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Justover adecadeago,Laoswaslargelyunknownto Westerntravellers.Other thanforabrief period during the 1960s,when the countrybecameaplayerinthe VietnamWar,ithasremainedabackwater-a situationthat onlyintensifiedafterthe 1975 revolutionandthe ensuingyearsofxenophobiccommunist government.However,inthe 1990sLaosreluctantlyreopeneditsdoorsto the outsideworld,afterits majorsourceofaiddried upwiththe collapseofthe Soviet Union.Themajortownsand citiesnowoffer visitorsgood-valueaccommodationandasurprisinglydiversearrayofcuisines,andwhileconditionsin the countrysideremainprimitiveand challenging,travellerswilling to bravethemarerewardedwith sightsofalandscapeandpeoplenot muchchangedfrom thosethatgreetedFrenchexplorersover one hundredyearsago.
Despitethe ravagesoftime,the gildedtemplesandweathered French-Indochineseshophousesoftiny, culturedLouangPhabangstillpossessa spellbindingmajestythatmakethisLaos'smostenticing destination.LouangNamthaandthe easy-goingvillageof MuangSing arebothcentresfor treksto nearbyhill-tribe villages,while the formeralsoofferskayakingopportunities.Acorkscrewride from MuangSingthroughAkhacountrytothe Burmeseborderlandsyouinthe villageofXiangKok,perched on the Mekong.Downriver from here isHouayxai,anentry point popularwith travellersarrivingfrom northernThailandinsearchofaslowboatforthepicturesquejourneysouthtoLouangPhabang
The capitalcityofLaos,Vientianestillfeelslikea sleepycitywithrelaxedcharm,tree-linedboulevards, interestingwatsandcolorfulmarkets.Tourthe differenthighlightsofthe city,includingPhaThatLuang, agleaminggoldenstupa which isperhapsmostimportantnationalmonumentinLaos;HoPhaKeo,the formalroyaltemple,now amuseumwith beautifulexamplesofBuddhistsculpture;WatSiSaket;and Patuxai,amonumentalarchinspiredbythe ArcdeTriomphe,butexecutedwithLaomotifs.Overnightin Vientiane
Thisday'sexcursionistovisitanopen-airmuseum,Wat XiengKhuan(Buddha Park).Thisisacollection of whimsicalbut compellingstatuesof BuddhistandHindu gods. Afternoonatleisure.Overnightin Vientiane.
Transfer -Flightfrom VientianetoLuangPrabang-Transfer -SightseeinginLuangPrabang.Set betweenthe NamKhanandNamOurivers,LuangPrabangisanenchantingtown filledwithhistoric templesandcolonialstylebuildings.The entiretown wasdeclaredaUNESCOWorld HeritageSite in1995.Beginyourtour withWatVisoun(WatWisunalat).TheoldestlivingtempleinLuangPrabang,WatVisoundatesbackto1513andcontainsacollectionofantiquewoodenBuddhas.Visitthe nearbyWat Ahanbeforecontinuingto WatXieng Thong,the crowningjewel ofallthe monasteriesandtemplesin the city.Itsmanyornatebuildingsfeatureexquisitemosaicandgold-stenciledmurals.From there,stroll down the main street (WatStreet)of Luang Prabang.Time permitting, stopatsomeof the many templesthatlineitssides,includingWatSibounheuang,WatSiMoungkhoun,WatSop andWatSene. VisitMount Phousiforsunset Climbthe hillsidestairstothe smalltemplesatopPhouSi,the 100mhigh hillwhich sitsinthe middleofthe town,offeringbeautifulviewsover the templesandriver.Overnightin LuangPrabang.
Visit local marketandthe National Museum(formerRoyal Palace, closed on Tuesdays).Visit the NationalMuseum(RoyalPalace),amodest but gracefulbuildingwhich combinestraditionalLaoand Frenchbeaux-artsmotifs.Thisturn-of-thecenturyroyalresidencehasbeenpreservedasitwaswhen theroyalfamilylastlivedhere andprovidesuniqueinsightsintothehistoryofLaos. Excursion by boatto PakOu Caves.Travel down the MekongRiver to the steeplimestone cliffs overlookingthe MekongandNamOurivers,hometothe PakOuCaves.Theseextraordinarycavesare filled with Buddhaimages,of every styleandmaterialimaginable.Onthe returnjourney,stopatBan XangHai,alocalvillagefamousfor the productionof laolao,the localrice wine whisky.Visitthe weaving village of Ban Xang Khong, a village near Luang Prabang well known for its traditional handwovencottonandsilk,aswellasproductionofthe localsa(mulberry)paper. OvernightinLuang Prabang.
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