Phum is deep and pitch black. By the time you reach the part of the cave where the Buddha images are located, it is impossible to see them without a flashlight or torch. Most people get to the Pak Ou Caves by river from Luang Prabang and make an easy landing at a jetty under them. When visiting the Pak Ou Caves, then, it is tempting to imagine how so many generations must have also felt when they were there.
Lang Prabang Mekong River Cruise and Pak Ou Caves cover page.
Lang Prabang Mekong River Cruise and Pak Ou Caves cover page.		 Map of Laos with the star indicating Luang Prabang.
Map of Laos with the star indicating Luang Prabang.		 View of a tour boat on the Mekong River.
View of a tour boat on the Mekong River.		 My Lao tour guide, Lou, stopped for me to take his picture.
My Lao tour guide, Lou, stopped for me to take his picture.
On the tour boat going down the Mekong River.
On the tour boat going down the Mekong River.		 Another tour boat passed us.
Another tour boat passed us.		 We made a stop at a village on the Mekong River with this small temple.
We made a stop at a village on the Mekong River with this small temple.		 Close-up of the temple. We also went to the Sa Paper Village.
Close-up of the temple. We also went to the Sa Paper Village.
This Lao woman was weaving fabrics.
This Lao woman was weaving fabrics.		 Entrance to the Pak Ou Caves with other tour boats parked at the jetty.
Entrance to the Pak Ou Caves with other tour boats parked at the jetty.		 You have to climb these stairs to get to the cave.
You have to climb these stairs to get to the cave.		 Looking down at the boats from the top of the stairs.
Looking down at the boats from the top of the stairs.
The lower part of the cave is called Tham Ting where there are at least 2,500 Buddha statues.
The lower part of the cave is called Tham Ting where there are at least 2,500 Buddha statues.		 Everywhere I looked, I saw more Buddhas.
Everywhere I looked, I saw more Buddhas.		 Some of them are very old. Lao people have been coming to the the caves for thousands of years bringing them as offerings.
Some of them are very old. Lao people have been coming to the the caves for thousands of years bringing them as offerings.		 Close-up of one of the statue offerings.
Close-up of one of the statue offerings.
Above the Buddha statues in the lower caver is a golden stupa.
Above the Buddha statues in the lower caver is a golden stupa.		 Close-up of the golden stupa.
Close-up of the golden stupa.		 More shrines in the lower cave.
More shrines in the lower cave.		 Me posing in the lower cave among all of the statues.
Me posing in the lower cave among all of the statues.
Other tourists at the opening of Pak Ou Caves.
Other tourists at the opening of Pak Ou Caves.		 A happy (fat) Buddha the at Pak Ou Caves.
A happy (fat) Buddha the at Pak Ou Caves.		 Entrance to the upper caves. You have to climb a lot of stairs to get there.
Entrance to the upper caves. You have to climb a lot of stairs to get there.		 More Buddha statues in the upper cave. It is pitch black in there. I could not see a thing!
More Buddha statues in the upper cave. It is pitch black in there. I could not see a thing!
More statues in the dark. Fortunately, my camera had a good flash.
More statues in the dark. Fortunately, my camera had a good flash.		 Statues with a small stupa in the upper cave.
Statues with a small stupa in the upper cave.		 The cave opening as I am leaving. You can see the Mekong River below.
The cave opening as I am leaving. You can see the Mekong River below.		 Lao people taking a lunch break at the Pak Ou Caves.
Lao people taking a lunch break at the Pak Ou Caves.
Another boat that we passed on our way back to Luang Prabang.
Another boat that we passed on our way back to Luang Prabang.

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