Trip to Laos   

by RPC Holidays

 Laos is a mountainous areas and a kind of hill station in south East Asia. My father who is the member of the Royale Premium Club is very fond of travelling and loves adventure to which he said yes without thinking when trip to Laos was offered to him by the club. Moreover the club offered great offers and discounts because of which trip was in accordance to the budget. I and brother were very excited about the trip as well because of the mountains and the adventure related to them.

All the flight bookings, hotel bookings and all other planning were done by the club only and my father had to take no tension. We boarded our flight to Laos from the Delhi airport and reached there by taxi organised by the club only. We were very warmly welcomed by the club officials at the Laos airport. From the airport in the capital of Laos we were taken to our hotel where all the bookings were already done. During our drive I experienced and realized a lot of French image in the architecture of Laos which added to my excitement level to know more about the place. The next morning we visited Wat Si Saket and viewed a lot of Buddha images and after that headed to Pha That Luang which is very famous in Laos. Laos is commonly known as Lao in common language there.
At every destination we were accompanied by the club officials so that our trip goes comfortably. The next day we went to the traditional Luang Prabang and various places there. We visited to the Royal Palace museum and I was amazed by the architecture of that palace and the views it provide of the Laos. We went to see the glittering golden stupa as well. We went for the boat trip along the river Mekong to the Pak Ou caves and fare for the place was free for the members of the Royale Premium Club. We visited the silk weaving village of Ban Phanom and saw the weaving of silk there and spent the whole day there. All our meals on that day were arranged at the villa santi hotel which was in association with the club only. The next day we went to watch the lines of saffron robbed Buddhist monks. I really enjoyed visiting Wat Xieng Thong which is the most famous temple in Laos and which is a huge complex too. I was really amazed by the way it was maintained. Last day the club organised a party for all the members of the club in a very cultural way and we were presented gift hampers by the club which was very surprising and we really liked this gesture of the club. I noticed the services of the club which were great and the club treat their members as kings which is really great. We really enjoyed at the party and we were served traditional dishes of that area and some traditional dances were also presented there. All our 4 days at Laos were really happening and enjoyable and it was great to be in that mood and all the credit for it goes to the Royale Premium Club.

About the Author

 

Royale Premium Club (RPC) is an exiting vacation membership club and one of the unique in the field which offer thousands of hotels and resorts worldwide to choose from. You can choose the holidays according to your taste.

Pak Ou Caves

The Pak Ou Caves of Laos

By Jude Limburn Turner

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Buddha statues, incense and flowers offering at the entrance of the lower Pak Ou Cave (Photo credit: Wikipedia)"][/caption]

 

For over a thousand years, Lao people have been visiting the Pak Ou Caves on the shore of the Mekong River. At first, according to some sources, they venerated a river spirit there. As Buddhism spread through Southeast Asia, the caves became important sites for Buddhist worship. Those on a Laos holiday can visit the caves, where a beautiful sight awaits: they are filled with thousands of Buddha statues, large and small.

Tham Ting: the lower cave

Open to the air, this jagged slice in the rock is a short climb above the river's shore. In some ways it is the most stunning, as it is easy to see everything the cave holds. The Buddhas, most of them very small, are arranged on natural rock ledges and in nooks. A shrine, bedecked in yet more Buddhas, offers a place to kneel and pray, and you may see locals and Southeast Asian tourists placing incense and small offerings there. This cave really is a highlight on any Laos holiday - as well as, arguably, one of the best photo opportunities for those who want to capture an aspect of the Lao people's religious beliefs and customs.

Tham Phum: the upper cave

Climb up a fairly long and steep stretch of steps and you will reach Tham Phum, the upper cave. Pack a torch for your Laos holiday if you plan to visit Tham Phum, as it goes deep into the rock where no natural light reaches. With a torch, it reveals another amazing display of Buddhas, containing the majority of the alleged four thousand figures that fill the two caves. Without, it is a dark and mysterious place, sporadically lit by other visitors' torches and camera flashes. However you see it, Tham Phum is well worth the climb.

How to visit the caves

On an organised Laos holiday, a visit to the Pak Ou Caves is almost always part of the itinerary. For those travelling independently, the caves are easy to reach. Situated twenty-five kilometres from Luang Prabang, the best option is to travel by boat. It's very easy to arrange a place on one of the tourist vessels that sets out in the morning, or to privately hire one of the boatmen throughout the day. The journey takes about an hour and a half each way. There is also a land option, taking a tuk-tuk to the opposite shore and then catching a ferry, but this is considerably less scenic.

Jude Limburn Turner is the Marketing Manager for Mountain Kingdoms, an adventure tour company who run several Laos holiday itineraries. Operating in Asia for over 20 years, they now offer treks and tours worldwide, including destinations in North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Central and South East Asia.

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