Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang despite its important past as the ancient royal capital, is still a charming small town in a pleasant site, on the Mekong river, nested among high mountains. There are only little modern development and cars, making the town one of the most preserved of South East Asia. All the sights are well within strolling distance, as the historical heart of the town is on a kilometer long peninsula. Its importance as a religious and cultural center come from the more than thirty active temples. All this has begun to attract tourists, but just by crossing the river and hiking a bit, you'll find yourself in totally unspoiled villages.

It is expected from any young Buddhist man in Laos to spend some time in a monastary as a novice monk, preferably before his marriage. Because of that, there is a strong monastic life all over the country. The monks receive their food in the morning from the population, and then are not supposed to eat for the rest of the day, although rules are rarely observed rigidly. Those who feed them accrue some merit. Each morning, at the break of dawn, it is an impressive sight to see the Buddhist monks from all the temples walking in the streets, elders first, and receive their alms from the population.

The town of Luang Prabang is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.