We arrived in Luang Prabang in the early evening hours straight from the craziness of Hanoi. The streets were quiet and this UNESCO designated city with it's illuminated building mad scor an impressive introduction. Most cities when they are lit up present well but Luang Prabang is so beautiful that it is in a league of it's own. There is a lot of money in Luang Prabang which sets it apart from the poverty found in most of rural Laos. The United Nations has Laos at the top of their list of least developed nations. The pace of life in this country is joyously slow wand this is why so many people make it there destination of choice. We spent 10 fabulous days in Luang Prabang at Alounsavath, an exceptional guesthouse. We were treated as members of the family and included in an event with a Buddhist flavor. It was a celebration of life for her deceased father. We were invited to the temple where we had lunch and Doug was asked to be part of meditation with the monks (women cannot do this). Another highlight of the visit was volunteering at Big Brother Mouse that is a place for students to go and get tutored in English. Only 61% of children attend school and going to high school is costly. It would appear that most of those not attending school are female. As you walk the streets you cannot help but notice the presence of NGOs. The services of these groups and the tourist dollars are we think are a big help with the high levels of poverty. Much more is needed and the government is well aware of the challenges it faces.
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Luang Prabang with lots of walking, volunteering and of course seeing the sights. Doug is training for a 10 km run in Angkor Wat Dec.4 so he works in his sessions in the early morning. If you are considering Luang Prabang, there is trekking, kayaking, mountain biking... And of course, awesome food at a reasonable price!
We are currently in Vangvieng and we will save the details of the place and gruesome bus ride through the mountains to get here.
View of Vangvieng from our balcony
Day kayaking on the Nam Song River - Vangvieng
Doug at a shop in Vangvieng
Trip at a glance
Weather last 7 days - sunny and hot
Accommodation - Alounsavath Guesthouse - Luang Prabang - $35/night
Food - $6 to $40 (high end restaurant)if you eat at the night market, you get good fox for $4-$5
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