The Northern Province of Laos, Luang Prabang and its capital of the same name - one of the most atmospheric and popular areas among tourists visiting Laos. The charming city of Luang Prabang - in the past the capital of Laos and the current spiritual center of the country rich in French and Indochinese architecture, Buddhist temples and a famous for its magical atmosphere.
Luang Prabang is located on a sort of a peninsula formed at the confluence of two rivers, Mekong and Khan. Slowing palm trees of rivers, terracotta roofs, gold stupas and saffron mantle of monks - all these paints gathered together to create literally cards of Luang Prabang. This is what is harder to find today in Southeast Asia. The calm and serenity of the city is only a mask behind which the story of cruel conquests, complex culture and traditional rituals, which still have a place to be in this province.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site declared part in 1995, Luang Prabang was described as "an outstanding example of the merger of traditional architecture and Lao urban structures with the buildings of European colonial authorities in the 19th and 20th centuries. Its unique, surprisingly well-preserved city landscapes illustrate the key stage in the mixture of these two different cultural traditions. "
All right! No wonder the city is considered one of the "Mast Si" of Southeast Asia, now for the last almost two decades, so this is not an untouched corner of Laos, definitely no. Nevertheless, the city gained popularity among older tourists and families who wish an exotic, but safe rest. Yes, and prices here are adequate yet. With international airport and daily flights to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, this city is very convenient for visits, so many people arrive here purposefully, during excursions from other countries, for example, and do not even think to attend other cities of Laos - this, like How, it turns out the most beautiful! And also, this means that in the temples of Luang Prabang today there are more foreign visitors today, rather than local residents - and such a situation may no longer have anywhere in the country, so do not even hope to stay here alone with your thoughts.
With the influx of tourists, local families began to earn, turning their own homes in the Gasthauses. House behind the house on each new street, ordinary houses healed a new life. It is very convenient and inexpensive, so there are often economical backpackers in these gestroys, but on the other hand, this fact threatens that Luang Prabang made so charming. In some parts of the city, you can feel like in Disneyland - tourist-oriented shops, hordes of tourists who have shown cameras from the head to the head and something slightly unnatural - this is ridiculous, some will not notice, and others will feel immediately and certainly upset.
A simple walk around the city is the best way to appreciate the charms Luang Prabang. In this picturesque, charming strange Asian city, patient European charm, is great at least just to idle, sit in a quiet cafe with a baguette and coffee (Llaostsians prefer to drink real coffee, and not some three-in-one with artificial taste) and admire By how local bright life is slowly flowing outside the window. Actually, these are many tourists and are engaged.
Climb on Mount Phosi. Near the market early in the morning (for example, after 4 in the morning, after the monks wake up and perform their religious rites in the temples of the city - it is also worth looking at it, the spectacle is still!) To admire the sunrise and look at how gradually comes to life The city is a wonderful miracle!
By the way, this great idea is to be at sunrise, you can share a couple of tens of tourists. Sometimes the mountain is so filled with people that the beauty and childhood of dawn (well, or the sunset) is somehow not so impressive. Well, here you can do nothing, do not drive them from there!
With an outstanding number of restaurants, guest houses, luxury resorts and hotels, picturesque nature and friendly people, Luang Prabang has long been famous and earned a reputation as a very tourist city with trotan routes, which is never boring. Let even with tourists, you should allocate at least a few days to explore this wonderful city. And if you really want a more relaxed situation, come to the low season - the rainy season. There and lower prices will be.
Despite tourists, life in the city still flows very slowly. Sleepy most of the year, Luang Prabang explodes truly during Pimai Lao (Songkran or Laos New Year, which is celebrated from April 14 to April 16). If you are planning to visit Luang Prabang at this time, do not forget to book a room in advance - quite likely the number of places will be limited.
It is a pity that foreign investors forget the reason why people once came to live in these places and what exactly attracts tourists today. I mean that in the city, models are beginning to build modern structures, on the site of old houses. If the pace of construction will accelerate that in a couple of dozen years there will be no pebble of historical structures that are simply obliged to see the future generation.
With the capital in the very center, Luang Prabang Province extends to the north to Phongsali and the Vietnamese border, east to the city of Huaphan and Xiangkhuang, south to Vientiane and west to Udomsaya and Sainabuli.
East of the province stretches an extensive mountainous area with a practically zero infrastructure and development, but in the north you will find the villages of Nong Kiau and Muang Ngoy, stunning coastal villages, which attract tourists with their outlets where craft items are sold. Most often, tourist groups from Luang Prabang are sent specifically for exotic shopping. Before these villages can be reached on their own and, if you plan to go to the north in Phongsali, you definitely stands to highlight a day or two to linger in one of these two beautiful villages.
Here is such a beautiful, romantic, mysterious Luang Prabang!