The Lao capital Vientiane may not have the headline attractions of languid Luang Prabang, the former royal capital. However, it is a bustling riverside city with a number of important temples, countless classy restaurants and some interesting shops and galleries. Take a look at Vientiane in this short video produced for our Youtube channel Hanuman Travel TV, including the golden stupa of That Luang and the Arc de Triomphe of Vientiane, Patuxai Monument.
Following on from our visit to the incredible Vieng Xay Caves, we feature this Grand Laos Journey, which covers the major highlights of the country from north to south.
Monks at Kuang Si Falls near Luang Prabang
An in-depth journey throughout the old kingdom of Laos that will take you beyond the highlights and under the skin of this beguiling country, beginning with the the Luang Say cruise along the Mekong River, via the Pak Ou Caves to the World Heritage recognized city of Luang Prabang. Home to 32 stupa-studded wats, it remains one of the most atmospheric destinations in all Asia. We take in the Royal Palace Museum, classic Wat Xieng Thong and enjoy a trek to the turquoise waters of the multi-tiered Kuang Si Falls. We then head to the Plain of Jars, a mysterious mountainside dotted with ancient burial jars from a forgotten civilisation for a brief adventure before we continue to the capital city of Vientiane. Then we head south where no trip would be complete without a visit to the incredible Wat Phu and the 4,000 islands and waterfalls on the border with Cambodia.
For more details on this tour, visit the Hanuman website: http://www.hanuman.travel/Tours/Laos/Grand_Laos_Journey.html
Hanuman was an exhibitor at the recent Asean Tourism Forum 2013 in Vientiane, Laos, with its own stand in the Cambodia section of the event.
Hanuman at the ATF in Vientiane, Laos
Held over three days at the ITECC (International Trade Exhibition and Convention Center) in Vientiane, the ATF attracted around 500 buyers from every corner of the globe. There were large numbers of buyers from the English-speaking markets of Australia, the UK and the US, as well as impressive showing from Germany, Russia and Eastern Europe. There was also a large contingent of Indian buyers, as well as plenty of tour operators from the Southeast Asia region.
Among the exhibitors, the regional tourism powerhouses of Malaysia and Thailand had the largest number of booths, with Indonesia close behind. The Philippines was also well-represented, as was Singapore. Laos made a great effort on home soil, with a large number of DMCs and hoteliers exhibiting, arranged around the Lao National Tourism Authority ornate central stand. The Cambodia section included an attractive replica of a Banteay Srei tower and several of the leading local hoteliers. Hanuman was one of the very few DMCs represented in Cambodia and enjoyed plenty of positive feedback on the stand decoration as representing the best of the kingdom.
Many thanks to the Lao hosts for their hospitality and organisation during the event. All the best to Malaysia for 2014.
The Hanuman team will be travelling to the Lao capital to promote Cambodia and the Mekong region at the Asean Tourism Forum 2013, taking place from 21-24 January 2013.
The Hanuman Booth at the 2011 ATF in Phnom Penh
This year’s ATF will see more than 1000 exhibitors spread across 500 booths, plus a media contingent of about 130 from around the region. Hanuman will be exhibiting at Stand F4 in the Cambodian section of the hall and looks forward to welcoming both existing travel partners and potential new partners from around the world. New for 2013 is our Hanuman Travel Collection DVD with more than 50 videos from around the region, including destinations, experiences, hotels and cruises. Video is now an important element of a comprehensive 360 degree marketing strategy, so be sure to drop by our stand for a copy of this original DVD.
Our team at the ATF in Vientiane will include a number of our senior managers. Our owner and Managing Director Mrs Sotho Tan will be attending with 25 years and more of tourism and travel experience in the region. Our Company Advisor Nick Ray will also be on hand and he has a wealth of knowledge on the Indochina region, as he has been writing Lonely Planet guidebooks to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam for 15 years now. For French speakers, our French Department Manager Ludovic Ronsin will be attending and for Russian speakers our Russia and Eastern Europe Manager Sergey Oreshko will be on the stand during the event.
We look forward to seeing you at the 2013 ATF in Vientiane, Laos. Please drop by our stand if you are attending the event.
An essential stop on a trip to Vientiane, capital of Laos, the COPE Visitor Centre provides an excellent insight into the legacy of the secret war in Laos and the impact of UXO (unexploded ordnance) on the local population.
