Luang Prabang

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Luang Prabang was the most interesting city that I visited in Laos. It has lots of gorgeous temples, interesting markets, and interesting sites in the vicinity. It is located in the northern parts of Laos at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers, approximately 300 km (190 miles) north of Vientiane. It was the capital of the Luang Prabang kingdom (1707-1946). After that it was the capital of Laos till the communist take-over in 1975. The Town of Luang Prabang is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For more information see the Wikipedia pages for Luang Prabang.

All pictures are © Dr. Günther Eichhorn, unless otherwise noted.

View of Luang Prabang. (814k)

Street scene in Luang Prabang. (749k)

Street scene in Luang Prabang. (733k)

Street scene in Luang Prabang. (748k)

On a bicycle with umbrella. (869k)

Monks in Luang Prabang. (952k)

Giving alms to the monks on main street in the morning. (1046k)

School children practicing dancing. (737k)

School children practicing dancing. (615k)

School children practicing dancing. (655k)

Sharing a meal at the Pak Ou Caves. (933k)

Kuang Si Waterfall

The Kuang Si Waterfall is a beautiful waterfall southwest of Luang Prabang. It is well worth a visit.

Kuang Si Waterfall. (950k)

Top of the Kuang Si Waterfall. (1225k)

Wooden bridge over the brook above the waterfall. (1311k)

Kuang Si Waterfall. (1128k)

Kuang Si Waterfall. (1085k)

Pak Ou Caves

There are two natural caves at Pak Ou. They house thousands of Buddha statues, from very small ones to life-size ones. Their number is decreasing due to theft and destruction of wooden statues by termites. Once a year, at Laos New Year, the locals come to perform the ceremonial washing of the Buddha. They use the Naga shaped Hang Hod for the ceremonial washing.

View of the mountain with the Pak Ou Caves from across the Mekong. (659k)

Lower Pak Ou Cave. (929k)

Lower Pak Ou Cave. (823k)

Shrine in the lower Pak Ou Cave. (1016k)

Buddha statues in the lower Pak Ou Cave. (932k)

Buddha statues in the lower Pak Ou Cave. (983k)

Buddha statues in the lower Pak Ou Cave. (831k)

Buddha statues in the lower Pak Ou Cave. (785k)

Buddha statues in the upper Pak Ou Cave. (770k)

Buddha statues in the upper Pak Ou Cave. (759k)

Buddha statues in the upper Pak Ou Cave. (773k)

Close-up of Buddha statues in the upper Pak Ou Cave. (669k)

Naga shaped Hang Hod for washing the Buddha. (807k)

View from the Pak Ou Cave across the Mekong River. (632k)

Wat Xieng Thong

Wat Xieng Thong is the oldest temple in Luang Prabang. It was built in 1560. One of the buildings is the tomb of King Sisavang Vong, the last king of Laos. The temple has very interesting colorful mosaics on the temple walls, telling various fables. One the about a hunter who put a snare in the forest and caught a deer. The turtle freed the deer from the snare. The hunter in retaliation caught the turtle and put it in his satchel. When the other animals saw that, a bird distracted the hunter, the deer stole the satchel from the distracted hunter and ran away, then freed the turtle. This is a fable about cooperation.

Buildings in the Wat Xieng Thong temple complex. (1179k)

Buildings in the Wat Xieng Thong temple complex. (933k)

Buildings in the Wat Xieng Thong temple complex. (895k)

Temple building in the Wat Xieng Thong temple complex. (615k)

Roof decorations on the main temple in the Wat Xieng Thong temple complex. (788k)

Temple building in the Wat Xieng Thong temple complex with elaborate glass mosaics. (715k)

Roof mosaic on the Wat Xieng Thong temple, depicting the fable of the hunter, the deer and the turtle. (1151k)

Roof mosaic of a peacock and other animals on the Wat Xieng Thong temple. (1053k)

Roof mosaics on the Wat Xieng Thong temple. (1029k)

Roof decoration on the Wat Xieng Thong temple. (1394k)

Small Buddha shrine in the Wat Xieng Thong temple complex. (940k)

Small stupa with glass mosaics, glistening in the sun. (1162k)

Colorful glass mosaic-covered lotus representations in the Wat Xieng Thong temple complex, glistening in the sun. (801k)

Colorful glass mosaic-covered lotus representation in the Wat Xieng Thong temple complex. (995k)

Mausoleum of King Sisavang Vong. (745k)

Mausoleum of King Sisavang Vong with the ceremonial barge that carried the remains of King Sisavang Vong. (805k)

Ceremonial barge that carried the remains of King Sisavang Vong. (933k)

Ceremonial barge with the urn that carried the remains of King Sisavang Vong. (878k)

Close-up of the ceremonial barge that carried the remains of King Sisavang Vong. (891k)

Buddha statues and glass mosaics in the mausoleum of King Sisavang Vong. (1147k)

Buddha statues in the mausoleum of King Sisavang Vong. (999k)

Small Buddha statues in the mausoleum of King Sisavang Vong. (878k)

Wat Mai Suwannaphumaham

The Wat Mai Suwannaphumaham temple was built in 1796. It is the largest and most richly decorated of the temples in Luang Prabang. It has an active monastery (like many temples in Laos).

Wat Mai temple. (817k)

Buildings and Buddha statues on the grounds of the Wat Mai temple. (739k)

Roof decoration on the Wat Mai temple. (593k)

Relief depicting scenes out the the myths surrounding the Wat Mai temple. (1302k)

Small stupas on the grounds of the Wat Mai temple. (649k)

Monk at the Wat Mai temple. (892k)

Buddha statue in the Wat Mai temple in the meditation pose (Dhyana Mudra). (1062k)

Small Buddha statue next to the large one in the Wat Mai temple. The pose is "Praying for Rain". This pose is especially frequently seen around Luang Prabang, it is rare elsewhere. (755k)

Group of Buddha statues in the Wat Mai temple complex. (1022k)

Group of Buddha statues in the Wat Mai temple complex. (1174k)

Buddha statue in the "Stop Fighting" pose (Double Abhaya Mudra). (1041k)

Buddha statue in the "Preventing Calamities" pose (Abhaya Mudra). (964k)

Buddha statue in the "Touching the Earth" pose (Bhumisparsha Mudra). (1046k)

Buddha statue in the "Meditation" pose (Dhyana Mudra), under the seven-headed Naga. (924k)

Wat Siphoutthabath

Wat Siphoutthabath temple. (931k)

Students in the school at the Wat Siphoutthabath temple. (651k)

Haw Kham Royal Palace

The Haw Kham Royal Palace was built in 1904 by the last king of Luang Prabang, Sisavang Vong, who in 1946 became the first king of Laos. The three-headed elephant on the palace symbolizes the three kingdoms that formed Laos, the kingdoms of Luang Prabang, Vientiane, and Champasak.