Luang Prabang, Jewel of the Mekong

Luang Prabang, Jewel of the Mekong

Luang Prabang is without a doubt one of the most beautiful, charming, and serene towns that I have seen. It captured my heart. Nestled among the northern mountains of Laos, it is like a treasured jewel, unique among the villages and towns of Asia. Its setting is what gives it its enchanting aura. It is encircled by peaks and rivers, covered by lush foliage and towering palms, brightened by splashes of color from fuschia, orange, red, and yellow flowers, and enrichened by glowing, golden-spired temples and stupas. The hazy and humid air partially obscures the mountains, but on mornings after big rainstorms, they become startlingly clear. The town’s cultural and historic heart is on a peninsula that measures 1 km. in length and 250 m. in width where the Mekong and Khan rivers converge. That is the quarter where the majority of the Buddhist temples are situated, as well as charming old wooden houses that mélange the French and Lao architectural styles. At the heart of this area is Mount Phousi, a rocky outcrop whose forested slopes are dotted with sacred shrines and temples, and even Buddha’s footprint. The whole scene is made even more colorful and lively by the many diverse ethnic groups who come to town for the Night Market.

Luang Prabang is the jewel of the Mekong, the pride and joy of Laos. The slow way of life that has prevailed here for centuries continues to prevail to this day. It is almost as if Luang Prabang, isolated for centuries by the impassable mountains and rivers, has been spared by the rush of modernity. Aside from the installation of electricity (with underground wires) and the growing number of motorbikes, the town has not yet changed its essential character or been much touched by the modern world.

New roads have been built in the past several years, though, connecting Luang Prabang to Vientiane and the Chinese border, and for the first time in the country’s history, it is possible to travel to and from the capital in only one day. Along with the new airport, the small town was in danger of experiencing rapid expansion and transformation.

Therefore, the town’s inclusion onto the UNESCO’s World Heritage List in December 1995 (officially ranking it alongside of the world’s other architectural and cultural treasures) could not have come at a better time. It has helped to preserve what the UNESCO has cited as Southeast Asia’s best-preserved traditional town. It is a sort of outdoor museum. Hopefully with the protection and oversight of the organization, its character will remain intact. So far, the UNESCO has done a great deal to ensure that this is the case. Among numerous other things, all new construction or rehabilitation projects must be approved by the organization and must be in line with the existing style; no new hotels are to be built within the protected zone; power and telephone lines must be buried; and traffic is not permitted to travel directly through the town. The heart of the town is closed to car and truck traffic. It really does seem a town from the past. To read more about this outstanding World Heritage site, please click on “UNESCO sites” under the Laos flag.

According to the UNESCO, Luang Prabang “is an outstanding example of the fusion of traditional architecture and Lao urban structures with those built by the European colonial authorities in the 19th and 20th centuries. Its unique, remarkably well-preserved townscape illustrates a key stage in the blending of these two distinct cultural traditions.” Thirty-three temples and 111 historic Lao-French buildings have been identified for restoration. The attraction of the town’s natural setting combined with its magnificent temples and charming houses and buildings draws in an increasing number of tourists each year.

But although Luang Prabang has fast become a premier tourist destination since Laos opened its borders to tourism in the late 1990s, the locals still remain unusually open and friendly. We could just as easily join in a game of petanque (a sport that originated in France) as be invited to join some locals for beer or Lao whiskey. They sometimes called us to share their meals with them as we passed by in the street, and I was even invited into someone’s house to share a plate of papaya. Although the old man who invited me didn’t speak a word of English, he seemed thrilled that I was there and so proud to show off his two young grandchildren.

Luang Prabang is a former royal capital, and there is a high concentration of temples and monks in this religious town. Out of a population of 15,000 residents, over 500 are monks. Every morning, at the crack of dawn, the monks in their saffron-colored robes file out of the monasteries and make their way barefoot through the streets, bearing wooden alms bowls with which to receive their daily meals. Locals wait on bended knee along the route to present sticky rice and other food to the monks – thereby earning spiritual credit by performing this meritorious deed. After the monks have received their offerings, they disappear once again into the temples, where they pass their days studying, meditating, or practicing English with tourists. Many of the monks in Laos who wish to study English come to Luang Prabang for this express purpose.

Buddhist temples were, and still are, the center of the Lao universe, and are treasure-troves of mural-painting, sculpture, and Lao architecture. Luang Prabang is a city of temples, and it boasts magnificent ones. They date from the 16th century, and the best-preserved and most lavish are found in the oldest part of the peninsula, where royalty and nobility once resided.

