South East Asia – Luang Prabang, Laos – 2024 – Part 11

Above is the village of Ban Ou just outside of Luang Prabang. This is a Planeterra project which is a big part of G Adventures travel company. Planeterra is the leading non-profit using community tourism to change lives. Tourism is a global industry, but many local businesses suffer so Planeterra steps in and shows them how to encourage tourism and thereby making money. That’s what they did in Ban Ou.

We went first to have some village elders show us a traditional Baci ceremony which is a warm welcome. Each elder tied a string around both of our wrists. It’s a spiritual tradition to bring us good luck and well being. I think I had about 12 strings tied around each wrist when they were done. You are supposed to leave them on for at least 3 days and so I did.

Afterwards we sat out on their patio and they served us lunch which was very good.

Our guide took us around the village and we were taken to a house where a lady makes pashminas, so they said but pretty sure they were imported in bulk. I did buy one, it’s very pretty. On to a house where they made noodles and I got to try my hand making noodles. It was an interesting process. We did not eat any of the noodles though.

Clint bought a small bottle of whiskey at their local still and we were shown how that all worked. It was a really wonderful memory and the people were absolutely lovely and welcoming. So below pics show the still where they make the whiskey, cement tubs in the ground and boilers where it’s cooked or boiled or whatever they call that process. And they gave a drink to whoever wanted to try it.

    After we left the village, our day was not done! We headed to Tat Kuang Si, about an hour drive from the village. Tat Kuang Si is a park with waterfalls and cascades and trails to walk. We had to take a tuktuk partway up a hill and then walk the rest of the way. On the main trail heading into the park, they said we would see bears, in an enclosure. We did not see “real” bears but we did see bears!

    • Entrance sign
    • Our guide Aorr headed down the pathway
    • Central courtyard where people were selling items
    • They did say there were going to bears !
    • Not all the trails were like this!
    • I love the roots on this tree
    • Waterfalls
    • Beautiful spot and lots of people were swimming there

    One more day in Luang Prabang and lots more to see !

    Until next time…..

    10 thoughts on “South East Asia – Luang Prabang, Laos – 2024 – Part 11”

    2. The bears photo did make me smile and that was a nice photo of the two of you … your group does sound nice Susan and the same for all the places that you went and the hospitality extended to you. I would have left the strings on my hand as well. It is a simpler way of life than we are used to, but that does not mean it is diminished in any way as they never have known some of the conveniences that we use/embrace on a daily basis.

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        1. If you have never known the modern amenities you won’t miss them. Look at the Amish folks. It sounds like every village or city you visited on this trip had people that wanted to share their culture with you and the more receptive your tour group members were to trying new foods or drinks, or seeing how they are made, made them all the more willing to do so.

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