The day finally came for us to explore outside of lovely Luang Prabang. We rented a motorbike at one of several shops scattered in and around the town center. Note that motorbike rentals in Luang Prabang are not cheap. We paid about 110,000 kip (+/- $14 USD) per day. That was the most expensive we paid during our 4 months traveling throughout South East Asia. After trying to bargain a price with a collective tuk-tuk, we decided the freedom and flexibility to do what we wanted was worth the price. We spent the day visiting the Pak Ou Caves and the Kuang Si Waterfalls.

Located about 32 km from Luang Prabang, the caves are a popular stop for many travelers - both foreigners and locals. By motorbike, it took us around 45 minutes. The last 10 kilometres were on a rugged, dusty trail leading to a tiny village. We had to ask several people along the way where the caves were. Most didn't know the English name (nor the Lao name for that matter) which made it very difficult to find the caves. We finally did come across a small sign on the road indicating the direction of the caves. It could easily be missed so keep your eyes peeled if you decide to go by motorbike.

VISITING THE PAK OU CAVES IN LAOS

At the entrance of the village, we were abruptly stopped by a twisted cord rising swiftly from the dirt. At the end of the cord sat a young girl kindly requesting us to pay for parking. We paid the few kips to insure our motorbike was safe. Honestly, I don't think anything would've happened to it. There was a sign in the village announcing it was crime-free.

From the parking lot, we walked through the village to the 'dock' to catch a boat. The villagers, including a few children, were very welcoming. Everyone greeted us with smiles from ear to ear. Once at the 'dock', we got on a small wooden boat that would take us across the Nam Ou river to the Pak Ou Caves. The price of the boat ride wasn't included in the entrance fee (20,000 kip / $3) to the caves. It was a fixed price of only a few dollars (I think it was also 20,000 kip).

The caves are one of the most sacred sites in Luang Prabang. An impressive white-washed staircase leads the way up the limestone cliff to the lower cave named Tham Ting. The cave is filled with up to (and possibly more than) 4000 different images of Lord Buddha. Sizes range from miniature statuettes to more elaborate effigies. I was fascinated by the endless number of effigies. My eyes couldn't take in the thousands of Buddha images.

Every April, hundreds of Laotians make the pilgrimage to the Pak Ou Caves to celebrate the Lao New Year. A sign explained the history of the Pak Ou Caves and their significance:

"The first use of the caves for religious purposes was at the time the local population worshiped Phi, or the spirits of nature. It is said that the caves are associated with a river spirit. It is believed that the Lao people first entered the river valley in the middle of the 8th century after moving southward form South China. It was not until considerably later that Buddhism first spread into the area from the West. 

By the 16th Century, Buddhism had been adopted by the royal families of Laos and the caves received patronage from that time until 1975. Every year, the King and the people of Luang Prabang made a pilgrimage to the caves as part of the New Year religious observances. Artisans were commissioned by the royal family to prepare sculptures. Many of the carvings in the cave date from between the 18th to the 20th centuries." 

Using the steep stairs, we headed to Tham Theung cave which was higher up from the river bank. This cave was more expansive but had less effigies. Also, it was much darker than the previous cave. Make sure to have some sort of light to help you navigate the cave and see the hundreds of statues.

A visit to Pak Ou Caves shouldn't take much more than two hours if you take your time. It's definitely time well-spent. The views of the surrounding limestone cliffs are beautiful. The village is charming and the short boat ride is pleasant. I was very happy with my visit to "The Caves of 4000 Buddhas". I'm sure you'll enjoy visiting the Pak Ou Caves as much as I did.