Making Merit by Donating a Temple Pavilion at Ban Tha Suang, Hongsa City, Laos

Making Merit by Donating a Temple Pavilion at Ban Tha Suang, Hongsa City, Xaignabouli Province, Laos

Hello dear readers, today mr.hotsia will share the experience of traveling to make merit by donating a temple pavilion atBan Tha SuangOne of the beautiful and peaceful riverside villages in Hongsa City, Xaignabouli Province, Laos. This trip was not just an ordinary travel but a meaningful journey because we had the opportunity to collaborate with friends to cover all expenses including boat, travel, and food costs. We used all the money to build a temple pavilion to donate to the local villagers for their real benefit.

Ban Tha Suang is located by the Mekong River. It is a small village with about 40 households and around 100 residents. The name “Tha Suang” is actually pronounced as “Tha Suang” or “Tha Chuang,” derived from the word “Chot Chuang” or “bright.” There is a local legend about a large rock in the middle of the Mekong River called “Hin Chuang” or “Hin Sawang,” which is a symbol of this village. I traveled here by slowly cruising from Huay Sai, stayed one night at Pak Beng, then took the morning boat at around 9:30 AM—the only boat that day from Pak Beng to Ban Tha Suang. The trip took just over an hour.

Upon arrival at Ban Tha Suang, I stayed at P’Porn’s house, a friend and relative of the homeowner. The homestay here is affordable, only 200 baht per night, including three meals prepared in the local style: sticky rice, grilled fish, and fresh seasonal vegetables. Life here is simple and warm, giving a true feeling of being home. Each meal has authentic Lao flavors. What I especially enjoyed was tasting “Kua Pla Dek,” a local dish made by villagers. It has a fragrant, genuine fermented fish flavor and a rich taste. (If anyone is interested, you can watch the Kua Pla Dek video I recorded atthis link)

The activity I was most impressed with was fishing in the Mekong River with P’Porn’s partner, a local fishing expert. He used a net called “Mong” to catch large fish in the Mekong. Each fish weighed several kilograms. I witnessed the villagers’ deep connection with the river. I visited during the rainy season when fish were abundant. It was an experience hard to find elsewhere.

Making Merit by Donating a Temple Pavilion

The main goal of this trip was to jointly make merit by donating a new temple pavilion to the Ban Tha Suang community. My friends and I covered all expenses, including boat travel, food, and construction materials, to complete the new pavilion for real use. After several days of teamwork, the pavilion was finished. It became a community gathering point and an important place for merit-making. I felt very proud to be part of creating something good for the local people here.

After completing the merit-making by donating the temple pavilion, I took my family to continue traveling toHongsa Cityto experience the Tai Lue way of life, which still preserves its culture well. Hongsa City is not far from Ban Tha Suang and is easily accessible by car or boat. I have previously written about it inHongsa Morning Marketwhich is a fresh market that still fully retains the traditional atmosphere of the Tai Lue people.

Route and Travel to Ban Tha Suang

For those interested in traveling to Ban Tha Suang, you can pass through the Huay Kon-Nam Ngeun border checkpoint, an officially open international border crossing. I have written about it inThe International Border Checkpoint Huay Kon ArticleTraveling from Huay Kon checkpoint to Nam Ngeun city is convenient with daily bus services. From Nam Ngeun, you can continue by bus or boat to Hongsa City and Ban Tha Suang easily. It takes about one hour from Nam Ngeun to Hongsa City, then a short boat ride to Ban Tha Suang.

I recommend planning your trip carefully because there is only one boat per day from Ban Tha Suang to Luang Prabang. If you plan to continue to Luang Prabang, be sure to prepare in advance.

Overview and Impressions

This trip gave mr.hotsia experiences in culture, lifestyle, and warmth from this small community by the Mekong River. The feeling of participating in merit-making by donating the temple pavilion is a precious gift I will always cherish. Moreover, seeing and experiencing the lifestyles of the Tai Lue people, Ban Tha Suang villagers, and Hongsa community made me realize that true travel is about understanding the lives of people in each place, not just stopping for photos and moving on.

I thank all my friends who joined this trip and wish everyone blessings. For anyone wanting to try this kind of travel experience, mr.hotsia recommends visiting Hongsa City and Ban Tha Suang at least once. You will surely feel the peace and warmth just as I did.

If you are interested in more stories and visuals about life here, try watching videos about food and daily life of the Lao people in Xaignabouli Province that I recorded, such asXaignabouli Food - Lao Cuisine from Xaignabouli Provinceor watchBoat Trip in Laos 10: Fragrant and Delicious Fried Pra Ra with Fried Eggto enhance your experience before traveling.