A nine-day special tour packages that promises to unlock the secrets of this magical land in Laos. Take in all the sights of Vientiane, Vang Vieng, Phonsavanh and Luang Prabang with the experts leading the way as you visit temples, cultural landmarks, boat trips, Buddha footprint sites and the phantasmagorical Plain of Jars with its 3,000-year-old specimens. This is definitely the best and most comprehensible way to uncover the mysteries of Laos.
Hiển thị các bài đăng có nhãn Laos holiday. Hiển thị tất cả bài đăng
Hiển thị các bài đăng có nhãn Laos holiday. Hiển thị tất cả bài đăng
Chủ Nhật, 6 tháng 12, 2015
Thứ Hai, 16 tháng 11, 2015
WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT MUANG XAY, LAOS ONCE IN LIFE?
Muang Xay (ເມືອງໄຊ) (also ອຸດົມໄຊ Oudomxay, Udomxai, etc.) is the capital of the multi-ethnic Oudomxay Province, in the Nam Ko River Basin and surrounded by scenic mountains. It's the largest city in Northern Laos and, if you're travelling by land, you'll probably end up here at some point.
Some information about Muang Xay
- The town is formed by small villages at an important intersection between China and Vietnam, and the city has a multicultural atmosphere.
- A free city map can be obtained in the bus station or tourist information centre, with basic information and "things to do".
- You can get an on-line version from the website of the Provincial Tourism Department
How to get there?
By plane
Lao Airlines has three flights a week to/from Vientiane (1 hr, full fare USD98). The local ticket reseller is in Litthavixay Guesthouse in the town centre on the main street.
By bus
- Buses from/to Luang Namtha cost 40,000 kip and take up to 4 hours. Departures from Muang Xay are at 08:30, 11:30 and 15:00.
- Buses from/to Nong Khiaw cost 45,000 kip and take up to 4.5 hours. Departure from Nong Khiaw at 11:00.
- Buses from/to Luang Prabang cost 60,000 kip, leave three times a day and take about 5 hours.
- Bus to Kunming costs 350,000 kip (for a sleeper), takes up to 15 hours. Departure at 12:00.
- Other daily buses come from/go to Vientiane, Phongsali, Pak Beng, Muang Khua, and Bokeo. Buses to China also.
What to see in Muang Xay?
In town
Oudomxay Museum
The museum doesn't have much, but the view you have from the top of "Phou Sebey" mountain is very nice. Go there early in the morning, when the sun is still low. You can watch the town centre waking up and enjoy the morning light as it starts caressing the roofs before the day gets too hot.
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Chủ Nhật, 15 tháng 11, 2015
A DAY TO SPARE IN SAVANNAKHET, LAOS
Mornings in Savannakhet are the best part of the day. Sunrise in Laos not to be missed. Beautiful views and streets teaming with a unique local life. People are more active in the early hours before the sun begins its scorching. The Mekong River sits still, joggers line the perimeter and motorbikes and tuk-tuks buzz on nearby streets. Street food stalls pop-up and roadside cafes open. However the most important sight at this time, not to be missed, is the monks.
Morning in Savannakhet
The monks come from Wat Rattanalangsi a nearby temple. Early morning is the only time to find monks outside temple grounds unless travelling for official business. They patrol the streets of Savannakhet with alms bowls in front to collect offerings and food from locals in the area. After finishing their route they will return to the temple to feast.
If you plan on finding monks when in Laos be sure to get to the streets early (6am a good time). Look for pavements lined with locals waiting with chairs, tables and upside Beer Lao crates topped with goodies. They wait to make offerings and to be blessed by the monks with prayer and holy water. An iconic sight of Laos.
Breakfast Time in Savannakhet
Roadside cafes and street food serve from 6.00am onwards. The earlier hours the busier. Look for locals on plastic chairs under roadside canopies. For breakfast I go with a Lao Noodle Soup and complimentary Green Tea (15,000 Kip or US$2.00). On my return to the hotel a takeaway Baguette Sandwich (10,000 Kip 0r US$1.3). Slightly expensive compared to other areas of Laos but still relatively cheap.
Daytime in Savannakhet
Daytime it is best to stay inside. Of course not so easy when itching to explore but in truth not much happens during the day. Locals will hide and can often be found sleeping at their shop house businesses. I generally go for a Lao Massage (similar to Thai) and laze at riverside restaurants.
For massage parlours you can find a couple on the main street – the most popular opposite the Old Market in the city centre (between 9W and the main Ratsavong Road). The Mekong River also a good option for daytime. Riverside restaurants open day long and offer the opportunity for the cliched Beer Lao / Mekong river photo-op (as below). For the more adventurous there are day tours in the area.
Temples, waterfalls etc. The best place for booking tours in Savannakhet is Lin’s Cafe which sits next to the picturesque Talat Yen Plaza. Great coffees. The Plaza area is also worth pottering around in. Here you find Saint Theresa Church and French colonial shop houses. Dinosaur museum?
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Thứ Tư, 11 tháng 11, 2015
FAMOUS PLAIN OF JARS IN LAOS
The Plain of Jars is a megalithic archaeological landscape in Laos. Scattered in the landscape of the Xieng Khouang plateau, Xieng Khouang, Laos, are thousands of megalithic jars. These stone jars appear in clusters, ranging from a single or a few to several hundred jars at lower foothills surrounding the central plain and upland valleys. Several theories propose that the jars were used as funerary urns, while local legend suggests they were drinking vessels for the giants who used to inhabit the area. We’re sure there’s a sensible, perhaps even logical, explanation to the Plain of Jars… we just don’t want to know what it is.
