CULTURAL HERITAGE
WORLD HERITAGE SITES
LUANG PRABANG
The Ancient Town of Luang Prabang
in the center of northern Laos has been described as one of the most charming
and best preserved towns in Southeast Asia. There are 34 Buddhist temples among
colonial and Chinese architecture, all set in a backdrop of lush green
mountains.
The mighty Mekong River frames the town’s western border and is
still used as an important commercial and recreational transportation link.
Vibrant cultural traditions, rituals and distinctive artwork that include
temple murals woodcarving and pottery make Luang Prabang an attractive
destination for a wide range of interests.
Due to its outstanding cultural and
natural features, the town was listed as a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE in 1995.
The town is accessible by air directly from Bangkok, Vientiane and Chiang Mai.
For more adventuresome travelers,
overland travel is an option from all directions. There is also regular boat service
on the Mekong ( 1 day voyage) to and
from Houeixay a Lao town bordering Chiang Kong in northern Thailand.
VAT PHOU TEMPLE
The Vat Phou Temple Complex and
surrounding Champasak Heritage Landscape is located 500 km south of Vientiane
of the right bank of the Mekong River in Champasak Province Vat Phou is an
excellent example of early and classic Khmer Architecture, dating from the 7th
to 12th centuries AD.
At the foot of Vat Phou is the AncientCity of
Shestupura first settled in the 5th century AD and believed to be
the oldest urban settlement in Southeast Asia. Besides the main Vat Phou Temple
Complex, there are many lesser known ancient archeological sites and natural
areas nearby that can take some time to adequately explore.
The quiet town o
Champasak, gateway to Vat Phou, is accessible via a short car or bus ride from
Pakse. From Pakse there is also regular boat service on the Mekong to
Champasak-the trip takes about 2-3 hours.
THE PLAIN OF JARS
The Plain of Jars is situated on
the Xieng Khouang Plateau in northern Laos. The site is comprised of thousands
of stone jars varying in height from one to over 3 meter, in clusters of up to
300 jars.One local legend states that the jars were originally constructed to
distill an alcoholic brew to celebrate the victorious military campaign of an
ancient king; however archaeological evidence suggests that the jars are
funerary urns, carved by a Bronze Age people around 2000 years ago.
More
recently, due to its strategic location, the Plain of Jars played a pivotal
role in the Second Indochina War and was the site of many ground battles and
intense aerial bombardment. Xieng Khouang is now a peaceful place with peaceful
place with wonderful cool weather. Vast grasslands, many ethnic minorities, hot
springs and caves. The Plain of Jars is accessible by air from Vientiane and
Luang Prabang .Overland travel from northern and central Laos and central
Vietnam is also a popular way to reach Xieng Khouang.
