SAYABOULY
CAPITAL : SAYABOULY
TOTAL AREA : 16389 SQUARE
KILOMETRES
POPULATION: 374 666
Sayabouly Province, located in
northwestern Laos sharing a border with Thailand, is known for its rugged
landscape and large tracts of teak forests. The province is also an important
agricultural producer of rice cotton, peanuts, sesame , maize and oranges.
The
Malabri, one of the last remaining hunter gatherer groups in Southeast Asia
inhabit the forest in the province’s western region. Other ethnic groups
located in the province include the Khmu,Tai Dam, Tai Lue, Htin ,Phai, Kri and
Akha. In Muang Ngeun District are ethnic Tai Lu Villages , which still build
traditional houses constructed with characteristic high –sloping roofs.Muang
Ngeun’s old Tai Lue style temples include Vat Ban Khon with its unique natural
fiber murals and decorations and Vat Salibun Nyeun with its charming view of
the town.
Sayabouly has the largest number
of elephants in Laos, which are commonly used to carry heavy items to and from
fields and forest. In Hongsa district, elephant riding tour can be arranged and
a visit to the Lao Elephant Conservation Center is a nice half day trip.
Also
of interest in Hongsa is Vat Simungkhoun with its astonishing collection of
Buddha images and the old city walls of an ancient settlement whose history is
shrouded in mystery. In Sayabouy town, located on the banks other Nam Houng
River and a beautiful backdrop of green fields and the Pha Xang Mountain range
are Vat Si Boun Heuang with its ancient foundations dating back to the 16th
century or perhaps earlier; Vat Si Phan Don with its unique diamond shaped
stupa and Vat Sisavang Vong.
Between Vientiane and Sayabouly town is PakLay, a
small town located on the Mekong Riverbanks with French colonial buildings,
traditional Lao-style wooden houses.
The 1912 square kilometrs Nam Poui
National Protected Area has steep and rugged ridges composed mostly of Mesozoi
sandstones and shales with summits along the Thai border that reach 179m. The
NPA has a substantial wild elephant population, with an estimated 350 animals.
Gibbon ,gaur, tiger , dhole, serow, silvered langur, Asiatic black bear and
possibly even Simatran rhinos are some of the other large animals found in the
area.
Don’t miss the scenic waterfalls Nam Tok Na Kha, Nam Tok Ban Kum and Tad
Ham found in the southern part of the province.
The art of Tai Lue weaving is
still practiced in many Tai Lue villages throughout the province.Villages can
be visited to learn about the production process and to purchase textiles. Many
villages also work in cotton, organically grown in the province.
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