Plain of Jars history
The history of the stone jars is shrouded in mystery. The jars are believed to be about 2,000 years old. They come in varying sizes up to three meters high, weighing up to several tons. Most of them were sculpted from sandstone rock.
Very little is known about the people who created the jars. Although their purpose is not known with certainty, archeologists believe they were used as urns in burial rituals. All jars are now empty. During archeological research in the 1930’s glass beads as well as burnt bones and teeth were found inside.
- The mystery of the stone jars in Eastern Laos
Around the jars archeologists found grave goods and bones. The jars were probably originally sealed off with lids. Today only a single jar contains one. A few stone lids have been found between the jars, others might have been made of wood or other perishable material that has long gone. Stone discs between the jars mark the location of a grave.
Purpose of the jars
- Noone knows the exact purpose of these jars
Several theories and legends exist about the purpose of the jars. Local legend tells that they were made by a race of giants to use as cups to drink rice wine. Another story tells the jars were used to store water for the dry season, or a King had the jars made to store rice wine after a military victory. As remains of human skeletons were found inside the jars it is now believed they were used as urns in burial rites.
Remnants of the secret war
Signs of the “secret war” are clearly visible at several of the sites, in the form of bomb craters and damaged jars. During the Vietnam war enormous quantities of bombs were dropped on Laos, many of which failed to explode. Although clearing works of unexplored bombs have been carried out at the most visited sites, it is strongly recommended to stay within the marked paths.
Site 1 Thong Hai Hin
Thong Hai Hin, which translates to “Stone Jar Plain” is one of the largest sites with over 300 jars. The site, also known as Site 1 is located about 15 kilometers South West of Phonsavan. The large area surrounded by a fence is adjacent to a Laos army military base.
- Plaine of jars site number 1
Signs at the site inform the the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) has performed clearing works of unexploded bombs. White and red markers mark the areas where clearing works have been carried out. It is recommended to stay within the areas marked by white markers where intensive clearing has been done as opposed to the areas marked with red markers where only visual clearing has been carried out.
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Thứ Tư, 28 tháng 10, 2015
10 REASONS WHY VIENTIANE, LAOS IS THE WORLD'S BEST CAPITAL CITY
Vientiane delivers a relaxing riverside break where one of the best things you can do is grab a drink and enjoy the sun’s spectacular show as it sets over the Mekong. Despite being the largest city in Laos and the hub of commerce and administration, Vientiane is still refreshingly laid back.
A Sparkling Clean Oasis
Chances are your journey to Vientiane will not be direct, and arriving from Hanoi, Phnom Penh or Bangkok, you will be struck by the immaculate streets of the Laotian capital. Vientiane may just be the cleanest city in all of Southeast Asia.
- The tranquil and peaceful atmasphere in Vientiane, Laos
With meticulously angled shrubbery and manicured roadside gardens, you'd hardly believe you were in one of the poorest countries in the world. Hosting the Southeast Asian Games in 2009 (for the first time in their 50-year history) Vientiane is opening its doors to the world, a small city with big dreams.
Exuding a pride often found in capitals, the residents of Vientiane work hard at the upkeep to make their city the shining example of a prosperous future.
Friendly Locals
Learn this word: "Sabaidii," (sa bye dee - hello, welcome) and you've unlocked the door to the land of 1,000 smiles. The warm, welcoming faces of the Lao people are so infectious, you will find yourself singing "Khawp jai lai lai," (kop chai lye lye - thank you very much) not only because you like the sound, but because of their bewildering radiance.
- The locals here are very hospitable and friendly to foreigners
The Lao citizens don't have much to be happy about. The French, British, Chinese, Japanese and Thais have all drawn lines around this land and after years of strict socialism, the country remains in the world's "least-developed" category. Yet, the Lao people refuse to let hard times get them down.
Dirt-Cheap French Food
Waking up to the wafting scent of freshly baked baguettes and crispy croissants, you might just forget where you are. In fact, to find bread in such quantities is a rarity in Asia. Yet, in Vientiane, the lingering refinements of French Indochina rule the city's culinary scene.
- These specialties's taste is unique and unforgetable
Vientiane is, perhaps, the cheapest place in the world to indulge in wood-fire steaks, soufflés, pates, and a cold glass of Sancerre. Most restaurants line the crisscrossing rues of Vientiane Central or you can combine dinner and a movie at Centre Culturel et de Cooperation Linguistique.
Upmarket Accommodation
Aided by a change in foreign tourism in post-tsunami Thailand, the past few years have brought an unprecedented boom in tourism for Laos. Seeking the languid, "authentic" Asia that many feel is lost elsewhere, more than 1 million tourists came in 2005, up from 14,000 in 1990.
- Vientiane also has luxury hotels and resorts to meet visitors's various needs
- No wait, see the rest of the list now!
- Related posts:
- 101 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT PHUKET THAILAND AT ONCE
- ALL ABOUT CHIANG MAI - THAILAND'S ROSE OF THE NORTH
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