Boun Lai Heua Fai, Luang Prabang

• Warning: Image-heavy content.

This trip was very spontaneous.

We saw a post on the "Being Lao" page sharing pictures and the schedule for the "Boon Tai Khom Fai (Lighting the Khom Fai) Floating Fire Boat" event. We decided to find a bus route we hadn't used before and chose the Nan-Luang Prabang route. If you want to use this route, you need to inquire about the days the bus operates by calling 054710027. Currently, there is only one bus operating from the Lao PDR side, as the Thai bus has broken down. This route departs from Nan Bus Terminal at 8:00 am and goes through Huay Kon-Hongsa-Xayaboury-Luang Prabang. The fare is 660 baht, and the estimated travel time is 8 hours. However, the driver was kind enough to let us ride for 10 hours. We took a 9.5-hour bus from Mo Chit to Nan and then another 10-hour international bus. We were quite sore afterwards. The bus looks like this: in Laos, they call it a mini van.

Thai immigration checkpoints no longer require the completion of arrival/departure cards. Travelers can proceed directly to the immigration counter for stamping. However, arrival/departure cards are still required at Lao immigration checkpoints.

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This route will pass by the Hongsa Power Plant, which is another city I would like to visit. Let's take a picture of the power plant.

The restaurant where the car will park for lunch is okay. The food is prepared quickly and the prices are reasonable.

Shortly after leaving the shop, heavy rain began to fall, forcing the car to slow down. The water flowing down from the mountain was a frightening red color. Fortunately, the driver was familiar with the route. For those who are concerned about restrooms, there are rest stops almost all along the way, including restaurants and gas stations.

After a long bus ride from Nan to Luang Prabang, the guesthouse we had booked through Agoda turned us away, claiming they hadn't checked their email and a foreigner had extended their stay. However, they did take responsibility and found us a nearby place to stay. We spent our first night at Villa Luang Sokxay, where the staff were friendly and helpful. They gave us good advice and even offered us a discount on a tour to Kuang Si Falls. We also had the chance to try a delicious bowl of "laap," a local meat dish.

Explore the World Heritage city. On this day, the city will be beautifully decorated with lanterns. Temples will be adorned with lanterns and illuminated boats.

Buddhist monks and novices in Luang Prabang also participated in the fire-lighting ceremony, making it a community event that follows tradition.

Visiting Luang Prabang, you must visit the night market, eat khao soi at your favorite restaurant, try Luang Prabang papaya salad in Luang Prabang, and enjoy grilled pork belly in the vegetarian buffet alley.

Much has changed, but Luang Prabang remains as beautiful as ever. Even though we have experienced its charm a dozen times, we still find ourselves captivated by its allure. On our first night here, we wandered around, capturing the essence of the city through our lens. This trip, we were fortunate enough to borrow a Leica T from a generous benefactor.

The next morning, we rushed out to offer alms to the monks. If you see the door closed after resting at the guesthouse, you can open it yourself. We chose to buy sticky rice at the market for 10,000 kip. Today, we offered alms together with the people of Luang Prabang.

After a satisfying meal, they head to the market for a simple breakfast, spending 10,000 kip for a fulfilling meal.

Explore the market a little more. Every time you come, you will see new and unusual things. I love looking at things in the local market.

Walking along the Mekong River, the atmosphere is fantastic. The weather is pleasantly cool.

Continue walking to Wat Xieng Thong. If you arrive early in the morning, there will be fewer people, allowing you to take photos without waiting in line. You won't have to compete with others for the popular photo spots. The entrance fee is 20,000 kip.

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After leaving the temple, we continued exploring the World Heritage city.

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Upon reaching Tad Kwang Si, we were charged an additional 20,000 kip. The trekking route we chose was extremely muddy, slippery, and messy.

A wrong turn led to an unexpected adventure. The path led to a private property where a water park was under construction. Along the way, a snake as thick as an arm slithered past, less than a meter away. On the way back, the same path had to be taken, with the fear of encountering the snake again.

We returned to the top of the waterfall and soaked in the cool, refreshing water.

The path down to the water was flooded, soaking my sneakers. I took some photos from different angles with the others.

After our time for exploration here, we returned to the city. The tour bus dropped us off at the Laos Telecom intersection, where we walked around taking pictures. Tonight, we moved to Kinnaly Place House, a guesthouse with breakfast included. What I liked about this place was that they hired students to watch over the place in the evenings, allowing them to sleep there if there were no customers. In the mornings, the students could still make it to their classes on time.

As the sun sets at 6 pm, the atmosphere is buzzing with excitement as everyone prepares to enjoy the Loy Krathong festival.

Visit Wat Chiang Thong, a beautiful temple with many visitors.

The time has come to witness the procession of 52 beautifully lit fireboats. The event showcases the collaborative spirit of people of all ages. The tradition of "Bun Tai Kom Fai" (lighting the lamps) and "Lai Rua Fai" (floating fireboats) is a custom observed during the "Bun Ok Phansa" festival, particularly by the people of Luang Prabang. This tradition has been passed down through generations, following the Laotian "Heet Sip Song Khon Sip Si" calendar. On the 1st waning day of the 11th lunar month, which falls on October 25th this year, the people of Luang Prabang gather to float fireboats and lanterns to pay homage to the footprints of the Buddha beneath the ocean.

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Concluding with the Loy Krathong festival with the people of Luang Prabang.

On the last morning, there was very little time. The bus back to Nan left at 8:00 AM, and the person who was picking me up had arranged to meet me at 7:20 AM. Therefore, I did not have time to offer food to the monks and could only take photos.

Due to the time constraint, breakfast had to be rushed. While waiting, I took a few more photos.

The younger sibling called to ask if they could ride a motorbike. After I agreed, they took me on a high-speed ride along the Mekong River before dropping me off at the bus station to catch my ride back to Nan. (I had the younger sibling book my return ticket, and they charged me 20,000 kip for picking up the ticket and taking me to the station.)

The return trip was delayed by 15 minutes. We made the same stops on the way back, but when we crossed the border, we were checked at many points. We arrived at Nan Bus Station at 6:30 pm. Everyone was happy and relieved when we arrived. The return trip was very comfortable.

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