What has also helped preserve the little town’s charm is the World Unesco Heritage site tag bestowed upon it in 1995 Photo: Anjuli Bhargava What has also helped preserve the little town’s charm is the World Unesco Heritage site tag bestowed upon it in 1995 Photo: Anjuli Bhargava

Local legend has it that over a thousand years ago, two hermit brothers were scouring the northern foothills in Laos for a spiritual retreat when they came across Luang Prabangcowboy slots, a sleepy hamlet surrounded on three sides by water and predicted that this unique spot would one day be a powerful kingdom, presided over by a succession of monarchs.

This epiphany pales however in comparison to what many locals believe even today: their little town was discovered by the Buddha himself, proof of which lies in his three meter footprint left at one of the town’s many tranquil temples.

Proof that the ancient town which lies at the confluence of the Mekong and the Nam Khan rivers was once ruled by a Laotian king and his family is found at the Royal Palace in the town's centre but whether the Buddha himself had ever stepped into or spent time in this laid back, charming town remains a matter of active debate.

What is clear, however, is that visitors even today will not miss the Buddha’s calming presence at any spot in and around town. The Buddha prevails in Luang Prabang and his hold is absolute : it is virtually impossible to walk a few steps and not encounter him in one of his myriad postures : meditating, protecting, reclining, contemplating, teaching, begging and repelling on any street or location. And if that’s not quite enough, visitors can get their fill of him by visiting the Pak Ou caves that house thousands of Buddha statues in wood, bronze and other materials and in all postures, accessible through an hour long boat ride.

It is perhaps the overwhelming presence that imparts the aura of peace that appears to envelope almost any local one encounters, starting from your tuk-tuk driver to the mini army of young waiters and waitresses at the ubiquitous, high quality cafes, pubs and restaurants that cater to the ever growing tourist traffic. In the first nine months of this year, tourists to Luang Prabang exceeded over 1.7 million, close to what Sri Lanka as a country managed to attract.

What has also helped preserve the little town’s charm is the World Unesco Heritage site tag bestowed upon it in 1995, along with all the funding and other benefits this brings, to ensure that commercial considerations don’t destroy its original aesthetic and heritage. Amidst French colonial architecture (Laos was a French colony till 1953), the town has over 35 heritage houses, all maintained in their original form, as guest houses, catering to tourists but each with its own unique story to tell. One of these - the over 100 year old Heuan Chan heritage home- has been preserved in its entirety and converted into a mini museum so visitors can glimpse for themselves the traditional style of living. American writer Harry Franck in the 1920s described it as “not a city at all in the Western sense but a leisurely congregation of dwellings”. Before him, in 1861, French explorer Henry Mouhot called it a “little paradise” were it not for the unrelenting blaze of the tropical sun.

Tradition is also being maintained in the daily alms giving, which takes place in the town’s center at the crack of dawn. Locals offer fruits, sticky rice and a few other goodies as a way of expressing their gratitude to the hundreds of monks that live and spread the message of the Buddha in the region. Tourists are also free to join and offer alms provided they maintain the quiet sanctity and observe the rules and etiquette prescribed. No chatting with the monks, preserving a certain distance and experiencing the sheer pleasure of giving while expecting nothing in return.

The small army of monks - respected and revered by the locals - live at the over 60 monasteries and 30-odd small and big but mostly magnificent temples with gleaming gold spires, stupas and intricately painted murals that dot the Luang Prabang landscape and can take almost a week to explore for those vested in architecture and the arts. A temple tour however is not for the faint hearted, demanding both energy and resilience to brave the morning and afternoon sun, which can be oppressive in almost any month one visits. Perhaps the jewel in the crown is the Wat Xieng Thong (Temple of the Golden City), built in the 16th century and a testament to the place of pride that Luang Prabang occupied in the country.

A respite from the sun is available however at the jaw-droppingly beautiful natural waterfalls - Kuang Si and Tad Sae - both a few kilometres away from town and where many tourists and locals spend a day swimming in the numerous natural crystalline pools - many shaded from the sun - that these falls form along their length and breadth.

