Breathtaking Waterfall in Khammouane to Open for Public in 2023

Khammouane will open the Tad Sieng Lue waterfall in the Bualapa district for the public to attract more tourists next year. This would be done after access and service facilities have been constructed in the surrounding area.

Khammouane officials have been working towards making the waterfall more accessible to tourists by commissioning the Saiphouluang company to construct an access road, service centers, restaurants, hotels, and a hiking trail, Vientiane Times reported.

The company has been granted a 40-year concession to build a 30-hectare site, with road work now underway.

Tat Sieng Lue is located in a stunning setting among thick flora in Napoung Village, roughly 12 kilometres from the provincial capital.

Khammouane is also home to other beautiful sites, particularly limestone caverns, such as Tham Nang Aen, Tham Pha Nha, Tham Pha, Tham Konglor, and Tham Xebangfay.

The province, according to Khammouane authorities, currently features 198 officially listed tourist sites, 139 of which are nature-based, 30 of which hold cultural interest, and 29 of which are historical sites.

Once construction is complete, visitors can choose from 20 hotels, 115 resorts and guesthouses, 171 restaurants, and 11 entertainment venues.

Khammouane is around 360 kilometers from Vientiane and a tourist could board a public bus or hire a car to travel to the province.

In an attempt to make Khammouane safer, last month, the Lao Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation worked together to remove unexploded ordnance in its Nakay District. Lao personnel also received training on the safe removal of explosives in the process.

Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2022/12/19/breathtaking-waterfall-in-khammouane-to-open-for-public-next-year/

Overseas Visitors to Laos Could Exceed One Million in 2022

Since Laos reopened in May, there has been a constant rise in foreign visitors who want to travel through its beautiful landscapes and experience the sights and sounds of the Land of a Million Elephants.

According to information by the Tourism Marketing Department of the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism, 644,756 foreign tourists visited Laos through September and the government is expecting 300,000 more international travelers to visit the country this year.

A majority of these travelers were from neighboring Thailand (364,515), who were excited to travel on the high-speed Laos-China Railway and visit popular tourist sites like Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng.

Although China’s borders are still closed, it ranked second with 18,902 Chinese tourists visiting Laos. Thanks to direct flights between Seoul and Vientiane, 9,885 people visited from South Korea, followed by the US with 6,695 people, and 6,379 travelers came in from neighboring Cambodia.

Foreign tourists have generated a revenue of over USD 100 million through September and with the high season setting in, this number is expected to go up considerably.

Meanwhile, the hospitality industry is geared up to welcome tourists during this time and has upgraded its standards and trained its staff to serve patrons even better. Additionally, the government has also collaborated with local businesses to organize exhibitions and fairs and work on the development of new tourism-related products, ensuring the best travel experience for visitors.

Learn more about Lao culture and places to visit at the Lao Simply Beautiful Facebook Page.

As of 2022, Laos has 3 World Heritage Sites inscribed by UNESCO.

Laos has recently been in the global spotlight for being featured in the prestigious National Geographic magazine as one of the best places to ‘slow travel’ in 2023. It has also been selected by Wanderlust, UK’s leading independent travel magazine, among the 20 best places to visit in January 2023.

Alongside its surreal natural beauty with mountains and mighty rivers, the country is also home to three UNESCO World Heritage sites that were awarded this high honor for having “universal value to cultural or natural heritage”. Here are the three places which you absolutely must visit when you are in Laos.

  1. The Town of Luang Prabang: According to the World Heritage Convention at UNESCO Luang Prabang is, “an outstanding example of the fusion of traditional architecture and Lao urban structures with those built by the European colonial authorities in the 19th and 20th centuries.” Situated next to the Mekong river, the town is incredibly well preserved and is home to majestic temples, caves, and waterfalls as well as a lively night market, contemporary restaurants, cafes, and hotels.
  1. Vat Phou: The Vat Phou temple complex is over a thousand years old and was a part of the Khmer empire that was predominant in Southeast Asia between the 10th and 14th centuries. Built to represent the relationship between humankind and nature, the temple flawlessly blends with its surroundings. It was built using an axis that perfectly aligns the temples, shrines, and waterworks extending over 10 km with Mount Phou Kao and the Mekong river.
  1. The Plain of Jars: Located in northeastern Laos, the Plain of Jars stands on a plateau and gets its name from thousands of tubular-shaped megalithic stone jars used for funerary practices by an unknown civilization. Excavation of the site has turned up stone jar lids, secondary burials, tombstones, quarries, and funerary objects dating from 500 BCE to 500 CE and is one of the most lasting artifacts of the Iron Age in Laos.

Learn more about Lao culture and places to visit at the Lao Simply Beautiful Facebook Page.

Gordon Ramsay Names Laos as World’s Top Food Destination

British celebrity chef, Gordon Ramsay, has named Laos as his top pick among the world’s food destinations.

The 56-year-old chef made the call during an interview with Korean YouTuber Cho Seung-yeon. The two discussed food in the UK and the reputation of British foods, as well as discussing the best places in the world for eating out.

