Park Ou Cave - The Cave on the river with the largest numbers of Buddha Statues in Indochina
The Pak Ou Caves - Tham Ting - are among the most revered holy sites in Laos. A river trip on the Mekong to this famous attraction near Luang Prabang offers a pleasant boat cruise, combining a visit of the culturally important caves with a day out in superb riverside landscape and local villages.
After a short walk to the boat pier, the boat cruise takes us up the Mekong past scenes of rural riverside life, until reaching the Pak Ou Caves at the confluence of the Nam Ou River into the Mekong. Two caves in a limestone face are filled with hundreds of Buddha images, which were deposited here over centuries.
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The caves are noted for their miniature Buddha sculptures. Hundreds of very small and mostly damaged wooden Buddhist figures are laid out over the wall shelves. They take many different positions, including meditation, teaching, peace, rain, and reclining (nirvana).
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Pak Ou remains a popular pilgrimage site for local people. During Lao New Year in April, the caves are crowded with devotees who gain merit by ceremonially washing the Buddha statues. We will see two Hang-Lin used for this ceremony. The upper and lower caves are explored, before stopping for a Lao style lunch at a nearby restaurant.
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Only a short distance away from the Pak Ou Caves, lies the village of Ban Xang Hai. This village has for centuries made the earthen jars used as fermenting containers for Lao wine. Nowadays, it specializes in producing a wide range of lau lao (Lao whisky) and lau hai (Lao wine). Be sure to try just a little!
Source : greendiscoverylaos.com
Photo: remoteasia.com
Huong Pagoda Festival - The longest Buddha festival in Indochina
Every year, when the spring comes, millions of people from all over Vietnam would travel to Ha Noi to take part in one of the country’s most elaborate festivals to welcome the Lunar New Year. Traditionally celebrated from the 6th day of the first month to the end of the third month in reference to the Vietnamese Lunar Calendar, this year’s Huong Pagoda Festival officially opened on February 19, 2010 in the midst of a very favourable weather
Nominate: The largest Institute of Oceanography in Indochina
The Institute of Oceanography in Nha Trang City (Khanh Hoa Province) is considered a Wikipedia on marine ecological system. Visitors to the Institute can observe the rich and lively images as well as learn about the life of the sea creatures and ecological samples.
FANSIPAN- The highest peak mountain Indochina peninsula
Fansipan itself is an attraction of Sapa area as well as Northern Vietnam. The peak is part of Hoang Lien Son mountain range, which is under the protection of Hoang Lien National Park. The trip offers you an opportunity to explore the beautiful nature and challenge yourself.
Wat Mixai in Vientiane
Wat Mixai, or the Temple of Victory, was built during the reign of King Sai Setthathirat (1550-1571) to celebrate the victory over the Burmese troops during the 16th century Lao-Burma war. It was renovated in the early 1900s and adopted a Central Thai style of religious architecture.
Patuxai Victory Monument In Vientiane
With its crenellated upper level topped with five ornate towers in the traditional Laos style, the Patuxai Victory Monument cuts a distinctive figure on the Vientiane skyline. It forms the centrepiece of Patuxai Park, and is dedicated to the Laos who were killed in the fight to gain independence from France, as well as from the nation’s earlier occupiers, Siam and Japan.
Son Tra Peninsula
Son Tra Peninsula is 10km from the center of Da Nang City to the North-east and is 693m high above sea level. Son Tra Mountain can be seen from every places of the city. Son Tra looks like a mushroom of which cap is Son Tra Mountain and stalk is a beautiful sandy beach that affords an ideal area for bathing, playing sports, fishing and swimming.