COPE Visitor Centre, Vientiane, Laos
Take time to wander through the exhibition to learn about the UXO problem in Lao PDR and the work undertaken by COPE (Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise) to provide disability services for people affected by UXOs. As part of the exhibition there are a number of excellent documentary films about UXOs and COPE, including the award-winning Bomb Hunters about the work of the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) in Laos. Exhibits include detailed maps of bomb sites, defused cluster bombs displayed as artistic sculptures and a variety of homemade prosthetic limbs moulded from wood and stone. Visitors can try traditional stick operated tricycle wheelchairs at the centre or try walking with a prosthetic leg. There is also a mirror box on display that is used to treat phantom pain in amputees and this is a very surreal experience for visitors.
The COPE Visitor Centre includes a small gift shop with original t-shirts, postcards, and fair-trade Lao Mountain Coffee. There are also snacks, ice cream and drinks on offer at Karma Cafe. All money raised from the gift shop and the Karma Cafe go directly to funding COPE services. It is also possible to buy a leg for someone, as well as donate different sums of money for different needs. Buying a leg is the best present imaginable. Thanks to donations, more people are able to move on. Learn more at http://www.copelaos.org/donate.php
The COPE Visitor Centre is located on Khou Vieng Road, 1km from the Talat Sao (Morning Market), opposite Green Park Hotel. It is easy to reach by bicycle or tuk tuk. It is open everyday from 9am to 6pm.
Learn more at http://www.copelaos.org/visit.php.
Old world colonial charm is a real magnet in Indochina and one of the most elegant examples of this is at Settha Palace Hotel in the Laos capital of Vientiane. Hanuman Travel TV paid a visit recently to capture the mood.
From Settha Palace themselves: “In the heart of bustling Vientiane stands a remarkable hotel. Built in the early part of the last century, circa 1932, and painstakingly restored to its former imperial glory, the Settha Palace Hotel serves as a testament to the long lost era of classical elegance, gracious service and French colonial-era charm.”
The Hanuman view: “This colonial-era gem has an enduring charm thanks to its relatively small number of rooms, just 26. All are tastefully finished in wooden furnishings, grand beds and elegant black and white tiled bathrooms. The courtyard pool is an invitingly shady space to hide on a hot day. La Belle Epoque Restaurant offers the finest French food in town, plus some beautifully presented Laotian cuisine.”
Adorable Laotian children
Taking your children to Laos, here’s a few suggestions to keep them enthused.
Like all the countries in Southeast Asia, Laos can be a lot of fun with children and the locals will shower attention on them wherever you and your family will go.
Whilst parents will be interested in the temples, museums and architecture, younger children may not, so be prepared for that too. Older children may be interested in the UXO information center in Luang Prabang or the weaving at OckPopTok Living Crafts Center. And a Big Brother Mouse Book Party is guaranteed to raise the spirits of any family group.
The outdoors will certainly keep them entertained. In Luang Prabang the waterfalls and cascade pools at Tat Sae (with elephant rides and zip lines) and Tat Kuang Si (with its bear enclosure on hand) will do the job. Boat trips are also very well received, such as the one to Pak Ou Caves. If its elephants that you are looking for then the adventures at Shangri Lao and the All Lao Elephant Camp are fairly close at hand. Or just climb aboard some bicycles and meander through the city streets and beyond.
Further south, most children take to the unique sculptures to be found at the Buddhist Park of Xieng Khuan outside of Vientiane. The capital city also has some activities on offer such as swimming pools and ten-pin bowling. Older children may take an interest in the COPE Centre, which supports victims of UXO, and if you are seeking traditional Lao culture, try the Laos National Theatre. Getting down into Southern Laos, then Tree Top Explorer is located near Pakse and offers the chance for an adrenaline adventure in the jungle with trekking, ziplining and abseiling with an overnight stay in the Jungle Hotel.
If you are making your first visit to the beautiful country of Laos and want to share your experience by helping others, then try our 7-day Good Cause Laos program.
Making a positive impact on the lives of local people is a key theme running through this seven day journey in Laos. We begin in the Asia of old at the World Heritage city of Luang Prabang with its temples and museums whilst also enjoying a cooking class of authentic Lao food at the classy restaurant, Tamarind. Having some fun with a Big Brother Mouse book party will support child literacy, whilst a Royal Ballet performance is a great introduction to Lao artistic culture. After getting close to nature with a mahout course at Elephant Village, who focus on the protection and rehabilitation of their animals, we head to the capital city of Vientiane, its unique Buddha Park and café culture and take the opportunity to find out more about a restaurant, Makphet, that provides hospitality training for disadvantaged youths. This is a brief look at the highlights of Laos and an opportunity to encounter the genuine warmth amongst its people. Find out more at http://www.hanuman.travel/Tours/Laos/Good_Cause_Laos.html.
