I’ve loved being here but I can’t help feeling uncomfortable because the cultural identity of this town seems to be in serious danger.  At the beginning of my trip, I met a cool Dutch couple who’d been cycling around Asia for 18 months.  They’d travelled all across Laos and seen the abject poverty.  In their words, this place was nothing short of Disneyland. But money talks and as more and more people rock up in Laos, looking for a ‘unique travel experience’ this idyllic spot won’t be idyllic for much longer...

Asking what was wrong, she was told that they’d almost run out of rice, which meant they couldn’t serve customers.  The only way to make sure they got through the evening was by buying more, but they didn’t have the funds.  Could they borrow something from her? “How much did they need?” I asked Rachel. “20,000 kip,” she replied.  “Just under a dollar.  Of course, I subbed them.  They took the money to another stall, came back with a huge pot of rice and soon they were back in business.”

Today tens of thousands of UXO (‘unexploded ordnance’ aka explosive weapons that did not detonate) remain, continuing to maim and kill people.  As I wander the small museum, there are examples of these weapons everywhere - including ‘cluster bombs’.  These exploded before they hit the ground, opening up and throwing out smaller bombs named ‘bombies’.  Around 30 percent never exploded. And since these bombs are still live, 20,000 Laotians have died since 1973, with it being estimated two weeks someone in Laos is killed (or horribly maimed) as a result of accidentally stepping on a UXO…

On you wander and then suddenly, the first glimpse of water.  Wow!  Pools that are crystal, clear, a fabulous shade of turquoise, surrounded by lush greenery and plenty of shade.  Geologists call this type of falls  ‘travertine’ - a type of limestone formed when mineral-rich rivers, lakes and spring water evaporate).  The water cascades down, from one to the next and it’s just staggeringly beautiful.

So much so that words don’t do it justice.