Visitez Luang Prabang, et le reste du Laos

Phousi Mountain & That Chomsi

Benolaos — 2013-09-02T18:48:00Z

Built in 1804 during the reign of King Anourouth and ideally located at the top of Mount Phousi (in the heart of the town), Wat That Chomsi has become a symbol of Luang Prabang's spiritual significance to Laos. The Stupa is reachable after climbing the 300 steps when all the way up the hill consists of various temples, beautiful shady trees and a magnificent view of the river. At half way up the hill there is Wat Tham Phousi Shrine that consists of a big–bellied Buddha snuggled in a grotto. The temple also consists of another Buddha statue in a reclining position.

A terrace at the foot of the stupa offers an 360° panoramic view of the town. A MUST DO, especially in the evening, during the sunset, when the golden Stupa reflects the last light rays on one of its face.

During the Pimai Festival, woman carry flower offerings up the stairs and leave as offerings at the foot of the stupa.

One of the most interesting aspects of Mount Phousi lies in the legend which surrounds it. Tradition has it that at the site of the sacred hill there used to be a deep pit that led to the centre of the earth. Helped by villagers, a monk went down into the pit and found an immense treasure. The villagers seized the treasure and buried the monk alive by sealing the entrance to the pit. However, armed with magical charms, the monk succeeded in extricating himself after defeating the seven guardians of the treasure. News of this murder attempt reached the ears of the king of Luang Prabang, who punished the villagers by condemning them to take turns in beating drums, gongs and cymbals every three hours to stop the dragons from disturbing mankind. This practice is still carried out today at nearby Wat Thum Thao.

National Museum

Benolaos — 2013-09-02T10:21:00Z

The Royal Palace Museum in Luang Prabang (also known as “Haw Kham” or "Golden Hall") was once Laos' Royal Palace. It houses a lot of interesting historical items. Every item tells a story...so you will learn quite a lot about Lao history and about Laos' royal.

Built in 1904, it features a blend of Lao traditional and French style. It was built for King Sisavang Vong and his family during the French colonial era.

After the death of King Sisavang Vong, the crown Prince Savang Vatthana and his family were the last to occupy the palace. After the revolution in 1975, the building was taken over by the government. The palace was then converted into a national museum and opened to the public in 1995.

Located in the city just the other side of the road from Phousi mountain, the palace is in walking distance of all main hotels and guest houses.

In the palace compound, there are several buildings including the Royal Barge Shelter, a conference hall, and Haw Pha Bang (a ornate pavilion) that houses the standing Buddha statue called Prabang. In the pass the Prabang statue and many other religious artifacts were housed in the palace, the front wing.

Also in the compound is a building that houses the royal car collection. It's a small collection, mostly American cars from the 1950s to 1970s. Behind the garages is another building which has a gallery for rotating exhibitions.

The palace building can be visualized in three main parts: The front wing, consisting of reception areas; the throne hall (in the middle); and the back wing that was once residential area.

The front wing

The King's reception hall at the right of the entrance now displays busts and paintings of the Lao monarchy along with two large gilded and lacquered Ramayana screens.

The walls of the room are decorated with murals depicting scenes of traditional Lao lifestyles, painted by a French artist back in the 1930s.

The room next to the right of the King's reception hall displays a collection of the palace's most prized art including a cast of the prized Pha Bang buddha statue in gold, silver and bronze.

On the left of the entrance hall the former secretary's reception area now houses gifts from various heads of state to the Lao monarchy. Displayed objects are grouped by “socialist” and “capitalist” countries.

The room to the left of the secretary's reception was once the Queen's reception room. It now displays paintings of King Savang Vatthana, Queen Khamphoui and the crown Prince Vong Savang. Also displayed are friendship flags from China and Vietnam, and replicas of sculpture from the National Museum in New Delhi.