The majority of visitors to Indochina prefer to travel during the high season which runs from November through March. Here are some insightful reasons to buck the trend and travel during low season which we prefer to call the ‘green’ season.
Angkor is certainly more crowded than it used to be. That is why Hanuman has carved a niche for itself as the company that approaches the temples differently, striving to avoid the crowds and to make the experience more personal, more intimate, more spiritual. Visitor numbers have risen tenfold in a decade from around 250,000 to around 2.5 million. However, the vast majority of these visitors are travelling during high season and the five months from November to March. Why not consider promoting Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam during green season? Here are a few highlights about the green season that could make the difference.
Rain clouds over Angkor Wat... and not a tourist in sight.
Saving Money
In these difficult economic times, price matters. Until recently, there was little difference between high season and low season prices, so there was no real economic incentive to promote the region during green season. This has all changed with the advent of the global crisis and green season rates are now substantially lower than high season, particularly for some mid-range to high-end hotels and long-haul flights. A number of hotels in places such as Siem Reap, Luang Prabang and Hoi An are offering discounted rates of 30% to 50% off the high season price. This particularly applies to Myanmar, where high season rates at hotels are spiraling out of control, but low season rates remain affordable.
Avoiding crowds
Peak season is a busy time and it means the leading destinations (and by default the leading hotels) are very busy. Travel off-season and the numbers plummet. This means the sights are less crowded and the hotels less busy, adding up to a more relaxed and serene experience. In the past week, our team has been in both Luang Prabang and Siem Reap and it is very tranquil compared to the high season. It almost feels like a flashback to bygone days when Cambodia and Laos were truly off-the-beaten-path and only for the most adventurous travellers. This can be particularly important for the more wealthy and discerning traveller who really wants a different experience. It is that much harder to create with ten times the number of tourists in town. The best rooms are available, the best places calm and peaceful and the best restaurants not overcrowded. Coupled with price, this is quite an incentive.
The Weather
This is the big fear when it comes to green season travel. What will the weather be like? Well the honest answer is that we don’t know anymore. Global warming, El Nino, unexpected typhoons, many elements have combined to ensure the weather is not as predictable as it once was. The monsoon no longer arrives and departs to schedule. Even when it rains, the showers are usually short and sharp, falling at the end of the day, some time between 5pm and 8pm. Yes, there may be some instant floods here and there, but this can be quite a spectacle in itself. So the weather should no longer be an obstacle for a low season visit, as it is too unpredictable these days. If we are choosing our favourite green season months, then June to August are probably the best. May is very hot in many areas and still arid, while September is traditionally the wettest, although in recent years Siem Reap has experienced major flooding in October. There’s never been a perfect season to travel to Vietnam, as there are microclimates up and down the country, so make that the perfect excuse to travel to Indochina when you want and not when everyone else does.
Spectacular Clouds
Well it’s linked to the weather, but the incredible clouds that appear during the wet season are something to behold. Like post-nuclear mushroom clouds, they tower in the sky and make for some spectacular sunsets. These are clouds the like of which you may never have seen. Similarly the storms are a force of nature and witnessing one roll in across the Mekong River from Luang Prabang to Can Tho is something visitors will never forget.
The Landscape
Travel in many parts of Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar from December to April and it will be dry and arid in the countryside as the rice has already been harvested. Travel in the green season and the landscape is a rich tapestry of emerald greens glistening in the sun. Not only are the paddy fields more alive, but the lakes, rivers and streams are flowing with water, making for faster and safer boat trips across the region. The moats and ponds at the temples of Angkor fill up, making for spectacular reflections for photographs. The moss and lichen that clings to many temples comes alive, adding a dramatic carpet of green or orange to many of the ancient stones.
So whether you are looking for better value, a more intimate experience without the crowds or a more spectacular landscape, the low season can deliver. Add these together and it might just be a better time to travel to the countries of the Mekong region.
HanumanAlaya is playing its part in promoting the green season with an incredible 50% all rooms from now through until 30 September 2012. For more details, visit http://www.hanumanalaya.com/.
Today we’ll take you on a brief tour of Laos with some of our video highlights from a recent trip to this beguiling country. Included in our look at Laos are the early morning ritual of offering alms to monks in Luang Prabang, the beautiful Kuang Si waterfalls, a peek at the celebrated pagoda of Wat Xieng Thong, fun with elephants and the incredible Phakpeng waterfalls on the border with Cambodia. You can thumb through our tour programmes in Laos, as well as our unique experiences to savour in this enigmatic country at http://www.hanuman.travel/Laos/Laos.html.