Laos Waterfalls

During our stay in Luang Prabang, we did outings to 2 waterfalls. Kuang Si is more impressive in terms of waterfalls, but Tad Sae is also a worthwhile trip to see elephants wading in pools.

Tad Sae

Getting to this waterfall involved a roadtrip, followed by a short boat ride to the other side of a river. Our driver dropped us off near the river bank, where several old men waited for passengers. We had to assume that they would also be waiting for us upon our return from the falls.

Elephant rides and bathing are offered in the lower half of these falls. On our way in, we saw a woman happily bathing a gentle younger elephant, and OD started saying he wanted to see me bathe an elephant (just me -- he had some excuse not to go himself).

However, we then watched a mother and two daughters with the elephants, and I decided squarely against it. Not only did the elephants like to dunk their passengers, but they also took large poops in the water. Already sick with a respiratory bug from Bangkok, I would not have been happy to be thrown off an elephant's back into dirty water (there were elephant-free pools in the levels above, which OD took a dip in). We did get some good video footage of the action.

After watching the elephant rides/bathing, we bought some bananas and sugarcane to feed the elephants, which was enough interaction for us for the day. I couldn't recall ever feeding elephants before and I was struck by the pointy shapes of their mouths and trunks.

Kuang Si Falls

These waterfalls cascade down over various levels. In the lower levels, there were a number of people swimming, with a couple spots with ropes for swinging into the water. Due to minerals, the water had a particular turquoise blue color.

Near the waterfalls is a sanctuary of sunbears, who were too busy to pose for a shot. These bears are endangered in parts of Southeast Asia, due to deforestation and the bear bile trade. The bile of these bears is extracted for use as an ingredient in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Bear bile farms in China and other regions keep bears in small cages, allowing easy access to their gall bladders. The bile extraction process is believed to be extremely painful for them. Sanctuaries such as this one are an attempt to conserve the species and educate the public about their abuse.