Lazy days in Laos
Lazy days in Laos
by Vincent Jack
by Vincent Jack
The first time I heard anything about Luang Prabang was from a rotund, jocular expat at the bar of the Eastern & Oriental Hotel in Penang, Malaysia, more than two decades ago. Dressed in a tweed jacket and sporting a cravat, he was a character, a raconteur of note, and probably one of the reasons why people regard many of the foreigners who settle in the East as being "just a little strange", people with a past. I was having a quiet beer when he called out: "Been in Asia long, then?" In my early 20's and rather too carefully dressed, he had clearly identified me as a rookie and one who could be impressed.
After establishing that I had scant knowledge of anywhere outside of Bangkok or Butterworth, he urged me to travel the countryside and discover the "real" Asia. "Now, Luang Prabang, there's a place worth trekking to," he said. "It's a little gem tucked away on the Mekong, forgotten by everyone. Mark my words, you will be mesmerized by the beauty and simplicity of the Laos people." He went on to describe days ploughing through the jungle to visit hidden temples and nights dining at rickety restaurants perched on the banks of the river. He painted an alluring picture.
The next time I heard about the town was when it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995. Clearly, little Luang Prabang was becoming a tourist attraction, yet I had still not heeded the old expat's advice. The final spur to visit the town came when I was on business in London and picked up a copy of a book about Laos that would inspire me.
The book, titled Bamboo Palace, was about the Laos royal family. Writer Christopher Kremmer investigates the fate of the country's former rulers and finds the last known survivor of the royal death camp. It is a startling book, but it was his description of Luang Prabang that thrilled me.
Kremmer wrote: "On a promontory between two rivers in the jungles of northern Laos nestles a small, gentle town of mouldering villas and shuttered shop fronts. By day the dawdling streets of Luang Prabang are dotted with parasols. By night, the black skies are clotted with stars and thick with the scent of frangipani."
Later in the book he quotes a guesthouse owner: "For me Luang Prabang is the real Laos. People are different here from elsewhere in the country. Religion is still respected and once you are here you feel quite close to nature." Convinced, I began planning my trip.
As the aircraft came in to land, the modern airport building indicated that Luang Prabang was now on the tourist map. But as I drove to my hotel, the streets looked reassuringly similar to those described by Kremmer. The mouldering villas had been touched up with a coat of paint and shop fronts were no longer shuttered, but tourist development in the form of fast food restaurants and flashy malls was absent, a sign that the town's World Heritage status had done its job.
I settled into my hotel, the Villa Santi. The hotel was established by a local businessman who married into the former royal family. The building was a former royal mansion and it makes a perfect boutique hotel, situated in the heart of the town, only a block away from the two rivers.
On one side of the hotel was a school, at the back, a temple. Life in Luang Prabang continues, seemingly unaware of the attraction it has become. When I was there, all hotels were fully booked. As I only had three days, I decided I would spend my time wandering around the town and reading the stack of books I had brought along and avoid the packaged tours and touristy attractions.
On my first morning I rose at 5am to watch the town awaken. A thick mist hung over the mountains and it was surprisingly chilly. Soon the first line of saffron-robed monks appeared, bowls in hand. Watching the monks collect food from the townsfolk (and a few bleary-eyed tourists) was a remarkable sight. As the day wore on, more and more tourists came out onto the streets.
After breakfast, I hired a bicycle to make my way around the dusty streets. Most of the tourists had gone off on one of the organised expeditions, such as an elephant ride or a boat trip to Pak Ou caves, two hours up the river. Others were climbing Mount Phousi, so the town settled down to its quiet rhythm.
That afternoon I found a great spot to read my book, a wooden bench shaded by a big tree on the bank of the Mekong. Alternating between reading and gazing at the flowing river, I hardly noticed when a young monk came up and sat near to me. I discovered his name was Jo, and he was eager to practise his English. He told me that, like many of the others, he came from a poor family and became a monk to get an education. He said it was a good life.
Through broken English, I discovered that Jo had an extraordinary passion for drawing maps. His eyes shining, he explained that one day he would like to make a map of the whole of Laos, including all the small roads and villages. He promised to show me some of his drawings the next day. And so a strange friendship began.
I discovered that, although Jo's drawings were basic, he had an extraordinary eye for detail and had mastered the concept of mapping. I asked him how he had managed to picture the town to scale from above. "I just climbed the mountain," he said. That afternoon he took me to a restaurant on the riverbank and, although he did not eat, he ordered me a meal of fish soup, spicy sausage and sticky rice. "You must taste our food," he said.
On my final day, Jo persuaded me to visit the former royal shrine of Wat Xiengthong, with its low, sweeping roofs. It is one of 30 in the town. He explained that the town had been the kingdom's royal capital for many centuries before the new (Communist) government took over. He also directed me to the former royal palace, which is now a museum. Its pride is a replica of a gold Buddha, but I was fascinated by the gifts the royals had received from various heads of state - including a moon rock from Richard Nixon.
I left this little jewel of a town with a vow to return. It gave me a taste of a different type of Asia, totally different from the skyscraper frenzy of Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok - and more genteel and calm than ordinary country life. It's just perfect for a relaxing break in a totally unique environment.
To read other articles about Laos, please visit our Tangent archive.
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