The throne hall

The throne hall connects the reception wing with the residential wing where the royal family's bedrooms and living quarter were. The walls of this room are decorated with cut mirrored tile mosaics similar to those seen in the town's oldest temple, Wat Xieng Thong. Displayed in the throne hall are the throne of the king and queen, the king's elephant chair and glass cases containing many crystal Buddha images that were removed from Wat That Makmo.

The Back Wing (residential area)

The back wing was the royals' residential area and includes bedrooms, a dining room, a library and a music and dance exhibits area displaying Lao classical instruments and masks.
The residential area has been preserved more or less as it was in 1975 before the royal family departed.

Good to know

No photography is allowed inside the museum.
No bags allowed, so you must leave yours in lockers provided near the entrance
Shoes must be removed before entering the museum.
Dress conservatively. Women with short shorts or skirts are required to put on a Lao skirt before entering (Lao skirts are available for hire on spot).
Opening hours: every day, 08:30-11:00, 13:30-16.00.

From Laos-guide-999.com

UXO Luang Prabang Center

Benolaos — 2012-12-23T13:49:04Z

The UXO Laos Visitor Center is located behind the Chao Anouvong Monument. This free admittance center features information about unexploded ordnance, for what Lao PDR is the most heavily bombed country, per capita, in history. Numbers talk:

Approximately 25% of villages in Laos are contaminated with Unexploded Ordnance (UXO)
More than 580,000 bombing missions were conducted over Laos
Over 2 million tons of ordnance were dropped on Laos between 1964 and 1973
Cluster sub-munitions or ‘Bombies' (as they are known locally) are the most common form of UXO remaining
More than 270 million bombies were dropped onto Laos
Up to 30% failed to detonate
Approximately 80 million unexploded bombies remained in Laos after the war
All 17 provinces of Laos suffer from UXO contamination
41 out of the 46 poorest districts in Laos have UXO contamination
Over 50,000 people have been killed or injured as a result of UXO accidents in the period 1964-2008
Over 20,000 people have been killed or injured as a result of UXO accidents postâ€ war period, 1974-2008
UXO Lao works in the nine most heavily UXO contaminated provinces in the country.
UXO Lao needs on an average, US$6.5 million, for operations. It employs over 1,000 people.

Journey on the Mekong River

Benolaos — 2012-06-25T09:51:33Z

Service:

On the morning (8:30am or 9:00am, up to you), your guide will meet at your hotel.
You will be transfered by minivan to the pier (1)
The private boat cruise can start
Visit Ban Xieng Mene, the village opposition of the Mekong
Cruise for 2 hours and reach the sacred Pak Ou Caves
Lunch at local restaurant (1)
On the way back, visit the village of Ban Xang Hai, where Laolao (local alcoohol is made)
If time remains, we can stop in the weaving village of Ban Xang Khong, specialized in silk and in production of a special paper made with Saa tree bark.
Transfer from the pier to your hotel (1)

indicative rates for Nov 2019 - Oct. 2020 for 4 persons:
Price without the options (1): 152 USD (38 USD / person)

Included:

English speaking guide (possibility for DE, IT, ES, FR, etc.)
1 day cruise in private boat
Entrance fess
Lunch at local restaurant
Not included:
2 transfers (hotel-pier) with chauffeur in Minivan with air-con, in tuktuk, or in electric car

Wat Phon Phao

Benolaos — 2012-06-19T00:48:09Z

About 2 miles from Luang Prabang, upstream from the Nam Khan river, you can find the Wat Phon Phau on top of a small hill which is looked after by female monks. Male bonzes are dressed in a yellow robe (sometimes orange or light brown) as Buddha recommended, when he said that they should wear 3 odd pieces of clothing. The women wear a sort of white kimono.

The Buddhist religion differentiates the conditions of men and women. Man is supposedly the last stage of reincarnation, the only real one on the road to Nirvana, in other words the end of the cycle.

Boys are obliged to retire to a monastery for a period of at least 3 months during their youth, a retirement (bouat) of a few days (normally a maximum of 3 weeks) … for women, this is unthinkable, they must learn everything by their own means if they're really interested.

