The beautiful Kuang Si Waterfalls

After checking in to our new hotel we negotiate a tuk tuk to take us to the Kuang Si Waterfalls.  They wait till they're full to leave and we've agreed to wait for two girls so we have half an hour to sit down and have some food. We get chatting to a couple who, after living and working overseas for years, are returning to their hometown of Derby in a couple of months ... small world!

We head to the Waterfalls chatting to the others in the tuk tuk, there are three German intensive care nurses, an american lady and her Italian companion ... a really nice group.  As you arrive at the Falls there is a bear sanctuary which houses Asiatic Black Bears.  Most of the bears are rescued by the Lao Government from illegal poaching and trading, their likely destination being a life of torture at a bile farm outside of Laos.

The Falls themselves are amazing although pretty crowded.  We climb up to the top then have a dip in one of the many pools at the bottom ... cold but refreshing.  

We're leaving tomorrow to head for Vang Vieng ... we're not quite sure whether we're looking forward to it as its the party capital of Lao although the Government has apparently put a stop to the worst of it.