VIENTIENE AND ITS SUBURBS
Vientiane is the present-day capital city of Lao. It is located on a curve of the Mekong River sharing the border with Thailand. Vientiane is interesting and attractive with its old town along the Mekong River, ancient temples and tree linear boulevards that used to be a fortified wall against foreign invasions. Vientiane is sophisticated with galleries, theatres, nightclubs, shopping that’s so good, it is a major attraction of visitors from all over the world.
Vientiane is a small city but offers its visitors a great variety of restaurant with cuisine ranging from genuine Lao specialties to Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian, Thai and European specialties.
NATIONAL ETHNIC Cultural Park
Suan Vatthana Tham, The National Ethnic Culture Park is located 20 km downriver from Vientiane, Follow Shady Paths past model Lao Homes Sculpture of Lao literary heroes and small zoo. Relax at riverside, bars and restaurant and enjoy the view of khua Mittaphab, The Friendship Bridge. Open daily from 08:00-18:00.
MITTAPHAB BRIDGE
Beginning of construction in 1991, and officially opened in April 1994 - length 1,174 meters. - Width 12.7 meters across the Mekong River between Laos-Thailand.
BUDDHA PARK
Buddha Park or Garden of Statues (1958) comprises a collection of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures in a level field of grass. Buddha Park is a religious sculpture park located by the Mekong River 24 km. down Stream from Vientiane, where you can see the view of Nongkhai as well.
VANGSANG CAVE
Vangsang Cave or Elephant Court: remains of ancient sanctuary dated over three hundreds years before foundation of the kingdom of Lanexang.Vangsang consist of five large pink sandstone’s sculptures and two huge Buddha. This place now becomes a tourist center and picnic area for Vientiane people in weekend.
SALT EXTRACTION PLANT
A village called Banjo, Thourakhom district is known for its salt extraction. It is 60 kilometers faraway from Vientiane. The majority of inhabitants earn their living-part time-by producing salt. Here you can see the traditional way of salt producing.
VANG VIENG & THAM CHANG
Vang Vieng is a famous district in Vientiane province, and is about 150 km out of the capital. According to the local folklore, there are many mysterious places in Vang Vieng such as Caves Patho Nokham, Patang, Tham Chang, Nam Xong River etc, There is a guesthouse and you can spend the night. On the way to Vang Vieng you can see picturesque landscape of country and should acquaint with local people.
Tham Ting (Pak Ou Holy Caves):
It is one of the most attractive sites in Luang Prabang. Tham Ting “mostly known as Pak Ou Cave” is an overhanging cave on the cliff that could be seen from the boat on the Mekong River. The cave is like a sanctuary which houses countless number of Buddha Statues. Since the past, it is the tradition that the Laotian people visiting the cave will leave a Buddha Statue as an aspect of reverence, so the number of the statues increases from year to year.
Pak Ou Cave can be accessible only by boat along the Mekong River. You can visit one of the local village to see how the Laotian people produce Laos Liquor (Fermented rice liquor).
KHUANGSI
Tat Khuangsi is 30 kilometers away from Luangprabang with scenic surrounding of fresh air, flowers and wild animals. Along the way to the Tat Kuangsi, you visit local mountainous hilltribes with traditional lifestyle.
Located along the three-border intersection of Laos, Myanmar and Thailand, from part of the Golden Triangle, it is the home to a large number of ethnic minorities. Bokeo has five districts: Houixay, Ton Pheung, Pha Oudom, with 36 townships, more than 450 villages and total population of 61,000, consisting of many ethnic groups, each with their own lifestyles and costumes. The most lucrative occupation in Bokeo is gold mining and digging for precious stones, where you can see at Ban Nam Khok (The Lu village), 6 km from the town and Ban Houi Sala (The H’mong village), it’s around 18 km far from the town of Houixay.
At Ban Namkeung Kout, Ban Namkeung Mai and Ban Done Deng, it’s 26 km away from the center of Houixay to the north where you can visit the traditional Lu village, who came originally from Muang Sing, LuangNamtha. The village can be reached by boat trip, upstream from Houixay.
Luang Namtha, is a northern province bordering China and Myanmar and its selection is based upon a series of environment, social, cultural, historical and development factors which make the site an excellent location to evaluate the potential for sustainable cultural and ecotourism in and around a protected area. The forests are dense, and cover near 99% of the protected area. Wild cattle (guard and banteng), Asian wild dogs, tigers, clouded leopard, bears and gibbons also having in the forests and there is still a large bird population.
