Tourism is the fastest growing industry in Laos. It is governed by a ministry-level government agency, the Lao National Tourism Administration, located in Vientiane.
Xiengkhouang Province is home to Plain of Jars and part of Laos Northern Heritage Route together with Luang Prabang, Houapan and Sayabouri. With its pine forests and much cooler climate it the plateau is different from other regions in Laos or South East Asia. The Jars are Iron Age cemetery sites with a beautiful minimalistic aesthetics that due to their ubiquitousness could also be considered land art. More recently the province took most of the burden of the so-called Secret War. Many of the sites can be visited.
The province can be explored individually by motorbike or by booking one of many tours on offer in Vientiane, Luang Prabang or Vang Vieng. Standard tours visit the major jar sites and the once magnificent capital of Muang Khoun. There are also much more interesting ecotourism and culture tours that have been developed together with UNESCO, Helvetas or DED such as a two day trek to the remote Hmong village Ban Phakeo or a one day trek to Ban Napia and Ban Namka to learn about sustainable energy and the making of “War Spoons” from UXO war scrap. Refer to Phonsavan for detailed information about what to do and how to get there.
CULTURE
Lao people are frank, open and friendly, and they possess a strongly developed sense of courtesy and respect. Everyone who adheres to the latter will receive a warm welcome.
The generally accepted form of greeting among Lao people is the Nop. It is performed by placing one’s palms together in a position of praying at chest level, but not touching the body. The higher the hands, the greater the sign of respect. Nonetheless, the hands should not be held above the level of the nose. The nop is accompanied by a slight bow to show respect to persons of higher status and age. It is also used as an expression of thanks, regret or saying good-bye. But with western people it is acceptable to shake hands.
The feet form the inferior part of the body (as much spiritually as physically). You must never indicate or touch another person or object with your foot.
WHEN TO VISIT
- The best time to visit Laos is between November and April.
- The hot season from March to May is very dry and certain river trips are not possible.
Clothing During the hot season, January to April, bring light clothes in cotton and linen, sunglasses and a hat all year long. Sunscreen and bug repellant is also recommended. From November to December, the cold season, it is a good idea to bring warm clothing such as sweaters and jackets for the morning and evening, and even more so if you are visiting the mountainous regions of the North. From May to October, during the rainy season, it is best to have waterproof clothing. It is best to wear easily removable shoes or sandals when visiting the temples.
LAOS IN BRIEF
The Peoples’ Democratic Republic of Laos is located in the center of Indochina, sharing borders with China to the North 416 kilometers, Myanmar to Northwest 236 kilometers, Thailand to the West 1,835 kilometers, Cambodia to the South 492 kilometers and Vietnam to the East 1,957 kilometers.
With a total area of 236,800 square kilometers, around 70% of Laos' terrain is mountainous, reaching a maximum elevation of 2,820 meters in Xieng Khouang Province. The landscapes of northern Laos and the regions adjacent to Vietnam, in particular, are dominated by rough mountains.
The Mekong River is the main geographical feature in the west and, in fact, forms a natural border with Thailand in some areas. The Mekong flows through nearly 1,900 kilometers of Lao territory and shapes much of the lifestyle of the people of Laos. In the South the Mekong reaches a breadth of 20 kilometers, creating an area with thousands of islands.
NATIONAL FLAG
A red band at top and bottom, with a large blue band in between, on which is centered a large white circle.
TRADITIONAL DANCE
Lao religious images and art is also distinctive and sets Laos apart from its neighbors. The Calling for Rain posture of Buddha images in Lao, for example, which depicts the Buddha standing with his hands held rigidly at his side, fingers pointing to the ground, cannot be found in other Southeast Asian Buddhist art traditions. Religious influences are also pervasive in classical Lao literature, especially in the Pha Lak, Pha Lam, the Lao version of India s epic Ramayana.
Projects are underway to preserve classic Lao religious scripts, which were transcribed onto palm leaf manuscripts hundreds of years ago and stored in wats. Another excellent example of the richness of Lao culture is in its folk music, which is extremely popular with the people throughout the whole country. The principle instrument is the Khaen; a wind instrument, which comprises a double row of bamboo-like reeds, fitted in a hardwood sound box. The khaen is often accompanied by a bowed string instrument or Saw. The national folk dance is the Lamvong, a circle dance in which people dance circles around each other so that ultimately there are three circles: a circle danced by the individual, another one by the couple, and a third one danced by the whole party.
NATIONAL FLOWER, DOK CHAMPA
You might know the Dok Champa by its other name, the frangipani. This evocative tropical flower, with its sweet romantic fragrance, is seen everywhere from north to south in Laos, most especially decorating the vats and monasteries. You might even receive a string of these white-and-yellow flowers around your neck as a welcoming gesture, or see a bunch of them used to decorate a ceremony, But everywhere the meaning of Dok Champa for Laotians is the same : Joy in life and sincerity.
TIME
The time in Laos is 7 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT +7).
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