Luang Prabang
Learn About Old Laos Through Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang, the old capital of Laos, now one of the best tourist sites in the country. Honored with the title of UNESCO World Heritage city, Luang Prabang lives up to that designation with its many attractions, which span everything from the beauty of nature to the genius of man.
This is not an overly large city, even if it does host some grand sights. Indeed, the old Laotian capital’s character is more quaintly Old World than aggressively modern or tourist-like. Luang Prabang also tends to be beautifully clean, which only enhances the traveler’s pleasure as he takes in everything he can see.
And what a lot there is to see indeed! Luang Prabang opens itself like a flower in bloom: lavishly and with all the flourish of a well-tended orchid. This is the site of the Royal Palace, where the kings of the country used to stay during the French Colonial era, although the sprawling structure has since been converted into a national museum. This is also the site of Wat Xieng Thong, The Temple of the Golden City, where one may find some of the most beautiful of Luang Prabang’s shrines and spiritual structures—and in a city as full of temples as Luang Prabang, that is saying a great deal. Both the Tat Sae and Kuang Si Falls belong to this city too, and many a photographer has been in raptures over the gorgeous drop of these tiered natural wonders, with their turquoise-colored pools and foamy rapids and spray. The Pak Ou Caves are here as well, where manmade and natural art come together in a dark cavern-turned-shrine for hundreds of Buddha statues.
This is only the beginning of this lovely city’s offerings, which tells you that it is truly worth visiting. Luang Prabang is a wonderful place for those who wish to experience the charm of old Laos at its best, and who wish to immerse themselves in an experience unlike any other possible in the country.