The area is populated by a variety of different ethnic groups. They consist of Khamu. Akha, H’mong, Yao (Mien). Besides the province also consist of the lowland Lao, Tai Lue, Thai Nee and Thai Dam who live in village just outside the protected area and the historic town of Muang Sing. Mauling Sing originally formed part of group of principalities loosely linked under the leadership of a political entity called the Sipsongpanna whose political seat centered in southern Yunnan province, China.
This province has a picturesque beauty with mountains, and many old temples. Although many temples had been destroyed during the war, there are still some attractions and the old temple noticeably different from other classical temples.
Usually tour itinerary includes an outing to Botten, the Lao Chinese border checkpoint. South west of Luang Namtha, the still pistine forests of Nam Ha protected area with varieties of wildlife and vegetation can be found.
Xieng Khouaung is a mountainous region full of caves and waterfalls. From an aircraft, you will observe how large the province is with its vast plateau. Xieng Khouang preserves a fine collection of archeological riches, including the famous plain of jars. The jars, some of which weigh as much as 6 tones, evoke the grandeur of the past. They are remnants of the Stone Age existing in the Lao PDR. The surrounding mountains of Xieng Khouang are home to several tribes of indigenous people with their colorful traditional dress and simple way of life.
H’MONG VILLAGE
On the way to Muang Khoune, you will pass by H’mong village where you can observe their simple daily life, so closet in touch with their nature and elements. One can get a feeling of being back to the past; see their traditional activities unchanged for centuries such as weaving, basket making, woodcarving and the never-ending chores of farming. If you were there on Sunday you can visit its Sunday market where many souvenirs and hand-made products are sold at the price lower than anywhere in Laos can.
There is a natural hot spring from the town. Its source, 80 cm. underground, frowns, into a stream. The peasants in the area enjoy the warm water and some say it has magical powers and cures skin diseases.
THAM PIEW
Tham Piew was a historical cave in Lao. During the Indochina War in 1950, the villagers used this large cave as a bomb shelter. In 1969, more than 400 villagers were killed when a single rocket hit directly into the cave
SAVANNAKHET
Savannakhet is the second largest town on the Mekong River bank, sharing the borders with Vietnam and Thailand. Its commercial activities, as well as being a trade center between neighboring countries, give it an exceptional and lively atmosphere.
Savannakhet is a place where a number of dinosaurs and Stone Age equipment was discovered. It also has a number a noteworthy pagodas and ruins that perhaps constructed in the period 553-700 AD.
THAT ING HANG
The Ing Hang is located 15 kilometers in the north of Savannakhet. It is high Point in the province. The relic that you will find their dates back several centuries and attracts a number of tourists and Buddhist pilgrims each year, particularly during the full moon in February, when a religious ceremony is celebrated in its honors.
HEAUN HIN (Stone House)
It is located about 10 kilometers in the south of Savannakhet. It was built in 9th century and is only one of the interesting historical relic of Khmer civilization in the center of Laos.
MEUANG PHIN
Going to Muang Phin takes a half-day drive on route Number 9 to Vietnam. Muang Phin is a nearly set up town and has become a meeting place for visitors travelling back and forth on this route. Dinosaurs’ remains are also discovered here.
KHONE PHAPHENG FALL
This tremendous mass of stone, which slopes in curvilinear pattern, is sometimes tinted by rainbow. It is the Lao NIAGARA and falls in to Li Phi, a place where the Mekong takes a deep before continuing its course into the South China Sea via Cambodia and Vietnam. It is also renowned as a fish basin.
SARAVAN
Saravan is located in the Southeastern Part of Lao P.D.R. where the culture is extremely different from the rest of the country. People in this province preserve their traditional culture as well as atmosphere. The main attractions in Saravan are the Bolovens plateau and Se Xet waterfalls. In Bolovens, there are still a number of tribal villages who still maintain their cultures since the time of Stone Age. They use extremely primitive agricultural tools. Their spiritual ceremonies still exist nowadays. You can also ride on an elephant touring around the jungle and spend a fascinating time with nature.
SE XET
It was a famous dam producing electricity from the waterfall. Constructed since late 1991 by the Swedish engineers, SE XET is now producing 180 GWH per year where the majority of electricity is exported to Thailand. Se Xet becomes a famous place where people come to visit have picnic in weekends.
TATLO
Tat Lo close to Se Xet is a picturesque tourist site where you can overnight at Tat Lo bungalow, dining at restaurant and getting fresh air flowing out from dense jungle.