The spectacular Kuang Si falls fall in three cascades over white limestone rocks into aquamarine pools surrounded by tropical trees and feel more like a film set than anything one stumbles upon in real life. Originating from the Nam Si river, these falls with their 200 feet drop at certain spots are the main go-to for the hordes of Instagram and photo obsessed tourists including the inexplicably loud Chinese groups. Those who like some peace and quiet and don’t want to deal with the pushing and shoving at the most Instagrammable spots of the scenery should head instead to Tad Sae, accessible only by a local long tail boat and patronized primarily by locals. Tad Sae alone makes Luang Prabang a destination worth its weight in gold.

But for those not mobile or unwilling to swim in uncharted waters, the small town has enough to keep one occupied for at least a week or even two. Placed like a gem at the confluence of the Mekong and the Nam Khan rivers, Luang Prabang offers sunsets that Hollywood or Bollywood would kill for with red and orange hued skies. The best spots in town to soak in these sunsets are filled up by 4.30 p.m., even though the sun takes almost another hour to set. The 300 feet high Mount Phousi with many Buddhist shrines, a temple and spectacular views is a favourite sunrise and sunset spot for the Insta addicts.

A daily night market is popular with tourists as is the gigantic open air street food market with cuisine from all over the world including local Laotian cooked fresh before you. Benches are full of locals and tourists who usually have a BeerLao to wash down their meal. Vegetarians like this writer might feel a bit queasy at the array of unrecognizable meats, seafood and even creepy crawlies that constitute food in this extraordinary country. The town’s most popular bakery displays its wares on tables outside and has long lines of those unable to resist their world quality desserts and pastries on offer. Shoppers will be delighted by the boutique stores in the town’s main streets that offer many local textiles, hand crafted and weaved. Paper products and textiles in Laos are an advanced art form, which go beyond the scope of this piece.

There are two primary reasons why tiny Luang Prabang has become a destination of choice in the South East Asian region - Lonely Planet recently named it one of SouthEast Asia’s top destinations in 2024. One is the affordability. Several European and Australian travellers this writer met and spoke to at length said that they could not get this kind of value anywhere in Europe or most other continents; one Euro takes you a long way in Laos.

Two, the warm hospitality - in many European cities, waiters dump your meal on your table as if doing you a favour - and the innate sense of right and wrong ensures that the average Laotian does not attempt to cheat you, a rarity in many Asian and SouthEast Asian destinations including India. Trust, warmth and simplicity seem to be working in their favour even if roads and other infrastructure are not up to the standards that many visitors might be accustomed to. Step out of Luang Prabang and Laos’s poverty stares you in the face.

For the more outdoorsy, Laos offers adventure on a platter in Vang Vieng, a two hour fast train ride from Luang Prabang. This one time hippie, backpacker infested town has more potholes than roads - competing on this front with North Goa! - but this doesn’t deter hordes of European tourists who pack in kayaking, river and cave tubing, hot air ballooning, paragliding, treks, swimming in the six blue lagoons with limestone karsts staring down at you. Many tourists are on motorbikes and bicycles and seem more focussed on survival than reaching specific spots on the hair-raisingly fragile roads and bridges that appear like they might give away at any moment. While the main town has nothing much to offer, it has a smattering of restaurants and cafes with high quality world cuisine on offer - Italian, Thai, French, many run by natives from these countries. Pizzas and pastas at Tavolo in Vang Vieng can give Rome a run for its money!

The Laotian capital Vientiane has less to offer than Luang Prabang or Vang Vieng in terms of both heritage and culture or adventure and barring the city center offers the usual chaos one finds in many Indian towns. It is at best worthy of a day or two of exploration, more as a transit spot than a destination to cover. The town’s center surrounding the Presidential Palace is the best area to base oneself if at all, with a smattering of temples and lovely cafes and restaurants that can make it worthwhile.

A must visit in the capital however is the COPE center (https://copelaos.org/)cowboy slots,a sombre museum that serves as a reminder of the suffering of hapless and innocent Laotians on account of the Vietnam war and the relentless American bombings the country endured for nine long and unhappy years, the price of which is being paid even today by its uncomplaining, warm and wonderful citizenry.

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