After about a week in Cambodia exploring Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, my friend Kayla and I boarded a plane bound for Laos. Our first stop in this new country would be Luang Prabang. In all sincerity I really didn’t put any extra effort into making to-do lists for each city we were visiting. Booking flights and accommodations while working full-time and packing up my life in South Korea was proving to be challenging enough. However, a friend had recently visited Luang Prabang and her Instagram feed from the trip had filled Kayla and I with enough wanderlust envy that we knew we had to add it to the travel itinerary.
We woke up bright and early on our first day in the cozy town of Luang Prabang ready for a day of chasing waterfalls. The Kuang Si Falls to be exact. We met a tuk tuk driver outside of our hotel who took us on a scenic drive through the countryside and up to the entrance to the falls. We quickly bought our tickets and started trekking.
In my time traveling, I’ve been lucky enough to see a whole host of sites that I’d call magical, but these falls deserved a category all their own.
Oddly enough, as you make your way down the path and through the trees you come across a bear rescue center. We took a few minutes to watch the handful of black bears playing in the trees, and then we continued on our trek.
Not too long after passing the bears we started to hear the trickling of the water. The sounds got stronger until we turned around one bend, and there they were. The bottom pools of the falls filled with the most incredible turquoise water I’d ever seen. It took every ounce of will power I had not to jump in right there without exploring any further.
After taking dozens of picture of the first look, we kept moving. The next few tiers of the waterfall were as magical as the first. I kept anticipating the top, every set of falls we saw I thought were the beginning. I was very wrong each time. We kept walking along the trail following a roar of water that was getting closer and closer, waking past a few more pools of crystal clear blue water. And then we found it. The start of the falls that filled the previous mile of pools we’d been admiring. Now, I’ve seen a lot of waterfalls in a lot of countries, but the Kuang Si Waterfalls were unmatched in their beauty.
As I mentioned, I hadn’t done a ton of research about the falls and was simply following a few Instagram posts. That said, I couldn’t have been more surprised by what was standing in front of me. A three-tier waterfall that stood two-hundred feet tall and led into the most beautiful pools of perfectly bluish-green water cascading down the white limestone, all surrounded by lush greenery which allowed just a hint of sunlight to glisten in. We were in paradise.
This time I was sure we’d made it to the end of the trail, but Kayla saw a sign pointing up the mountain that the path continued. She asked if I wanted to keep going, and quite frankly, I really didn’t. But, I wasn’t going to send her up the mountain alone, so I agreed to go with. And holy smokes, am I glad I did.
We hiked another twenty minutes up the trail of the steep mountain where the falls originated and followed the path across one log bridge and then another log bridge when we came across some other tourists. Somehow we managed to discover a little lagoon at the top of the falls tucked away from the groups of people we’d seen below.
Being hot from the hike, I jumped right into frigid water, enchanted by the setting we had found ourselves in. A hidden little swimming spot picturesquely canopied by tropical greenery. It was nature’s own infinity pool, and it was truly perfection.
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The town of Luang Prabang is utterly sweet and runs the length of a few square blocks. It’s a quiet town, but it is filled with restaurants and cafes, temples, and small shops. It also hosts one of the best night markets I’ve been to thus far.
While we only had a few short days in Luang Prabang, it quickly became one of my very favorite spots, and it’s the one I’ve been recommending the most to fellow travelers. Very simply, it’s a marvelous little town in Laos.
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After spending a day in 
The previous day I’d read on a few blogs that there was a budget friendly food stand selling delicious Kobe beef for about $15, perfect for a backpacker’s budget. Following the blogs’ directions, I found myself right in the center of the market ordering a plate of Kobe beef which came with a little side of corn and green onions. Not being much of a beef eater, I hadn’t been expecting a whole lot, but, oh. my. gosh. was it divine. Unbelievably tender, and the sauce that they add on top is incredible as well. It turns out that the stand is a small street branch of a larger restaurant which, I’m assuming, is how the quality is so good.
I arrived safely atop the mountain and took an hour to explore the gardens and greenhouses. My favorite was the rose garden which still had some delightful garden roses in bloom and smelled just wonderful.
Before doing some research I had no idea that Kobe, or Japan for that matter, had a very popular European district dotted with western architecture. The Kitano district of Kobe is filled with colorful, colonial-style homes and buildings, and the streets actually remind me very much of the historical part of my own home town in the suburbs of Chicago. Definitely an interesting surprise to find in central Japan.
I made it to the harbor just as day turned to night and was able to see the skyline all lit up. Again I couldn’t help associating the pier with home as it reminded me so much of Navy Pier back in Chicago. It was built up to include a museum, lots of shops and restaurants, and a giant ferris wheel.
Once we had taken 100 or so photos we decided to leave the refreshing mists of the falls and start making our way to Sanbanggulsa Temple.
In my travels I must have visited dozens of various temples at this point, but each one grabs my attention in a new way. They are so beautiful and feel so sacred and offer such an interesting insight into the beliefs of those who follow the respective religion.
Finally it was summer vacation. One thing I’ll say about Korea is that there’s a descent amount of public holidays, but they really don’t space them out efficiently. I joyfully boarded the small plane that would be taking some friends and I to 
We knew that the Cheonjiyeon Waterfall was within walking distance and at some places could even hear it. Finding it was another task entirely though. We walked around the island following maps and street signs for what felt like hours. Eventually we made it to the park for the falls, where we walked along the path stumbling upon little bits of character all the way.
After lunch our group split up. One friend and I decided to brave the 90 degree heat and walk the town. Along our way we found a bustling street market and a charming café filled with vintage books and tropical leaves on each stainless steel table top. I also had the best coconut ice of my life.
bbm travels 