Kuang Si Waterfall Luang Prabang

(Picture by Raniera Rewiri)

This is one of those places that needs to be seen to be believed, looking at pictures no matter how good does not show off the beauty of this place. The beauty of mother nature at her very very best and for someone with a fear of water I was nervous but could not wait to jump right in.

Now with this i'd like to start with don't go through any tour operator for the trip its not worth it at all, its easier and cheaper to do it yourself. There was 6 of us who went to the waterfall as you can see by the picture, we had read online that it would cost 50,000 kip per person at the least to get there that's about £4.50 which we thought was pretty reasonable for a 45 minute drive to the waterfall the driver to sit and wait for us to do our thing for however long we wanted and then a 45 minutes drive back.

So we headed out to find ourselves a driver for the day, which we did in no time at all and amazingly he only wanted 30,000 kip per person which is about £2.70, so we climbed into the back of his truck and off we went. Now let me say no matter where you are driving to in Laos or how long you are driving for the views are stunning, by far this place is the most beautiful I have ever visited and it never ever gets boring.

45 minutes later we were at the entrance to the falls of which there was a 10,000 kip entry fee and to our surprise to get to the falls you have to walk through the bear sanctuary, so we stopped and had a look at the rescue bears chilling and playing around having the time of their lives. A couple of us paid the $8 for a t-shirt or vest in support of the animal sanctuary and then headed off up the hill to what only can be described as a paradise. While travelling we have met a few people and they have advised of this amazing waterfall in Laos now as always you think what can be so special about a waterfall, well trust me its mind blowing there are several different pools and sections where you can swim, relax, jump off logs and rocks into the clear blue water to be nibbled on by hundreds and hundreds of fish. The higher up the hills you go the more spectacular the place gets. 

You can't help but just stand and admire and be thankful that this is here for us to experience and again its mother nature, its this amazing place we call home, it's our earth giving us something money can not buy it makes you wonder why so many of us are hell bent on destroying the place we call home but lets not get started on that. No matter where you go in the world or what you do for me its alway the people you are with that makes anything all that more amazing and we were so lucky to meet another amazing couple Hannah & Jake while on a tour in Halong Bay & then 2 of the coolest blokes in the world from New Zealand on the bus from Vietnam to Laos Ranz & D, for me all these amazing places we are visiting are nowhere near as important as the people we are meeting some people you just instantly click with no matter where you are from in the world. It's honestly the people you meet that makes travelling worth while.

The main attraction here is when you brave the rather sketchy hike up the mountain to the very top of the waterfall and just sit in the pool looking over the edge at the world below, listening to the gushing water and the wildlife, watching the world go by and thinking just how grateful you are for being privileged enough to experience something like this. It makes the hard work and hours you put in back home to earn the money to do this all that more worth it. When you sit somewhere as beautiful as this with people as beautiful as the people we met it just gives you a real overwhelming sense of pleasure and achievement in life. I am far from a religious man but you just feel the need to thank someone for moments like this.

This blog is getting a bit deep and it's mainly because although I haven't had a bad life like everyone I have been through my periods when life has been shite, when you can't see a future or you don't see the point in carrying on. So if you are reading this and you are going through one of those periods right now then trust me IT GETS BETTER pain is temporary it may last a minute or an hour or a day or even a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will takes its place but if you quit the pain will last forever.

Be thankful for what you have in life and be thankful for who you have in your life, keep going never give up on your dreams and you will get there. 6 years ago I was homeless, my life was at a point where I couldn't see a future I had lost everything and I am writing this blog in a hammock in Thailand, I am travelling the world with the most amazing girl I could ever wish for, meeting some of the best people you could ever wish to meet and experiencing new things every single day. So I know how hard it can be and I am living proof that you WILL come through as long as you NEVER GIVE UP.

Being at this waterfall made me realise just how lucky I am and just how hard I have worked to get where I am and just how worth it everything you do is.

Thank you for reading 

Richard :)