Standing in awe of something is a way of temporarily losing one’s ego. At Kuang Si waterfall today I saw this expression on the faces of others and felt it myself. Living in Maui, I’ve seen some beautiful waterfalls, and Kuang Si was beautiful as well but totally different. The rock formations are much different, and have a rounded look, as if the centuries of pounding water have worn away all the edges. The consistent flow has turned the limestone into perfect pools, and many of them, all a beautiful turquoise blue. And cold!

And then there’s the vibe of this place. After walking the trail that goes up and around the waterfall and constantly hearing the flow of water everywhere, I felt like a zen monk doing a walking meditation. Maybe it was walking barefoot, and really connecting with the land and the energy of the place. Or maybe that’s just the effect that a beautiful place can have on a person.

We had left Luang Prabang after renting a scooter, and made the half hour drive south past rural villages and rice paddies. After entering the park, we walked past the bear rescue center and to the first pool. It was already better than any place we’d seen on our travels.

As we continued hiking, each set of pools was seemed even more beautiful than the last, and the waterfall at the top was truly awe inspiring. From there, we took a hike up and around the falls, with some great views and more pools at the top. It was funny, the pictures looked so perfect it almost looked more like a painting.

And what better way to end the day than a $2 buffet at the night market! 🙂