We had hoped to continue our journey from Nong Khiaw to Luang Prabang by boat, but some inconsiderate Chinese developers have built a dam on the river. In fact they've built two, one above Muang Khua and one below Nong Khiaw. It's such a shame; Laos is a country of rivers and for centuries boat has been the main mode of transport. Travelling by boat is so much nicer than by bus, especially on the bumby, winding mountain roads.
We arrived in Luang Prabang after a three bus ride during which an elderly Laos lady with a bucket on leaves on her knee slept on my shoulder. Despite being the second biggest city in the country and by far the biggest tourist hub, Luang Prabang is a quiet, spiritual center with more temples and monasteries per square kilometer than anywhere else we've seen. The city has managed to retain its tradition, its charm and the slow pace of life we discovered in the north whilst at the same time it has vast night markets, stunning food and enough bars and guest houses to serve the many visitors passing through.
Over five days we relaxed into lazy days sipping Beer Laos by the Mekong, visiting the many gold gilded, Buddhist temples and wandering through the busy street markets trying not to buy everything in sight.
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| Temple outside the former Royal Palace (now the National Museum), home to the Pra Bang, a 87cm statue of Buddha after which the town takes its name. The Pra Bang is Laos' most holy treasure. |
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| Sunset over moored boats on the Mekong. |
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| Young, Buddhist monks look out over Luang Prabang from Phou Si Hill. |
Luang Prabang is said to have the best food in all of Laos. I tend to agree. Each evening, at around 5pm, a long, dark, narrow alley is transformed into the gastronomic center of the city. Huge barbecues of chicken, ribs, sausage and fish fill the street with a delicious smoke. Fried dumplings, springrolls, curries, stews and all you can eat buffets of vegetables, rice and noodles tempt you from both sides. Fresh, spicy papaya salads, exotic fruit smoothies and sweet and savory pancakes, cakes, sandwiches... it's a foodie's paradise. $5 (£3) will easily cover the cost of an evening grazing up and down this magnificent corridor of flavour. We haven't tried any of the more adventurous local delicacies yet, fried swallow or ant eggs, but everything we have eaten has been fantastic; a perfect mix of delicate Thai spices and fresh Vietnamese garnishes.
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| I thought my Dad could cook up a good barbecue until I discovered these meat feast stalls on Food Alley. |
By chance we arrived in Luang Prabang just in time for the annual Lai Hua Fai festival. The rainy season has ended, all the rice has been harvested, Buddhist lent is coming to an end and there is a general air of merriment around the town as the residents prepare for the celebrations.
The during the festival offerings of flowers, candles, food, drink and money and sent floating down the river in colourful bundles made from banana leaves. The idea is to honour the Gods of the rivers after the rainy season and to invite them to protect the people living along its banks. Buddha and family ancestors are also worshiped during Lai Hua Fai.
During the week boat races have been taking place along the river; the numerous different legs of the race take place throughout the day whilst families gather along the banks of the river to eat picnics and barbecues and down copious amounts of lao lao, the local rice whiskey. We took the passenger ferry across the Mekong to Xiang Men to watch their village boat race. After a long time spent watching the tedious organisation, during which time Ric was inevitably roped into doing some shots with the village men, we got bored and wandered off to explore the temples and an old monastery atop a mountain.
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| Boat race on the Mekong. |
Throughout the week we watched as the town prepares for the festival: ladies on the street sell flower offerings to float down the river; lanterns have steadily taken over every door way and wall in sight; families have been sat outside painstakingly decorating beautiful boats made from coloured paper and bamboo; and the atmosphere has been alive with excitement, music and laughter.
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| Flower offerings that are sent floating down the river. |
On the morning of the festival, at the crack of dawn, a traditional giving of alms takes place throughout the streets of Laos. Residents, dressed in their finest, traditional clothes, line the streets waiting for a procession of Buddhist monks. As the monks pass, each person places a small amount of food in the monks' bowl. This giving of alms brings luck to the people and afterwards the monks share the food with the poor and needy. It was a beautiful serene scene to watch; the sky still grey, Buddhist chanting playing softly, and this endless procession of orange-robed monks walking silently through the streets.
The night of the festival finally arrived and it seemed the entire town had turned out for the parade. At 6pm crowds gathered in the center of town as ornately decorated boats filed through the streets, each one representing a different neighborhood or temple.The ladies were out in traditional Laos clothing, teenagers played drums and tambourines along side their boats and everyone was cheering, chanting and singing. The town looked beautiful lit up with paper lanterns, especially the temples; young monks were rushing around trying to keep the thousands of candles inside the coloured lanterns lit. The parade ended at Xieng Thong temple where the boats were judged, before being carried down into the Mekong and left to float down stream. It was a beautiful celebration with such a great atmosphere, we're so lucky to have been around for it.
We Stayed At...
A great little wood panelled guest house called Silikhane, down a quiet back street. The room was bright and airy and there was free tea, coffee and drinking water. 60,000kip ($7.50/£4.50)
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