Some monasteries accept women, but mainly only older women, who find in these religious enclosures, a spiritual refuge. At Phon Phao, several women came to escape the turmoil of Luang Prabang and work on everyday chores, including gardening.

The singularity of this temple, starts with its octagonal architecture. Built in the 1950's, this temple is also exceptional by its interior decoration :

paintings representing traditional Buddhist scenes, are stunning,
the second floor with its paintings illustrating the different Buddhist architectures of the countries of S.E. Asia is very interesting
the last floor, all in gold (like the reception hall of the old royal palace) marks the ultimate preciousness of the high level.

My advice : to be seen and to be followed from ban Phanom, the historical weaving village. Some beautiful showpieces, mostly made from a mixture of cotton and yarns of silk.

The Pak Ou Caves

Benolaos — 2012-06-19T00:34:07Z

The Caves of Pakou are one of the most treasured religious symbols of the Luang Prabang Province. Several legends tell stories of this site where, over the years, thousands of statues of Buddha have been deposited.

Situated upstream from the Mekong, at about 20 miles from Luang Prabang, the caves are accessible by touktouk (taxi) or by boat, the boat is often the transport chosen, being as its much more comfortable (the road is pretty rugged for 6 or 7 miles) and more pleasant (the trip on its own is worth it).

You need to count an hour and a half by boat to get there and three quarters of an hour to return to Luang Prabang. By touktouk, count about 1 hour there and 1 hour back.

The entrance to the caves is a masterpiece, being as it is situated in a vertical cliff (which confirmed climbers will thoroughly enjoy) in the middle of a luxuriant jungle. The stairs, even though they are steep, are well looked after and equipped for many visitors. This site, which is primarily a religious site, is very much visited today by tourists; so don't expect to be on your own for meditation ....

Visitors will be pleased to discover these two caves for their singular character (from a speleologist's point of view), as well as for the number of small statues representing Buddha in all shapes and sizes ; approximately 4000 effigies.

You can have your fortune told. This means taking one of thirty numbered batons out of a basket; a paper carrying the same number predicts a more or less distant future, with philosophy and wisdom... written only in the Laotian language, you will have to get it translated.

Entrance fee to this sanctuary: 20.000 kip.

My advice : Its worth going there, even if its only for the walk. Make sure you take a powerful torch with you so as to visit the second cave. You should also visit the village, opposite, which is full of curiosities and unusual objects. There are also restaurants (very good snack bars if you walk a couple of hundred metres towards the river Nam Ou), and a beautiful and authentic temple.

The pottery village

Benolaos — 2012-06-19T00:24:52Z

Situated on the opposite bank of the Mekong River, at a 10 minute boat-ride downstream from Luang Prabang (expect to pay 3 to 7 dollars for the return fare) the 300 inhabitants of the small village of Ban Tchan (written also Ban Tjan or Ban Chan), have specialized themselves on manufacturing pottery and bricks (which are much used in Luang Prabang) as well as terracotta tiles.

The raw material is taken from the surrounding area, mixed, processed, handled, shaped and fired on the site. Everybody participates in this activity, even the children amuse themselves by creating small objects representing animals, vases and ash trays… Prices can easily be negotiated for these small items.

If you insist, you can try and create something for yourself with help from little expert Laotian hands.

The local manufacturing techniques have stayed a natural craftsmanship and are worth while seeing. To heat the ovens, they need at least 4 whole days, during which time, they work out a relay system to burn several dozen wooden beams (see photo).

When the ovens have reached the right temperature, that is stocked enough heat, it's time to put the items in the oven. When they've been fired, they are left to settle, several days below ground (see photo). This is a process that has been done in this way, for generations.

The village and its pagoda that has been undergoing renovation for 7 years (with the contribution of the French travel agency, "Maison d'Indochine", is distinctive. Only the bungalows that have been constructed along the Mekong river's banks, remind us of tourism and its inherent luxuries.

