Pak Ou Caves is a well known Buddhist site and a place of pilgrimage, having thousands of statues and statuettes, in the traditional Luang Prabang style, mainly of the Buddha.

Outside the Pak Ou Caves is the impressive sight of a steep cliff falling sharply into the Nam Ou in Pakou.

PakOu Caves refer to the set of cave system located at the confluence between the Mekong River and Nam Ou River.

The entrance to the caves is a masterpiece, being as it is situated in a vertical cliff (which confirmed climbers will thoroughly enjoy) in the middle of a luxuriant jungle.

The journey to Pak Ou Caves is much easier now, with a small boat landing and stairs leading up to the caves.

If you're travelling by boat, there is usually a stop at one of the handicraft villages along the way.

Pak Ou Caves overview

Pak Ou Caves is approximately 25 kilometers from Luang Prabang. This cave is not only a special destination with spiritual value, but it also has great historical value. Pak Ou Caves means “the caves in front of the river mouth Ou,” but it also has another local name, Tam Ting Cave, which means “thousands of Buddhas.”

Highlights of the caves

Thousands of Buddhas ranging in size from hand to close to a person can be found inside the caves. Almost all of these statues are made of wood and painted in red and black before being covered in sheet gold. Aside from that, there are some status symbols made from animal horns, pottery, and so on.

There may be over 4000 Buddhist statues in the caves, which are divided into two caves: Tam Pum Cave, which houses 1500 Buddhist statues, and Tam Tinh Cave, which houses 2500 Buddhist statues. The Buddhist status system here is very diverse, displaying many different Buddha complexions.

The caves existed before the appearance of Buddhism, so Laos people showed their respect for this site by setting the Buddhist status here, and this thing has been a token place for over 600 years. Once here, the tourist will have an unforgettable experience.

You could also go to Kuang Si Falls, which is close to these caves, and is one of Laos’ most famous waterfalls. It’s very lovely and unique. If you prefer a simple adventure trip, you can go ahead and walk around this place, which is very impressive and worthwhile.

How to travel to Pak Ou Caves?

It takes about 40 minutes by taxi or drive from Luang Prabang Center to Pak Ou Caves, making it convenient to visit on your own or as part of your Laos tour.

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