Falling in love with Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang, Laos – Every once in a while (lifetime?), you visit a place that seems to capture you, brings out emotions and experiences that somehow resonate. When you do, it’s a gift, and the eternal traveller begins the quest to enjoy that moment… and to search for the next opportunity.

Laos is a country of ~6.5m people in a geographical area about the size of the UK. It has a rich tribal history, and its past embraces being a French colony, numerous wars, and the infamous “non-war” – America dropped more bombs per capita on Laos than any other country on earth, all part of a “secret” black-ops war driven by the CIA to counter the Viet Cong.

Laos started a new, more peaceful chapter in 1975 with the installation of a communist government and the dissolution of its monarchy. Luang Prabang, the former capital, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995. The country feels more progressive & “socialist” than the “communist” label; tourism has now replaced agriculture as its number one industry, and with a GDP growth rate in excess of 7% in recent years, change is inevitable.

So how can sleepy Luang Prabang preserve its essence as a delightful town, full of a mix of artistic culture, French colonial architecture, cafes, authentic local experience, honesty, cleanliness, and fed by the lifeblood of the majestic Mekong river? How does she do this while embracing the tourist experience that will drive the local economy?

We enjoyed our four days here immensely, gently and inevitably falling in love with it. We became enchanted with the food at the fantastic Lao restaurants, enjoyed the local craft centres, wondered at the entrepreneurial spirit, visited the Night Market, Kuang Si Falls, numerous Wats (Temples) & monasteries, the vibrant local market, with a highlight being the fascinating Traditional Arts & Ethnology Centre.

However, one memory is a standout. At dawn each morning, the Buddhist monks silently walk in single file through the town, receiving alms from the local people to support them. It’s a powerful visual picture that we sensed carries far more depth and visibility into the culture, beliefs and traditions of the Lao people.

As we left Luang Prabang, we reflected. Were we tourists, visitors, participants, or even more… maybe part of the community for that moment? While travelling, you always hope and aspire to be the latter (or more), but was the picture we perceived a false one? Were we seduced by her curious mix of Asian culture and European chic? Did we fall for a myth we created?

I worry that dramatic changes will inevitably somehow prick the timeless cultural bubble we think we experienced, that the moment might be gone and lost, a silent but precious memory. How imminent & complete will the change be that she experiences? I’ve recognised a strange yearning growing, the desire to be able to return is strong and true, mixed with a forlorn hope that her timeless beauty endures.

So, a torrid past sits in direct contrast to the relaxed, gentle and gracious Lao people. One picture imprints on my mind… will the next few decades repeat the conflicts of previous ones, or can the spirit of peace prevail?

Photo Journal: The beauty of Luang Prabang