- Location: Luang Prabang, Laos
- Cost of visiting: $ 2.5
In the north of Laos is the city of Luang Prabang , which was once the capital of the former monarchy. There are many places of interest in its vicinity. However, tourists and local residents enjoy the popularity of an object located far beyond its borders - the Paku caves, known for their incredible number of Buddha statues.
History of Paku Caves
This cave complex is one of the most highly valued sanctuaries and unique objects of nature. It began to be used as a religious temple long before Buddhism appeared. At that time the Pak Ou caves had a special role to play - they protected the Mekong River , which was the embodiment of life. The name of this sight is translated as "Caves in the mouth of the U river".
When Buddhism began to be practiced in Laos, the cave complex became the repository of a huge number of sacred Buddha figures. To date, their number reaches several thousand.
Approximately in the XVI century, guardianship over the Paku caves began to be carried out by members of the royal family. Every year the king and the queen came to this sacred place to perform a prayer ritual. The tradition has ceased to exist since 1975, when the royal family was expelled from the country.
Features of the Paku caves
For a long time this cave complex served as a place where foreign pilgrims and local residents brought various statues of the Buddha. It is divided into two levels:
- The lower cave (Tham Ting), which contains at least 2.5 thousand figures;
- The upper cave (Tham Theung), which has become a repository of about 1,5 thousand sculptures.
In the caves of Paku you can find statues of various shapes and sizes. The age of some of them reaches 300 years. They are mainly made of such materials as:
- tree;
- a rock;
- metal;
- textile.
According to scientists, this natural object is concentrated much more caves, which formed around the III century BC. The complex was discovered many centuries ago. At that time, it was not very difficult, because the Pak-ou caves are located directly in sight. Nevertheless, it is still impossible to reach them on the ground. Laos are confident that this place is inhabited by good spirits. That's why the locals come here on the eve of the new year.
A rich history and cultural significance makes this cave complex an important landmark not only of Luang Prabang, but of all Laos. Traveling to the Paku caves guarantees a lot of interesting impressions. To further penetrate this atmosphere, immediately after the cave complex you should visit the Royal Palace , which is also rich in museum exhibits.
How to get to Paku Caves?
To see this sanctuary, you will have to travel a distance of 30 km from the center of Luang Prabang province. The Pak-ou caves are located in a place where the rivers Ou and Mekong merge, so they can be reached only by water. To do this, you should hire a conventional or motor boat. The cost of rent is about $ 42 (350 thousand kip). It is better to choose an ordinary boat, since in this case the trip will be slower and it will be possible to make memorable photos.