A taste of
Luang Prabang
Late last year, we had the opportunity of joining an eight-day trip – ‘Friendship Caravan: Thai-Laos-Vietnam’ - organized by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) aimed at promoting the northern province of Nan as an interesting ‘alternative gateway’ to Indochina.
Having spent the first day of the tour in the gentle northern Thai province of Nan, our group headed for Laos, and one of its most popular destinations – Luang Prabang.
We crossed into Laos via Thailand’s Huay Khon checkpoint, which was certainly less crowded than the Nong Khai checkpoint usually used by independent foreign travelers.
It should be noted that the use of Huay Khon checkpoint is currently only available to Lao or Thai nationals, so other nationalities would need to travel via Nong Khai (the most direct option) or Chiang Mai. Whichever route you choose, the overland journey is likely to take a minimum of one day. Flights operated by Lao Airlines from Bangkok or Chiang Mai offer a speedier option.
The road linking Huay Khon checkpoint on the Thai side with the Nam Ngeun checkpoint in Ngeun, a district of Laos’ Sayaboury province, extends through to Oudomxay and eventually Dien Bien Phu and Hanoi in Vietnam.
Rough and ready
The biggest ‘culture shock’ as you cross into Laos is probably the condition of the roads, which are of a far lower standard than those found on the Thai side of the border. It’s ‘goodbye’ to asphalt and ‘hello’ to an extremely dusty environment, made somewhat less comfortable by the numerous potholes encountered along the way.
About 25 km from Nguen district is a road to Tha Suang, where boats ferry tourists into Pak Beng in Oudomxay. But our group opted for a route via the city of Hongsa in the heart of Sayaboury province. It’s fair to say that this was a ‘challenging’ journey. The road wound up and down through mountainous terrain, as dark clouds loomed overhead. Fortunately, however, we were to be spared any rainfall during the journey.
We finally arrived at a pier in Tha Deau, where a car ferry service operates. Should you wish to cross the river at Tha Deau, be sure to arrive no later than 6 pm, since no boats operate after then, so you’d be forced to spend a night there.
The crossing itself was virtually trouble free, and only took about an hour. On reaching the other side of the river, you could console yourself with the fact that Luang Prabang is now only 70-km away. But don’t get too excited, though, since the first 50 km requires more travel on low grade dirt roads before finally encountering some asphalt roads for the final stretch.
A peaceful feel
I’m sure that those in search of peace will consider Luang Prabang to be a ‘dream’ destination. Located where the river Kan meets the Mekong, Luang Prabang shares some similarities with the Thai municipality of Nan. Both boast an extremely peaceful feel, and the local population seems to live fairly simple lives while observing Buddhist teachings.
The city, once the capital of Laos, was awarded world heritage status by the United Nations’ Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (Unesco) in 1995. The main focus among visitors is the city’s numerous temples, as well as examples of interesting colonial-era architecture.
Since we arrived in Luang Prabang fairly late in the evening, we decided to head for a night market on Sisavang Vong Road. A huge range of locally-produced bags, jewelry, lamps, paintings, and scarves are on offer, and it’s possible to bargain with vendors. It’s pretty convenient that you can also use baht as well as kip (the official Lao currency). Since we had a busy schedule ahead of us the following day, we wandered back to our hotel for a good night’s sleep.
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Traditions and influence
We woke early the next day to take offerings of rice to the temple of Wat Saen. Hundreds of monks were lined up to receive offerings and we purchased more supplies since we quickly ran out.
The home of the Royal Palace Museum was once the Lao monarchy’s Royal Palace. Designed by a French architect, the single-storey building was constructed in 1940. While the French influence can clearly be seen, it boasts a traditional Lao-style roof. This blend of east and west has led locals to label the vbuilding “a foreigner wearing a chada [a traditional form of Lao crown]”.
Among the interesting items on display at the museum are: an ornate wooden monk’s chair carved by Royal craftsmen; bronze Buddha statues; and murals, painted by French artists, which depict the daily lives of Lao people. Stained glass on a gold-colored background is used to particularly good effect on the walls of the palace’s Throne Hall.
The temple of Wat Xieng Thong is located near the Royal Palace Museum, so it made good sense to make this the next stop on our itinerary.
Many observers have noted that Wat Xieng Thong is the most beautiful and important temple in Luang Prabang. Unlike a lot of other temples in the city, it was spared during an attack by Haw invaders in 1883.
Inside the sim (ordination hall), you’ll find the temple’s main Buddha statue. Like the temple’s three-tiered ‘bird-wing’ roof, the statue was crafted in the Lan Chang style. Both the interior and exterior of the sim are painted in glossy black lacquer, and feature traditional Buddhist symbols and figures coated in gold leaf.
Located just behind the sim, you’ll find an intricate ‘tree of life’ mosaic. Birds and animals are depicted within the tree, which represents a reference to Xieng Thong, which means ‘Forest of Golden Trees’.
A small chapel on the site of the temple also features a mosaic, depicting how Lao people once lived. Near the chapel is a pavilion which houses a Royal funeral carriage. The carriage, which features five delicately-carved nagas (a mythical creature with snake and human-like characteristics), was used during the funeral of King Sisavang Vong (1885-1959), the country’s last reigning monarch.
 The same building also houses many invaluable historical items, such as a wooden statue of the Buddha, ancient door panels, as well as a famous carving by sculptor Thit Tan, which recounts several episodes of the Ramayana.
We finished our tour of the city with a climb up a hill known as Phu Si. There are 328 stairs to navigate up the 100-m (325-foot) trek to the top. Along the way, you’ll see some lovely examples of Laos’ national flower – the champa.
An impressive golden pagoda, which is greatly revered by locals, sits atop Phu Si. On reaching Phu Si’s summit you’ll get a bird’s eye view of the city and its surroundings, including the Royal Palace Museum, offering great photo opportunities.
It should be noted that foreign visitors are asked to pay an entrance fee of 8,000 kip (US$0.80) to access Phu Si. - Translated into English and republished with the kind permission of Manager Online. |
Indochina & Myanmar 
Indochina & Myanmar
The Indochina region and Myanmar are rich in cultural heritage and just one step away from Thailand. From Angkor Wat to Yangon, the Annamites to the Plain of Jars, find out about destinations and keep abreast on events with our guides and news articles.
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