Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang is the ancient capital of Laos, the forgotten, land-locked country of South-East Asia. About five or ten years ago, backpackers, followed by more established travelers decided not to forget about Laos and the country has become a frequent stop-over.

I made my own visit over the past weekend. My review of the location is mixed, not because I had a bad time, but because I was visiting to get a feel for the place and what it would be like to live there in the future. My hotel is branching out and opening its second property. During my time in the UNESCO-protected town, I had the chance to meet the general manager of the new property, as well as the building site.

As far as a place to visit in SE Asia, I would place Luang Prabang on the top ten probably. It is easy-going in nearly every sense. The people do not try to hassle you into buying things, the shops are small and family-run, the streets are clean with only the occasional street dog, the temperature is mild and the environment exudes a feeling of calm. Nestled between the turns of the Mekong River, the Buddhist kings of past decided to construct one temple after the next. Walking through the town, a visitor is surrounded first by all the temples and then by the French colonial buildings that are now protected by the UNESCO organization.

In addition to the enjoyable pace of the town, visitors are encouraged to see the greater periphery of Northern Laos. Tour vendors offer one-day to week-long excursions that may include trekking, biking, Mahout courses, hill-tribe homestays, kayaking, or zip-line adventures. My friend, Conor, and I opted for a two-day trip that include trekking to Hmong and Khmu villages, followed by kayaking down one of the rivers that feeds into the Mekong.

Again, I have generally positive reviews for the experience. I would say that visiting a hill tribe did not seem like a particularly genuine experience and I would warn others about the risks related to this type of cultural tourism. People are not exhibits and the Laos tour guides are running the risk of turning cultural treasures into tired photo opportunities. The trekking and the kayaking were quite enjoyable. I narrowly missed a conflagration with some rock while kayaking and paddled away with a few bruises on my chest.

Small accidents and touristy gripes aside, my bigger concern with the place was its livability. Luang Prabang is about half the size of my current "city" of Siem Reap. The entire town can be covered without problem by bicycle. There are only a handful of places where expatriates seemed to meet and the most common choice of activities is drinking the ever-present and enjoyable Beer Lao.

When I lived in Seattle, I did not take enough opportunity to experience the arts, music and culture that give the city its vibrancy. However, having lived in a small city for nearly two years, I now recognize the importance of those outlets. At this point in my life, I would prefer to live in a larger city over a smaller center. For the opportunity that my work is providing, I am willing to downsize once more. However, now I am faced with answering the questions of "when?" and "for how long?"

One final point, if there is one word to describe the Siem Reap environment at this time of year, it is "dusty". Brown-red dust everywhere. Luang Prabang does not have this problem, but they exchange it with another. In preparation for the rice harvest, various hill tribes burn large patches of the verdant hills that compose Laos. These hills then trap the smoke to create one of the haziest environments I have ever seen, in pictures or in life. The one word to describe Luang Prabang at this time is "smoky".