Southeast Asia - Clean Breaks: 500 New Ways to See the World - page 300

Textiles for sale in Laos; Wat
Xieng Thong

themselves swimming, climbing trees or using
their long tongues to snaffle up insects in hard-
to-reach places.

404 Make your own scarf
Laos is famous for its silk, and at Ock Pop Tok's
textile gallery you can select your favourite
patterns and colours from a range of hand-
stitched fabrics, or have clothes made to measure.
Or you can visit their weaving centre located in
a traditional riverside garden just 2km from the
centre of town. Here you can learn how to weave
or dye your own scarf in classes lasting from a
half-day to a week; you'll be taught by women
working with Ock Pop Tock in an effort to keep
their traditional handicrafts alive.

Need to know It costs around 50,000K (US$6)
for the 45min tuk-tuk ride to the rescue centre. Go
early and you'll miss the crowds at the waterfall.
For more on the centre and moon bears see
W www.bearlao.com.

406 Go gourmet at Tamarind
A welcome escape from the typical traveller fare
of banana pancakes or coconut curry, Tamarind
restaurant is dedicated to revitalizing interest in
traditional Lao cooking and ingredients, and runs
cooking classes to spread the word. Of course
you can just let the chef do the work and tuck in
to lunch - dried buffalo or pickled bamboo, say,
or for the more adventurous, some
of the stranger beasties that you
may have seen on display in the
markets that day - bugs, worms and
frogs. Some you'll struggle with, but
others, such as fried grasshopper,
are far tastier than they might look.
For anyone keen to challenge their
tastebuds while travelling, lunch at
Tamarind is a must.

Need to know The gallery is on Ban Vat Nong
(open 8am-9pm), while the weaving centre is
on Ban Saylom (open 9am-5pm). For more info
and prices of courses see W www.ockpoptok.com;
T [phone].

Asiatic black bear

405 See moon bears
Tuk-tuk drivers in Luang Prabang will happily
take you the 30km south to Tat Kuang Si
park, where there's not only a spectacular 60m
waterfall but also a less well-known sight: a
rescue centre where you can get close to Asiatic
black bears, known as moon bears because of
the crescent markings on their chests. The bears
here have been rescued from traffickers and
poachers, who capture them for their bile (used
in traditional medicine) or to sell to restaurants
in China. At the centre the bears are free from
these dangers, and you'll see them enjoying

Need to know Found opposite
Vat Nong temple, Tamarind is open
Mon-Sat 11am-6pm. For details and
prices of cooking classes see W www.
tamarindlaos.com.