My advice : Go preferably in the morning

Tad Sae Waterfalls

Benolaos — 2012-06-19T00:02:53Z

About 12 miles from Luang Prabang, going south to Vientiane. The Tadsae waterfall (pronounced Tatsay) is only really interesting to see during the rain season, or during the few weeks following this period; as it has a very unequal flow, which is sometimes even non-existant, for the rest of the year.

Not visited as much by tourists as other places, there are a lot of young Laotians who (as you can see in the photo) bathe fully clothed in the summer. They bathe fully clothed so as to avoid any problems with suggestive underwear.

The waterfall, even though it is not in such a splendid setting as the one at Kouangsi, has more going for it in the way of amusements, offering numerous pools in ‘stairs'. There are many uses made of this waterfall, including “hydro massaging of the back”, the surroundings are perfect for this.

You must pay en entrance fee after having taken a small motor-boat to pass the Nam Khan river (tributary of the Mekong) . A small restaurant has what you need to eat. Sometimes snack bars sprout up here and there during the rain season, when there are more people, proposing typical Laotian dishes (green papaya salad, sticky rice, barbecued meat …)

For couple of years, Tad sea became a little "elephant center" where you can meet and see elephants. Tours are available, from travel agencies, tour companies, or even local people

My advice : to be visited if the season is right (the best time is in Summer and Autumn). There are those that choose quietness and who will arrive before the sun's zenith; and those who prefer to be there with the crowds of Laotians who come with their families to have a good drink on their Sundays out, whilst the youngsters throw themselves happily into the deepest "baths"..

Kuang Si waterfalls

Benolaos — 2012-06-18T23:43:45Z

Situated at about twenty miles from Luang Prabang, this is a large waterfall and can be reached by Touktouk (taxi) or minivan in under an hour.

The scenery leading to Kuang Si is magnificent. You will find all the tints of green imaginable, open spaces where there is nothing but a few bamboo houses standing in the middle of rice fields and a few buffalo here and there. We cross a few Lao Loum and Lao Soung villages whose traditional houses ; made from wood, bamboo and plaited bamboo are all along the side of the road.

The waterfall is really a beautiful place, vegetation is stunning, the view from the top is amazing. Swimming areas here and there. Pure rock filter mineral water might be fresh and invigorating. Bring the towel.

In autumn, especially in October, the water flows dramatically, the spectacle is magnificent. It's also time to enjoy the boat racings all around, and eventually the festival of lights...

In these peaceful surroundings, you can go and look around the mini-zoo, where black bears are kept. The bears all have their own little story which is told in the Free The Bears website.

Entrance fee to the park : less than 5 USD
Couple of little barbecue restaurants there at reasonable price.
Starting in 2017, the Carpe Diem, high class in a paradise environment. Around 10 USD.

To go there :

by tuktuk, from 20 to 30 USD,
by private minivan with driver : 50 to 80 USD
by rental 4x4 for a day : 100+ USD

My advise : bring a small icebox.

Traditional Art & Ethnology Center

Benolaos — 2012-06-18T21:45:18Z

The Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre (TAEC) has been a private non-profit making museum devoted to the different ethnic groups in Laos.

Situated in a historical building, protected by UNESCO, the permanent exhibition that the museum offers to the public shows items of ethnic clothing, religious artefacts, working tools… Its intention is to increase understanding of the different ways of life and the traditions of different ethnic groups in Laos.

The Centre as well as TAEC Boutique in Ban Vat Sene on the main road offers certain items for sale, books, photos, and local handmade craftsmanship.

This permanent exhibition revolves around 4 main ethnic groups:

Akha : To show the diversity of ethnic groups
Hmong : To show their New Year festivities
Tai Lue : To show their cotton industry, from plantations to clothes
Khmu : To show their baskets and Back Strap Looms

The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 9h till 18h. The entrance fee is 25.000 kips for visitors, free for Laotians.

View online : Traditional Arts & Ethnology Center