Walking tour of Luang Prabang

Wednesday, June 03, 2015
Luang Prabang, Louangphabang
Although tourism is growing, Laos is still fairly raw. Hotel is lovely but roosters at 5am remind us of where we are. Leisurely breakfast then off to the bamboo bridge to cross the Nam Khan River to the city centre. The heat is up again so a slow pace is a must. Luang Prabang, founded 1,200 years ago, was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for it's unique architectural, religious and cultural heritage. Architecture, food and some language also remains from the time of the French rule.
Luang Prabang (a Royal city) is known as the city of temples for it's array of beautiful Buddhist Wats and more than 500 monks who live in them . The premier wat is Wat Xieng Thong (or Temple of the Golden City), located on the northern tip of the peninsula of Luang Phrabang. It is a stunning monument to the spirit of religion, royalty and traditional art. There are over twenty structures on the grounds including a sim, shrines, pavilions and residences, in addition to its gardens.
A stroll down the main city street takes us past beautiful temples, quaint cafes and a host of craft shops. A light lunch then back across the bamboo bridge to the hotel to escape the heat of the day by the pool. We've met lots of Australians, Kiwis, French and some Americans but we have yet to run into any other Canadians.
A short Tuk Tuk (open air taxi) ride into the city for supper. The plan was to attend the Royal Ballet Theatre performance but the theatre was closed for the evening. We found out later that because this is low season there are not enough tourists in town this month and the performances have been cancelled. We wandered thru the extensive night market (which runs right through the centre of town) instead. The textiles and embroidery work of the local people from the surrounding villages are stunning. Christmas shopping anyone?
Mom, hope you had a great time in T.O.
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Comments

mom
2015-06-06

the temples are so beautiful .such intricate art work . is it mostly enamel work and/or gold leaf inlays ? you wonder where the finances came from to create such sacred places .
how do you feel going across all those bamboo bridges ...ooohhh .hope they don't sway too much !

Lara
2015-06-07

We loved that bamboo bridge! As The girls would say "a bit sketch" at first but no swaying, it's solid. You cross it, then pay your 50 cent toll (all day pass) to the woman in the hut on the other side. Bridge only up during dry season. They rebuild it every year.
Amazingly enough, that is all gold leaf on the wats (covered with varnish).

2025-02-17

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