Bruno Vincent

Part 2. A shorter version appears in Champa Meuanglao magazine. The Mekong Elephant Park It was too late for the 1,000 Year Tea Forest, Talae Waterfall, or Ban Yor pottery village. So, we hit the local markets, then transferred down the hill from Le Grand to the Sanctuary Lodge. I told Ben, the general manager, about our … Read more

Part 3. A shorter version appears in Champa Meuanglao magazine. Back to the Khmu  Pheng telephoned during lunch. “Can you ride on my motorcycle?” Why? Lorry still stuck? “No, it’s gone, but there are landslides.” The ride on the back of Pheng’s scooter was slightly bumpy at first, but soon he had to slow down and pick … Read more

Lao Airlines has launched a direct flight connecting Luang Prabang with Shangsha in Hunan, China in a move to attract more tourists from the south central Chinese Province.   The new route will operate weekly on Wednesdays.   Lao Airlines also operates direct flights between Vientiane and Shangsha, which took off in 2015.   Luang … Read more

  Sanctuary Hotels and Resorts is celebrating Awk Phansa (end of Buddhist Lent) and the “Fire Boat Festival” on 24-25 October with activities in Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng. The fun kicks off with the “Boun Souang Heua” Boat Racing Festival on Vang Vieng’s Nam Song River on 24 October. Guests at the Sanctuary Nam … Read more

  Sounds of suppressed laughter are audible in a small farm called Mulberries in Xiangkhoung, Laos, where a group of women, under the eye of a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, huddle over a boiling cauldron of natural dye. The bashful ladies are endearing, but so is Kommaly Chantavong, despite her matronly demeanor giving out instructions … Read more

  Lao Airlines has issued an official letter that all their flight rate will increase by $5 effective from 11 November 2018, according to Focus Asia. The revised YQ surcharge is as follows: – Domestic Sectors from $13 to $18 – International Sectors from $25 to $30 – Routing of VTE-CAN, VTE-KMG, VTE-SIN from $40 … Read more

  Green Discovery Laos is now offering a one-day version of its iconic Vang Vieng Challenge, which is less expensive and more challenging than the two-day excursion. “I think it’s the perfect way for people in Laos to challenge their friends and spend an unforgettable day in Vang Vieng’s natural wonders,” said the company’s communications … Read more

  A Chinese engineering company has completed the first train tunnel longer than 1,000 meters along the Lao railway. Nateuy No. 1 Tunnel is located in the northern Lao province of Luang Namtha bordering China. Huang Zongwen, a senior official with the China Railway No. 5 Engineering Group, which oversees the tunnel’s construction, told Xinhua … Read more

  It’s harvest time, and Saffron Coffee’s Espresso, Brew Bar, and Roastery on the Mekong in Luang Prabang is celebrating with the launch of “Exclusive Guided Tasting” led by Saffron Assistant Director Derek Smith. The 60-90 minute guided tasting, being offered from 12 November 2018 – 28 February 2019 by appointment, gives coffee drinkers the … Read more

  Social enterprise Ma Té Sai is expanding into Singapore, bringing their range of fair trade Lao handicrafts to an international market. The first pop up stand at Chevron House at Raffles Place, will open November 2018, with additional pop-up shops planned in different Singapore locations throughout 2019. “Ma Té Sai has always had a … Read more