Arts And Culture in Laos

Culture vultures can swing into a world of Lao arts, culture, and heritage all over the country. Inspect ancient Buddhist temples and stupas, each with a story to match their history and location. And explore a pair of UNESCO World Heritage sites and countless ancient attractions. Want to visit ethnic villages, meet the locals, and … Read more

Village Visits & Homestays

Northern Laos Village Visits & Homestays Bokeo: Stay awhile in Houay Xay or travel on the Tea Caravan Trail to Luang Namtha and stop at an ethnic village. Nam Keung’s Bokeo Social Enterprise specialises in ethnic Lahu forest products such as ginger candy, herbal medicine, and banana liquor. Ban Pa Na opens the door to … Read more

Performance Arts

Northern Laos Performance arts are as much a part of Luang Prabang’s cultural heritage as the UNESCO city’s temples and colonial buildings. Everyone loves a good tale, and the 30-seat Garavek Traditional Story Telling Theatre delivers every evening. Listen to classic Lao folklore in English with traditional musical accompaniment. Hear the legend of Mount Phousi … Read more

Galleries

Feel the soul of Lao people in their finely woven and intricately embroidered silk textiles. Capture the essence of the country’s culture, nature, and heritage in paintings and photos by top talents. Feel the direction of Laos’ blooming modern artists. Ponder subtle regional differences in traditional crafts on your visits to the country’s galleries, and … Read more

Handicrafts

  Cotton Weaving: Watch and learn the entire cotton weaving process, from picking to weaving, at several Lao villages. Start with deseeding and softening raw cotton, before rolling it into tubes. Continue with spinning that ends at a rack of spools. The cotton is placed in vats of natural dyes, before reaching looms tucked under … Read more

Museums

Fill the knowledge gap between reading about Laos and experiencing it with a trip to a museum. Step into the past and ponder the relics of yesteryear. You’ll learn and see Lao history and culture in a way no writer can describe. Provincial museums profile their distinctive histories and traditions. Special interest museums introduce you … Read more

Heritage Sites

Northern Laos Heritage Sites Bokeo: Climb to Fort Carnot, colonial France’s western-most Indochinese stronghold. Venture to the Golden Triangle and Souvannakhomkham, the centre of an ancient kingdom. Climb a hill to the French Colonial fort overlooking the Mekong and potential foe, Siam. Located on a hill overlooking Houay Xay and Chiang Khong, Thailand, Fort Carnot … Read more

Buddhist Temples & Shrines

Northern Laos Buddhist Temples & Shrines Bokeo: Ponder the massive headless Buddha and an ancient 7-metre-tall Buddha image, and march up a hill east of town to Vat Phakham. Examine a 1,000-year-old temple on a Houay Xay hilltop overlooking the Mekong. Originally built in 1022, the small “Vat Phakham” has been restored several times over the … Read more