DESTINATION LAOS
Sandwiched between Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, laid-back Laos is a relatively undisturbed bit of Indo China. Quite naturally, Laos culture, food and society has been influenced by all the countries that surround it. Topping this entrepot of cultures is a deep French influence, arising from its colonial antecedents. Imagine: Indian mythology, Buddhist spiritual practices, crusty French bread, Vietnamese-Thai food influences, colonial French architecture, bamboo and straw knick knacks: East-West fusion at its best!
In Laos, we visited the charming city of Luang Prabang (LP) and the capital Vientiane. Both cities are on the banks of the
Mekong. Luang Prabang has retained all its old world charm while offering various conveniences to the average tourist. This is primarily because it is a UNESCO heritage site, which means that the cultural heritage at this site is protected by UNESCO through the technical and financial resources of the World Heritage Fund. LP has as many as 32 wats serving a population of around 5m residents.
Our superficial impressions of Vientiane were that it was like any other emerging market Asian city, but we definitely recommend the high quality shopping in the boutiques of Vientiane. About 4-5 days should be adequate for a relaxing holiday: we spent four days in LP and one day in Vientiane.
Why should I go? | Laos main page | Wanderlust
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Vixabs Vacations UnlimitedJune 22, 2004