Tourism Comes to Luang Prabang, Laos
Cultural and Adventure Travel in Former Royal Capital
Nov 17, 2008
Luang Prabang is situated on a peninsula fringed by the fast-moving waters of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. The former royal capital of Laos, it is dotted with temples, crumbling French colonial architecture and surprisingly cosmopolitan restaurants. Saffron-robed and yellow-belted monks wander the city streets, their black umbrellas keeping off the sun, and the traffic consists mostly of bicycles and mopeds.
Laos Opens Up to the Outside World
Economic realities have forced the Lao government to open up to the outside world. Visas on arrival are now available, and the centre of Luang Prabang is alive with the babble of many languages. Yet Luang Prabang remains a world apart from the hustle and bustle of Thailand’s Chiang Mai, which is just an hour’s flight away.
The city was awarded World Heritage status in 1995, which has helped to preserve its timeless character, exemplified by its elegant fusion of traditional and colonial architecture. There is scarcely a building over five storeys high, and there’s no immediate call to install traffic lights.
Stepping Back in Time
Old traditions, once suppressed by the revolutionary government, have been re-born in recent years. Monks young and old populate the 32 temples, people greet each other with the nop, the prayer-like greeting with its many subtleties, and craftsmen, once denounced for their links to the monarchy, are again practising their arts. It is even possible to see a portrait of the last king, Savang Vatthana, in the National Museum, formerly the elegant and surprisingly modest Royal Palace.
No mention is made of what became of the last king and his family when the monarchy came to an end in 1975. Laos may be slowly – very slowly – opening up to the outside world, but it remains a secretive and mysterious place, with a well-developed sense of intrigue. Sipping a strong Lao coffee in a café on Rue Sisavangvong – once more named after the former king who died in 1959 – is a little like stepping into a Graham Greene novel.
A Center for Adventure Travel
Rue Sisavangvong is Luang Prabang’s main street, with restaurants, internet cafes and travel agencies advertising adventurous trips down the Mekong and into the jungle. The city is surrounded by lavishly forested mountains, which were once a sanctuary for guerrillas and are now a haven for adventure travel. There are trips down the river to see the Tam Ting caves with their thousands of Buddha figurines, along with trips visiting tribal villages and the mysterious Plain of Jars.
The age-old ritual of giving alms to the monks remains central to life in Luang Prabang. It attracts a lot of tourists, and a number of boutiques and cafes around town have put up signs to encourage guests to approach this early morning rite with respect. The evening however is given over to the Night Market, an exercise in gentle bargaining in the center of town. During the day, expect to field a cheerful chorus of “You go waterfall?” from the tuk-tuk drivers, quench your thirst with fresh fruit juice at the Hmong market, and browse at any number of small boutiques selling handmade art and crafts.
Lao Airlines and Bangkok Airways connect Laos with Thailand and Cambodia. Lao Airlines also provide internal flights, connecting Luang Prabang with Pakse and the capital Vientiane.
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