Laos is a peaceful and ancient country, which is now somewhat of a popular tourist destination. Ironically it was a part of the Vietnam War, so it is refreshing to see a nation develop into a haven of tranquillity. Mountainous, green and still fairly un-commercial, there are certain areas which are hot spots for the world traveller:Vientiane (the capital), Van Vieng (something of a party town) and Luang Prabang (a peaceful, market town which its highlight is an inspiring waterfall). Luang Prabang was in fact where my journey through the jungle took place. Surprisingly for South East Asia, the day we chose to take our trek seemed to be wet, and before we could even take to the hills we were invited to take shelter in a locals’ friendly abode, so we wouldn’t drown from the torrential rain.
Our guide told us there was a four-hour trek ahead, and our reward would be the blissful Kouangxi Waterfalls, famous in the area, as it is possible to swim in the pools that were the product of the waterfall’s mighty stream – popular with locals and tourists alike. Unfortunately, there was still the small matter of our rather lengthy trek. When we got going however, time just seemed to evaporate as the picturesque scenery of the Laos Mountains took control and I was left speechless at its amazing beauty. I couldn’t remember another time when I’d felt so relaxed and at ease with the world; it was the combination of the serene atmosphere and the breathtaking sights that made me step back and appreciate where I was and how I had got here.
Despite the scenery, there were of course moments of slight discomfort over the four hours. Whilst being a little wet, it was still rather muggy and reaching into my bag for a bottle of water became a necessity. As well as this, I decided to ask our tour guide about the amount of dangerous creatures in the area, confident that he would give me an answer reassuring me of the safety of the jungle. Instead he answered ‘Well… there are some, but they are only as dangerous as you think they are.’
‘How deep’ I thought. This had not been the type of Eastern enlightenment I was looking for.
We carried on regardless and before we knew it, we arrived right on top of the largest waterfall of all. The view was fantastic, although peering over the edge made me feel a little nauseous. After four hours of walking my feet started to feel as though they were broken, and one of the most valuable lessons I learnt was that sandals are not the best shoes for long distance walks. However, walking on the top tier of the waterfall meant gliding through the upward stream, which would increase in pace and size as it went down the rock formation. It was cold and fresh and great therapy for the soles of my aching feet.
We slowly made our way down the waterfall and the view from the bottom was just as amazing as the view from the top; so amazing that I even contemplated thinking how incredible the beauty of nature was. Then I stopped myself because I knew how depressingly cheesy that would have been. As I have mentioned before, at the base of the waterfall there were three relatively big pools that were filled with people enjoying themselves and lapping up the clean, spring water on an incredibly humid day. I myself dipped into the pool and was completely re-energised (although I could have been up to my neck in sewage water for all I cared as I was so dehydrated). It made the bug dodging all the more worth it and after an epic marathon it was brilliant to relax somewhere so calm and refreshing.
Laos, like many other countries, is becoming the victim of mass globalisation. So I felt privileged that during my journey through the mountainous jungle I was able to see the more tropical, leafier, and ancient side of South East Asia.
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