Laos - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 367

5

boat to the city's outlying sights and
beautiful hinterland.

a stunning panorama of the city, and can
be reached by several different routes. he
most straightforward is via the stairway
directly opposite the main gate of the
Royal Palace Museum. It's worth stopping
first at the adjacent sim (main temple
building) of Wat Pa Houak (donation
recommended), a fine little temple that
contains some fascinating murals.
An alternative approach is via Wat Pa
Phoutthabat near Phousi's northern foot
(across from Sackarinh Guesthouse on
Sisavangvong Road). here are actually
three monasteries in this temple
compound, the most interesting structure
being the sim of Wat Pa Khe , a tall,
imposing building with an unusual
inward-leaning facade. Behind the sim is a
stairway leading to a shrine housing a
larger-than-life, stylized “ Buddha's
footprint ”. Above here, the path meanders
past a cornucopia of gilded new Buddhas
- some supersize, others named after days
of the week - up steeply to the summit.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO
Luang Prabang's old city is largely
concentrated on a tongue of land,
approximately 1km long and 250m wide,
with the confluence of the Mekong and
Nam Khan rivers at its tip. his peninsula
is dominated by a steep and forested hill,
Phousi . Most of Luang Prabang's
architecture of merit is to be found on
and around the main thoroughfare,
Sisavangvong/Sakkaline Road , between the
tip of the peninsula and Inthasone/Kitsalat
Road to the west. Beyond here, near the
Mekong, lies the old silversmithing district
of Ban Wat hat, which is now host to
some of the city's best-value accommoda-
tion. Few travellers make the short journey
across the Mekong to Xieng Men , but it's
well worth spending a little time here to
experience traditional Lao village life, just
minutes from the old city.

Phousi
Crowned with a Buddhist stupa that can
be seen for many kilometres around,
Phousi (“Sacred Hill”; daily 7am-6pm;
20,000K) is both the geographical and
spiritual centre of Luang Prabang. Best
climbed in the early morning, before the
tourist hordes arrive, the hill's peak affords

The Royal Palace Museum
he former Royal Palace (daily except Tues
8-11.30am & 1.30-4pm; 30,000K;
conservative dress required) was
constructed in 1904 and is now a museum
preserving the paraphernalia of Laos's
extinguished monarchy. he most
impressive room inside is the dazzling
Throne Hall , its high walls spangled with
mosaics of multicoloured mirrors. On
display here are rare articles of royal regalia.
Outside the palace, to the right of the
main entrance to the compound, an
ornate, newly constructed temple houses
the Pha Bang , the most sacred Buddha
image in Laos. Enshrined on a richly
ornamented gilded platform, the Pha
Bang is believed to possess miraculous
powers that safeguard the country.

ALMS GIVING
The daily dawn procession of monks
through the streets of the old city is one
of Luang Prabang's biggest tourist
“attractions”. There's no denying the
serene beauty of the alms-giving
ceremony ( Tak Bat ) as kneeled locals place
sticky rice into the baskets of the passing
saffron-robed monks. However, if you do
wish to see it, it's important to behave
properly - in particular, dress modestly
and keep a respectful distance from
the monks. It is possible to join the
alms-giving, but locals request that you
only do so if it would be meaningful to
you. If you do, buy sticky rice from the
morning market beforehand rather than
the street vendors who congregate along
Sisavangvong Road as the rice can be of
dubious quality.

Wat Mai
A little west of the museum along
Sisavangvong Road, Wat Mai
Suwannaphumaham, or Wat Mai (daily
8am-5pm; 10,000K), dates from the late
eighteenth or early nineteenth century,
but it is the sim 's relatively modern facade
with its gilt stucco reliefs that is the main
focus of attention.