LUANG PRABANG, Laos The lazy lanes of Luang Prabang are now a
little bit closer. In December, Thai Airways began flying three
times per week between Chiang Mai, Thailand, and the former royal
capital of Laos.
Central to Luang Prabang’s legendary charm has always been its
relaxed, chatty people, its refreshing climate and its ethereal
setting on the hills hugging the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. Since
the small communist nation opened up to private business and
tourism in the early 1990s, visitors have also flocked to see the
town’s architectural treasures.
Alongside traditional wooden Laotian-style houses are the stucco
villas and shop houses of the French colonialists, and hybrid
buildings that borrow motifs from both. Then there are 30-odd
Buddhist temples, most with the sweeping, layered roofs of Luang
Prabang style. UNESCO has been trying to encourage preservation and
tasteful modernization of the old buildings. In 1995, it designated
the downtown area a World Heritage Site.
Another architectural landmark is the palace of Laos’ last king,
who disappeared forever into the Lao gulag in 1977. The large
modern airy building, dating from 1904, displays mosaics, Buddha
images and royal elephant saddle as well the king’s Victrola and
Proust collection. Here too is a chapel that houses the gold Pha
Bang Buddha image after which the city is named.
Because there are very few vehicles and the town is so compact
with fewer than 20,000 residents visitors do a lot of meandering.
Along the way, clients will discover shops making and selling
well-crafted silver jewelry, wooden carvings and, most famous of
all, hand-woven textiles. The prices for everything are absurdly
cheap. Try a hand-woven, multi-colored silk scarf for $5.
Not that all tourists to Luang Prabang are content shopping. The
future of tourism in northern Laos lies with adventure tourism.
Already Luang Prabang is a budding base for mountain biking,
hiking, kayaking and rafting.
Following are some choice accommodations in Luang Prabang.
Reservations for all these hotels can be made through Stayxs.com,
which has a sister site, Stayxs. net, that’s just for agents and
travel professionals. Through Stayxs.net, members can earn
discounts and commissions. Membership is free.
Pansea Phou Vao
At the very top of the line and perched atop Phou Vao (Kite Hill),
lies the French-managed Phou Vao, with its 34 rooms and two suites,
a pool, gardens galore, babysitters, heated rooms and Laotian staff
decked out in traditional costume. Rack rates start at $140, though
50 percent discounts aren’t unheard of. The views are spectacular,
but the hotel is located far from town.
856-071-212-194, 856-071-212-530, fax: 856-712-212-534
E-mail: [email protected]
Souvannaphoum
This hotel is the most historic accommodation in Luang Prabang, if
not the nation. This was the home of Prince Souvanna Phouma, Laos’s
prime minister until 1975. The first Lao to be formally trained as
an architect, Souvanna designed this modern, unpretentious
two-story house in the early 1960s. His plan was to retire here and
smoke cigars in the lounge adorned with hunting trophies and play
bridge on the back veranda. The former bedrooms of the prince and
princess can be booked, but the 25 guestrooms in a new two-story
annex are more comfortable. The pool is a recent addition.
856-071-212-200
Villa Santi
This is the former home of crown prince Vong Savang. After serving
time as a government warehouse, the century-old house was reclaimed
by his widow in the early 1990s. Her daughter and son-in-law Santi
renovated and now run it. The old building houses a restaurant and
lobby, and most guests stay in air-conditioned rooms in a modern
wing with modern conveniences. Around the corner is L’Elephant, the
best French restaurant in town. (Centrally located, Villa Santi
shouldn’t be confused with the Villa Santi Resort, which is three
miles from town.)
856-071-212-267
Le Calao Inn
This meticulously restored Sino-Portuguese-style mansion is too
small to attract tour groups; it has fewer than a dozen rooms. But
it’s an ideal choice to book special clients. Dating from 1904, it
was originally the home and office for a Chinese merchant. On the
banks of the Mekong, it’s a stone’s throw from 450-year-old Wat
Xieng Thong and the junction with the Nam Khan River.
856-071-212-100
Phousy
There’s nothing old or charming about this sprawling hotel, but
it’s amply surrounded by gardens, it’s a good value and it’s well
placed for strolls around town or to the night market. The 40 rooms
are equipped with satellite TV, refrigerators and phones.
856-071-212-292