During the interview, Cho asks Ramsay, “Where would you say is the number one foodie destination?”

The celebrity chef responds that Laos would be his top pick, as well as Vietnam and Spain.

“I recently came out of Laos, and going back to the provinces and spending time in the countryside away from the tourist traps, the food was just off the charts,” says Ramsay.

He then speaks of Vietnam as an extraordinary melting pot of great food, noting that exciting things are happening in the food scene of Madrid as well.

“I get to challenge my palate by traveling all over the world,” says Ramsay in the interview, “but Laos. Beautiful.”

When asked about his philosophy on food in 2022, Gordon Ramsay advises viewers to be more appreciative of breaking bread with family, noting that the pandemic has shown us all the importance of family.

Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2022/12/10/gordon-ramsay-names-laos-as-worlds-top-food-destination/

Xaysomboun Province Unveils a New Public Park

Xaysomboun officials hosted a ceremony on Sunday to inaugurate Chao Anouvong Park as the new public park and tourist attraction in the province.

The ceremony saw attendance from the Governor of Xaysomboun province, Mr. Phoykham Houngbounyuang, the Lao President’s wife, Ms. Naly Sisoulith, government officials, including Chairman of the Central Buddhist Association of Laos, Mr. Mahabounma Simmaphom and other monks in the area.

Alongside the inauguration of the park, a statue of King Anouvong was also unveiled to remember his contributions to his country and it added to the natural aesthetic and rich history of the area said Mr. Phoykham.

He also added that Xaysomboun officials have designed the park to serve as a natural, cultural, and historical destination for local and international visitors.

According to Vientiane Times, the park contains a seven-hectare area surrounding the Tham Chao Anouvong cave, which is four kilometers from the seat of the province.

Xaysomboun is a hilly province situated between Vientiane and Xieng Khouang provinces. Even though the surrounding area is largely undeveloped, it is rich in natural resources. The highest mountain in Laos, Phou Bia, is also located in Xaysomboun. New tourist attractions in the area are likely to play a key role in the future development of the area.

Last month, Houaphanh also revealed its Big Fish monument as a new attraction, and also a selfie spot for tourists. According to local officials, the monument symbolizes the necessity to protect aquatic life for future generations.

Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2022/12/06/xaysomboun-province-unveils-a-new-public-park/

Laos Assessed as ‘Medium-Risk’ Country to Visit in SE Asia

The international security firm Global Guardian, which specializes in travel risk, classified Laos as a medium-risk country alongside the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, and Indonesia.

Aspects like vulnerability to criminality, sporadic unrest, and being ill-equipped to manage crises have resulted in the aforementioned countries being listed in this category.

Brunei, Malaysia, and Vietnam were ranked higher and said to be at moderate risk for travelers as their conditions were more stable than the previous countries.

The report by the US-based company says, “Countries that are moderate risk are considered resilient. These countries are capable of quickly and effectively managing most crises and threats to personal security. But criminal activity, terrorism, and natural disasters can impact travel or in-country operations.”

A total of 163 countries were ranked in this report and only Singapore was classified as ‘low-risk’ making it the safest place to travel in Southeast Asia.

Some of the extreme-risk countries on the list are Ukraine, Pakistan, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Yemen, Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, and Burkina Faso. While the safest places to travel include New Zealand, Ireland, Denmark, and Austria.

Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2022/12/01/laos-assessed-as-medium-risk-country-to-visit-in-se-asia/

85 Percent of Tourists Traveled to Luang Prabang by Train This Year

The majority of tourists travel to Luang Prabang using the Laos-China Railway as opposed to other means of transport, according to a new report.

According to the Deputy Head of Information, Culture and Tourism Department, Mr. Chansamone Thipphavanh, Luang Prabang saw 335,794 tourists visiting the province on the Laos-China Railway train until October. A whopping 85.27 percent of people chose the rail as a favorable mode of transport as opposed to taking a flight or traveling by road.

Mr. Chansamone also said that over 253,000 domestic tourists and 140,000 international tourists visited the UNESCO World Heritage town by train; and the rest commuted by boat, bus, or plane. Tourism in Luang Prabang generated a revenue of USD 138 Million until last month.

With Lao Airlines also adding more flights to Luang Prabang in its Winter Schedule and the Hmong New Year Celebration around the corner, the government expects to draw more than 100,00 tourists in the last two months of the year, leading to an income of USD 200 million.

Among Luang Prabang’s 228 official tourist sites, 111 are natural sites and 78 are cultural sites. Only 158 total tourist spots are open to the public at the moment.

Both Luang Prabang and Laos-China Railway have been getting a lot of international acclaim recently with National Geographic magazine picking Laos as one of the best places for slow travel in 2023 and saying, “The train’s promise? To expand tourism among the Lao themselves, who can now more easily explore their country’s multifaceted heritage, including the old imperial capital, Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage site.”

Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2022/11/23/tourists-choose-laos-china-railway-as-the-best-way-to-travel-to-luang-prabang/

Film Festival in Luang Prabang Announces Official Lineup

The UNESCO Heritage town of Luang Prabang in Laos will once again host a film festival, previously known as the Luang Prabang Film Festival (LPFF).

