Where Time Stood Still

But Not Any More. Enjoy An Unspoilt Laos While You Can.

- Aedhon Wei Lim

WHERE DO THEY GET THIS HABIT FROM? Not the French, I don’t think. This and other thoughts of similar bewilderment cross my mind as I regard les cabinets. The place is Kuang Si Falls, a fairly touristic waterfall and Instagram hangout in the middle of lush farmlands 26 kilometres south of Luang Prabang. And there, in the middle of a landlocked third world country, is a ridiculously clean loo. And I don’t mean clean by third world standards, I mean so clean that you could lick off its seat without suffering dysentery. And this is just the beginning of the entrancing world of bipolar opposites that Luang Prabang offers.

A five-minute stroll from said absurdly clean loos is the natural reserve of the waterfalls. Far from being so grand as Niagara or Victoria that a puny human can only observe its magnificence from afar for fear of being torn to shreds, these beautiful cascades are perfectly sized for hands-on and feet-in human appreciation.

Meandering through a clean, yet naturally pristine, cool forest land, the waters were as translucently pure as a Ming Chinese imperial scholar’s white mutton fat jade pour from the cupped hands of golden travertine terraces. Unusually, we were at liberty to soak ourselves in with the fresh waters that cascaded like voluminous folds of Burano lace around our shoulders. If it were any more perfect, there would be elves living in the trees above and dwarves cavorting in the pools.