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Luang Prabang...the refuge of the last dreamers..?
Having struggled for months to start this blog with my own words, I have decided to hijack the words of another and share this extract from the journal of one Marthe Bassenne, a formidable Frenchwoman...
View ArticleHuh? Laos...? That's a country?
"Laos?? Where the hell's that?" is the reaction of a rather shamefully large number of Europeans and Americans when Laos comes up in conversation. Here's a great scene from King of the Hill which...
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So where's the best massage place in Luang Prabang?
This was one of the first questions I wanted answers to when I moved here. I am someone who holds all their stress in their back and shoulders, and having spent many years hunched over a desk at my...
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Little Lao Critters
I am fascinated by the rich array of weird and wonderful creatures that you find in Laos. And I wouldn't be surprised if there are still thousands of as yet unidentified species lurking about in the...
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Renting a House in Luang Prabang
One of the biggest hurdles in moving to Luang Prabang is finding a place to live. There are an increasing number of houses for rent, but only a handful are advertised on the internet and there are no...
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Mango Rains
During the last few weeks, Luang Prabang has been blanketed by stifling clouds of dust, the result of the continued practice of slash and burn agriculture in Laos. At this time of year, it gets hot...
View ArticlePetty theft and crime in Luang Prabang
When I first came here, my impression was that Luang Prabang was a quiet, sleepy town with almost no violence or crime. I felt pretty safe walking the streets at night, figuring that the Lao were...
View ArticleHappy New Year Lao-style
Sok Dee Pi Mai! Another nod to Lao culture from King of the Hill.
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Lao New Year in Luang Prabang
April is the hottest time of the year in Laos, and the month when the usually tranquil Luang Prabang takes on an entire alter ego. Lao New Year (Pi Mai Lao) takes place from April 13th - April 15th...
View ArticleLittle Laos
This wonderful little tilt-shift film of Laos makes everything look miniature. The film was shot in January 2012 by travelling German filmmaker Joerg Daiber, who captured these scenes in Vientiane,...
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Cooling off in Luang Prabang
As the temperatures reach the high 30s (sometimes 40s) in April and May, it can be hard to muster the energy to do anything other than lie under a fan or sip iced tea in an air-conditioned cafe. Some...
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Keeping fit in Luang Prabang
If you opt for a bicycle rather than a moped, it is pretty easy to stay reasonably fit in Luang Prabang. That being said, cycling about at the height of hot season is not always desirable. Luckily...
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Grocery shopping in Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang has numerous small convenience stores dotted around town, but unfortunately most of these sell only soft drinks, Beer Lao, crisps, cigarettes and packets of instant noodles. If you're...
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Learning Lao in Luang Prabang
Not everyone agrees, but I believe that to do business and live fully in Luang Prabang, you really need to learn Lao. At the very least, I think you should attempt to master the basics. Not only does...
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Living with Spirits in Luang Prabang
Spirits play a large role in Lao life. Although Buddhism is the main religion, animism (spirit or ancestor worship) is still prominent and many animist beliefs have merged with Buddhist traditions...
View ArticlePortraits from Luang Prabang
Videos of Luang Prabang on YouTube always seem to disappoint. Often they are just amateur footage, or a slideshow of someone's holiday photos set to music. Even the news and travel show clips simply do...
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The Luang Prabang Film Festival
This is the first year that I will be around for the annual Luang Prabang Film Festival, which takes place over 5 days in the first week of December. The festival, which first took place in 2010, is a...
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How to experience the Lao Herbal Steam Bath in Luang Prabang
I recently had my first experience of the traditional Lao Sauna or Herbal Steam Bath. I’d been meaning to go for a while having been told by many locals of the health benefits. It is a weekly ritual...
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10 Reasons to visit Luang Prabang in Low Season
It’s high season in Luang Prabang at the moment, so the town is buzzing with visitors and it got me thinking about why I like the low season. Low season in Luang Prabang is the period from May to...
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Long Stay Visas in Luang Prabang
I get a lot of emails about how to arrange long stay visas in Luang Prabang so I figured it was time to write a post about it. Without further ado, there are really four options to choose from. 1....
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Awk Phansa Boat Fire Festival Luang Prabang
On the night of the full moon in October, Luang Prabang celebrates the end of Buddhist lent (Awk Phansa) with my favourite festival Bun Lai Heua Fai, known in English as the Boat Fire...
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Learning to cook Lao food in Luang Prabang
One of my favourite restaurants in Luang Prabang is Cafe Toui. This tiny, unimposing restaurant in Ban Xieng Mouane is on a side street between the main road and the Mekong, and is thus often...
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Shopping for authentic Lao handicraft in Luang Prabang
If you're into hand-woven textiles and exquisite handicraft, then Luang Prabang is a veritable Aladdin's Cave. Passing visitors often lament the fact that they don't have enough space in their luggage...
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Education projects - giving back in Luang Prabang
Recently I came across a wonderful new education project in Luang Prabang, and it's inspired me to write about some of the special people and projects that make it their business to bring education,...
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Introducing...Luang Prabang Butterfly Park
Last time I went up to Kuang Si Waterfall I stopped off to visit a new eco-tourism attraction that has opened up just 300m down the road - Kuang Si Butterfly Park. At the time of my visit, the park had...
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