With a rich history of connecting regional filmmakers, supporting the Lao domestic film industry, and presenting an annual free festival, LPFF has been a force in the region for more than 12 years.

Organizers have recently acquiesced to a name change in order to continue to produce this year’s event, scheduled for 8 – 11 December, and will move forward using only the iconic blue chair to identify the festival.

As always, official selections for the annual program were made by filmmakers and critics from across Southeast Asia and represent a curated selection of the finest contemporary films from their respective countries. By working with talented curators with an inside understanding of their communities’ film scenes, LPFF annually presents a unique program that consistently delivers some of the strongest voices from across the region.

Presenting Partners of the festival this year include Lao Telecom, The Asia Foundation, M Money, and Beerlao; the event is produced in collaboration with the Luang Prabang Department of Culture, Information, and Tourism. Longtime partners Avani+ Luang Prabang and Sofitel Luang Prabang are supporting the event again, as well.

Of special interest this year is a pair of films with roots in the LPFF Talent Lab — both Martika Ramirez Escobar and Kavich Neang joined the inaugural lab in 2016, delivered in conjunction with the erstwhile Tribeca Film Institute. This year sees their finished projects, Leonor Will Never Die and White Building, respectively, on screens in Luang Prabang.

And a pair of Lao productions will premiere at the festival this year — Sonepasith Phanphila’s Absence of Sound, made in Luang Prabang itself, and Phanumad Disattha’s short film, Fly Sandy Fly, presented by T Plus during the festival’s opening ceremony, which starts at 6 pm on 8 December.

As always, all screenings are free and open to the public.

Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2022/11/21/film-festival-in-luang-prabang-announces-official-lineup/

Laos Gets Most Foreign Tourists from Thailand, China and South Korea in 2022

This is according to the information shared by the Tourism Marketing Department of the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism for the first nine months of the year.

With Laos getting wonderful publicity from international magazines like National Geographic and Wanderlust, the country has welcomed 1,701,806 tourists until September. A majority of them were Lao nationals (1,037,050) but there has also been an increase in the number of foreign tourists and 644,756 of them visited Laos during this time.

More than half of the international travelers have been from Thailand (364,515), keen to get on the high-speed Laos-China Railway and travel to tourist destinations like Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng. Despite closed borders, China came in second with 18,902 of its citizens visiting Laos followed by South Korea with 9,885 visitors, the US with 6,695, and 6,379 travelers reported from Cambodia.

Travel figures for Lao nationals are also 40% more compared to 2021 which generated an income of USD 117 million. The revenue from foreign tourists was over USD 100 million.

Albeit their closed borders Chinese tourists were able to enter Laos through flights to Vientiane’s Wattay International airport, or they crossed via the Laos-Thai Friendship bridge in the capital and some also used the border crossing option in the Golden Triangle area.

Government officials expect around 300,000 international tourists in the last quarter of the year. Through exhibitions, fairs, and the development of new tourism-related products, the government has joined hands with local business to provide the best travel experience to visitors.

Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2022/11/17/laos-gets-most-foreign-tourists-from-thailand-china-and-south-korea-in-2022/

A 10-day Festival to Celebrate Cultural Dialogue Between France, Laos

On 18 November the Festival France-Laos 2022 will open its doors for a series of ten exceptional events honoring the richness of cultural creation and the precious nature of intercultural dialogue.

For this first edition, the choice made is that of effervescence. Classical music, pop rock, world music, cinema, puppet show, theater, visual arts, and all artistic disciplines mingle and meet.test

The same goes for the artists: internationally renowned pianists Maxime Zecchini and David Bismuth will share the stage with the Vientiane Chamber Orchestra, the young singer Sun will respond to the words of Blackeyes and NU innovation, the students of the National Institute of Fine Arts will pay tribute to Marc Leguay and Thiane Khamvongsa to the inevitable Molière.

Just like the work of the famous French comedian and dramaturge, born 400 years ago, who saw in theater and comedy a path to education for all, the Festival France-Laos is also a place of discovery, learning, encounters, and inspiration that enables artists to share their worldview with their spectators.

Under Tô’s gaze, the baskets of sticky rice will become the central characters of the new adventures of Khaô Niew’s puppets. Bruno le Matelot will portray the details of his daily life in Laos with colors and imagination. The director Kiyé Simon Luang will rediscover the path of his roots through his cinematographic work and will present for the first time in Laos his film Good Bye Mr Wong.

Schedule of the France-Laos Festival

The Festival France-Laos 2022 will close this first year of festival by celebrating the exemplary cooperation between the Lao Fashion Week, the famous French fashion school ESMOD and the French Embassy in Laos which allows each year several young Laotian designers to benefit from a training program of excellence in France.

Because, whether you are an actor or a spectator, creation is not only a synonym of art and culture. It is also about personal and professional development, new economic opportunities, and strong values such as education for all, sustainable development and gender equality, all in line with the official objectives of the Laos government.

Source: https://laotiantimes.com/2022/11/11/a-10-day-festival-to-celebrate-the-cultural-dialogue-between-france-laos/