Luang Prabang is a very interesting place from a travellers point of view. It’s beautifully situated, two rivers concentrate most of the historic interest in a walkable area, and it’s a full-blown, comfortable tourist destination. Although there are plenty of backpackers, the majority have either flown in or are on a tour. I can’t think of many places I’ve been where walking the streets it seems the majority aren’t locals. Sounds terrible? Somehow it isn’t. The funny thing is we’d recommend it. One part of it is the dominating and very impressive presence of the Mekong. Which here is pronounced May-kong. Mostly, from a traveller’s p.o.v. looking for an exotic location that’s stress-free, this is it. The food, markets, sights, walks, and explorations out of town are all great. Good for your Mom. So there’s our pitch. Just don’t come in rainy season.
Tourist dollars are very important, 12% of the economy, and Luang Prabang is where most of them are spent.
Laos is one of the poorest countries in the world and one of only a handful that remain communist. The remaining group: North Korea, Cuba, China, Vietnam, Laos.
Oudomxay to Luang Prabang
Arghh, road construction a lot of the way
Breaking rocks with sledgehammers, argh for him
Collecting sand for the concrete from the river
The villages are usually linear following the road
Ready for pavement, pressed up against the old village
…
Deers’s head, deer parts and a squirrel. Daryl from TWD would approve, this is what he usually appears with
Birds, sadly beautiful
A leopard cat. A little big bigger than a domestic cat. Not endangered
Uh oh, storm ahead
But they seem to disappear as fast as they come, so no worries, just a short shower
Check this out. A fancy lunch restaurant, best we’ve seen yet
Higher hills now
Unbeatable
Birds check out Lucinda, as piglets like to do
Turkeys?
One of the many upcoming stunning views
To the Mekong
And a bit further down
A Mekong market
Because it’s mostly fish
And pig parts
Fried bananas. Yum
And we roll into Luang Prabang across this bikes only bridge, one of many
