Tanva Mekong Cruises

Wat Chomphet temple and a local school at Xieng Mene village

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The villages across the Mekong River from Luang Prabang have a lot to offer visitors but few make the effort. For those who do, it’s a world away from the polished tourist city of Luang Prabang. It’s a peaceful place to visit and you can experience genuine Lao village life.

We start with a short cruise across the river. A short walk up the riverbank takes us into a small village full of genuine Lao markets and food. A further walk along the river brings us to the small village of Xieng Men. Here we’ll visit a primary school in progress. This little school welcomes donations of teaching materials.

We then continue along for a short while to Wat Chomphet. The 100 steps to get to the temple are worth the effort. This temple is special and the views from here are impressive. This quaint little temple was built by the Thai Army in 1888. It’s abandoned now so you can feel relaxed walking around. Have a look at the sitting Buddha inside. A small thâat contains the bones of the wife of King Sakkarin, Chao Thong Di, who died in 1929.

From this hilltop temple you can experience great views of the river and the city of Luang Prabang.

You will arrive back in Luang Prabang in plenty of time for lunch.