Among the most striking and notable of Luang Prabang’s temples are those of Wat Xieng Thong, Wat Mai, and Wat Choumkhoun. The most sumptuous is that of Wat Xieng Thong, which is gorgeous inside and out and seems to come right out of a fairytale. The main temple’s glazed-tile roofs descend to the ground, in the purest Luang Prabang style. Interior gold-stenciled wooden pillars support a ceiling decorated with dharma wheels, while the back exterior wall is adorned with a colored glass mosaic representing the “tree of life.” Smaller chapels on the premises have pretty pink or purple walls that are covered in colored mirrors in the forms of animals. One houses a rare bronze reclining Buddha, while another shelters a 36-ft. high gilded wooden funeral chariot. Lanterns hang from the roofs of the chapels and monastery. The temples’ gold-leaf-overlaid figures and colored glass mosaics literally glow. The banyan and palm trees shade the gardens, forming a tranquil harmony of elements.

Wat Mai is next to the royal palace. Its gorgeous exterior walls bear magnificent gold stucco bas-reliefs recounting the legend of Pavet, the last incarnation of the historic Buddha, amid diverse village scenes. We visited the temple during the Lao New Year, when the Pha Bang statue was brought here in an elaborate religious ceremony. The spiritual protector of Luang Prabang and Laos, the 83-cm. high Buddha statue is brought out only once a year, when the devoted come to pray before it and sprinkle it with water and lotus petals.

One of my favorite temples was that of Wat Choumkhoun. The temple itself is not so large, but magnificent, and the well-kept grounds and manicured gardens are a haven of luxury and relaxation. Gorgeous pink flowering trees form a canopy of shade over golden Buddhas and the walkways are lined with potted flowers. Monks relax in the gardens or on the steps of the temple, and the devoted come to pray in front of the golden Buddha and sprinkle him with water and lotus petals during the New Year. In the late afternoon, the golden Buddhas reflect the glow of the setting sun, while in the evening, carved ceramic lanterns and hanging paper lanterns give off a warm glow that is absolutely magical.

As for the unique architecture of Luang Prabang’s buildings, the neo-colonial houses mélange the Laotian and French styles. The French used styles developed in Vietnam, but adapted designs better suited to the climate instead of simply transplanting European architectural design. This translated into wooden houses with internal corridors that provided cool air circulation. Some styles are inspired by temple architecture. They are all charming and blend in harmoniously with the natural environment.

In addition to the ornamented temples of another time and to the pretty houses with their pretty gardens, the town is made even more appealing by the magical glow of its lanterns that illuminate the walkways of temples and their rooftops. Lanterns illuminate the Night Market, as well, where vendors spread their wares on mats along the pedestrian street. Tribespeople in colorful costumes come from all over the north to sell paper lanterns, purses, traditional tribal clothing, opium pipes, religious paintings, quilts, and silver, wooden, and beaded jewellery.

We started out each morning with a fruit salad, fresh fruit shake, and Lao coffee for me (and a grilled chicken sandwich for Stephane) on a flowering terrace overlooking the Mekong. We watched the fishermen on the banks below clean their nets in the morning sun. Life in Luang Prabang moves at the same slow pace as it always has. Tourists have even given the country a nickname: the official name of Lao PDR (Lao People’s Democratic Republic) has been transformed into Lao PDR (Lao People Don’t Rush).

Although we had planned on staying for only three days, we ended up staying ten days in Luang Prabang. In addition to the town’s appeal, it was the festivities of Pimai, the Lao New Year, which drew us in and made us extend our stay. Pimai in Luang Prabang is quite possibly the best New Year celebration in the world. We spent four days of unending partying in a huge waterfight that enveloped the entire town (I’ll talk about Pimai in the next journal entry) In addition to feting the Lao New Year, we also took the opportunity to explore the surrounding area, both by bicycle and by boat.

Kuang Si Waterfall was our first adventure. A 30-km. bicycle ride took us into the surrounding countryside and to the unforgettable falls, which are 1000 times more amazing than we had imagined it. The photos really don’t do it justice. There are innumerable basins in which to swim, and we took full advantage of the opportunity. We took our time to climb our way up to the main falls, which were spectacular. They were quite tall and fell down limestone formations, into which they had carved smaller basins. A steep and slippery path led to the top of the falls, where we found a surprising marshland with mangrove forest. From there, you could jump from a cliff into a deep pool below. Because we had independent transportation (our bikes), we had the place all to ourselves once the last tour buses departed for the day.

We reached Pak Ou Caves, at the confluence of the Ou and Mekong Rivers, by a covered wooden longboat, which took us past forested banks and limestone gorges. En route, we stopped at two small villages, one that is known for its production of whiskey made from sticky rice and the other that is known for its production of sa paper made from pressed flowers and leaves. Located about 25 kms. upstream from Luang Prabang, the caves are tucked into limestone cliffs and are filled with thousands of gilded and wooden Buddha statues. During the Lao New Year, hundreds of pilgrims come to the caves from Luang Prabang in a candlelit procession to wash their household Buddha statues in the holy water. The sacred caves are believed to be inhabited by a river spirit.

Don’t forget to look at the next journal entry about the Lao New Year. That’s what detained us in Luang Prabang and what ended up being almost a week of unending festivities and fun!