One of the most respected holy sites in Lao; Pak Ou Caves have a history dating back thousands of years. Packed with over 4,000 Buddha icons, the caves, a shrine to the river spirit and Lord Buddha, are set in a dramatic limestone cliff at the point where the Mekong joins the Nam Ou River.
There are two caves to visit, the lower cave called Tham Ting and the upper cave Tham Theung, both boasting miniature Buddhist figures that are mostly made from wood. Positioned about 50 feet above the river, Tham Ting filters in some light but a torch is required for the absolutely pitch black Tham Theung. The upper cave is home to the majority of the Buddha statues and you will need to find your way in darkness to the thousands of hidden icons. The statues are believed to have been left in the caves by local people for hundreds of years.
Pak Ou translates to ‘mouth of the Ou river’ with the first cave entrance of Tham Ting being very visible from the water; the higher cave is accessed by stairs. The Buddha images in the Pak Ou Caves assume a variety of positions, from meditation to peace and nirvana (the reclining Buddha). Both caves are shrines to Buddha, offering places of worship with the largest image in Tham Ting being a popular place to burn incense and offer prayers. The smaller cave is the more peaceful, with glimpses of the Mekong providing a breathtaking backdrop. The caves are a very popular pilgrim site for locals and get very busy during April when the Lao New Year is in full swing with locals washing and attending to the images.
Most visitors en route to Pak Ou stop at the ‘Lao Lao Village’ Ban Xang Hay, famous for its whisky. The narrow footpath-streets behind the very attractive (if mostly new) wat are also full of weavers’ looms, colourful fabric stalls and a few stills producing the wide range of liquors sold.
An alternative is to go by road to Ban Pak Ou (30km) then take a motor-canoe across the river (20,000K return). Ban Pak Ou is 10km down a decent unpaved road that turns off Rte 13 near Km 405.
Hire a private car could excellent choice if you’ve already got a group of friends ready for a day of adventures. With this option, you’ll generally arrive in the comfort of your air-conditioned van with a private driver, and you’ll enjoy more flexibility in deciding what time you’d like to leave the falls again. The price start at (USD 40). Contact us to get car rental service in Laos with best price