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Interestig article about Luang Prabang & UNESCO heritage appellation

Interestig article about Luang Prabang & UNESCO heritage appellation

Old Jan 29th, 2016, 07:00 AM
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Interestig article about Luang Prabang & UNESCO heritage appellation

http://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news...cid=spartanntp
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Old Jan 29th, 2016, 07:16 AM
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Alas! We were there in 2002 and worried about the impact of tourism then. It was such a small town it was more vulnerable to being destroyed by tourism than larger places.
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Old Jan 29th, 2016, 07:22 AM
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An interesting article. So sad to see what has happened to this town over the twenty years since we first visited. The last time we were there was in 2007 and I just couldn't believe how busy it had become. The behaviour of some tourists was appalling ( as alluded to in the article).

Given the rise of the middle classes in the rest of Asia I imagine it has become even busier. Only to be expected and I am sure the locals welcome the increased wealth that the influx of visitors brings, but one would hope that if UNESCO are going to dish out these classifications they should put a great deal more thought and support into helping the host countries maintain the local societies, the fabric and organisation of these sites.

I dread to think what it will be like once the highways from China are completed!
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Old Jan 29th, 2016, 11:25 AM
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Yes, really sad. This is what I wrote after my last visit, doubt I'll be back:

https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...luang-prabang/
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Old Jan 29th, 2016, 12:37 PM
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julies, when I wrote my Java trip report, I noted that the temple complex we visited in eastern Java, Pantataran, was "world heritage" quality, but that the site was so small I hoped it wouldn't get named as it would, I fear, be destroyed by tourism.
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Old Jan 29th, 2016, 04:08 PM
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We are doing a slow travel trip and have been thinking about a week in Luang Prabang since it seems to have so many historic places we could walk to and see, and it now also has many day trips on offer to give us some structure. Plus, we could use some downtime. So, now I need to really think this through.
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Old Jan 29th, 2016, 05:30 PM
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We went to Luang Prabang in Feb 2014 and found it charming and relaxing. I understand there's a lot more tourists now than several years ago and infrastructure to cater to those tourists - shops, cafes, guest houses, etc.

It may have been more authentic/unspoilt then, but there's a trade off to comfort and amenity. I think LP gets it right. It's one of the most laid back and user friendly places I've been to in SEAsia.
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Old Jan 30th, 2016, 04:51 AM
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I completely agree with sartoric -- we, too, were there in Feb 2014, and found it a wonderful, relaxing city to spend time in. While it may not be what it once was, I can't compare my experience to Luang Prabang of the past -- I can only say that we enjoyed the ambience thoroughly.

While it certainly is a "tourist town", it is also a well-sited town, with the old town/downtown sitting on a narrow peninsula surrounded by 2 bodies of water. It is a great strolling town, and we thoroughly enjoyed wandering and crossing the bamboo bridges to an older part of the town. It is beautiful, with old-style colonial architecture and low buildings, and lovely views over the water.

We weren't there long enough to take advantage of day trips, but we both felt we could've stayed longer than the 3 nights that we were there.
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Old Jan 30th, 2016, 07:10 AM
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Just because a place isn't the way it was 20 years ago, doesn't mean it isn't worth visiting. I'm not the way I was 20 years ago, either.

One of my early travel memories was my first flight into Singapore, back in the mid-1980s. I was looking out the window at the lovely view and a man seated near me said "You won't like Singapore - it's not like it was 20 years go." I hoped I would never say that to someone when I was his age.

I'm glad I got to Luang Prabang when I did. It might be hard for me to go back, but it doesn't mean that others won't enjoy it.

I'm glad I got to all the places I've visited when I did, but I will continue to visit new places, even though they aren't the way they were 20 years ago.
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Old Jan 30th, 2016, 09:14 AM
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All very true, Kathie. But people need to be aware that the descriptions they read may be of what was, rather than what is.
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Old Jan 30th, 2016, 11:50 AM
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Kathie, you cracked me up. Although most of us are probably less spiffed up and shiny than we were 20 years ago, not more. We will be in LP in a couple of days, just for 3 nights, and then back a few days later (right on Chinese New Year, OY) for one more night. If we have time and internet, I'll pass on an impression.
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Old Jan 30th, 2016, 01:53 PM
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Funny, Kathie...everything and everyone changes. I agree with those who have been more recently and still enjoyed LP. We found it a great place to relax, it was cooler and not polluted as other places we visited had been. It was also not crowded and felt much more laid back than other places we had visited. Esp in longer vacations, I enjoy being somewhere that doesn't have a ton to do and has a good tourist infrastructure. I don't recall how many days we spent there, but I do remember LP fondly and if in the area would visit again. All that said, julies, from reading your posts recently you seem to really want to avoid anyplace that has the slightest tourist feel to it, so it may not be the place for you, esp. for a week.
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Old Jan 30th, 2016, 04:36 PM
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Don't get me wrong. It isn't that we want to avoid places that have even the slightest tourist feel to them. We just want places where there is still authenticity and there is more than t-shirt and tourist souvenir shops, Hard Rock cafes and nothing else. Long ago we figured out how to avoid those areas of towns by just stepping several blocks off the typical well trod town paths where most tourists go if they only have a little bit of time to spend in a town. We like Venice and know how to stay there away from the places that are inundated by the hordes. OTOH, Carcassone left us absolutely cold because it is nothing but tourism.

Actually, we just spent a total of 11 nights in Siem Reap which many people think is way too touristy. We found a great, relaxing hotel in a section of town that was convenient and in the area where real people live rather than just being surrounded by tourist junk non-stop. Right now we are in Kampot and have extended our stay to 5 nights because we are enjoying the low key ambience of the town.

I'm glad to hear from several of you that LP does seem to meet the criteria of a town that is low key and also great for strolling. Lisa58, if you get a chance, I'd love to hear impressions of a current visit.

Alas, I too am not what I was 20 years ago or even 10 years ago. And, we are realizing that as we get older we are starting to enjoy our creature comforts more, so sleeping on someone's spare straw mattress (in search of authenticity) or a dumpy room will no longer do.
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Old Jan 30th, 2016, 05:02 PM
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Good to hear you enjoyed SR, we spent 5 nights there last December and could have easily stayed longer.
In LP I can recommend Tangor a French/Asian restaurant on the main street. Fantastic food, lovely staff, great ambience and good value.
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Old Jan 30th, 2016, 07:21 PM
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I'll try to report back before leaving there, in case it helps Julie or anyone else decide what to do. It sounds like many of us look for a similar vibe when we travel. These forums are great.
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Old Feb 5th, 2016, 05:06 PM
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Just spent 3 nights in LP, now in Nong Khiaw and going back to LP for one night tomorrow, mostly for logistical reasons. It's very pretty and charming, definitely has an area where tourism seems to dominate over real life. I think you can get away from there pretty easily. We went to visit a music school just over the bicycle/motorbike bridge and were clearly in a regular neighborhood. Also, if you're interested, you can go to the drop-in English practice sessions at Big Brother Mouse, every day from 9-11 and 5-7. Students, monks, and whoever wants to practice English with the travellers. I hear there's also a loop you can cycle, also across the river, completely in the rural "real" Laos. We didn't have enough time.
I enjoyed it there but it wasn't true love - didn't really feel those "be here now" moments much.
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Old Feb 5th, 2016, 06:44 PM
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Lisa--

Thanks for the real time update and the suggestions. I know we'll look into the cycling trip, and the drop in English practice sounds like something we'd definitely enjoy doing.

We go to LP tomorrow for 2 nights, then to Nong Khia for 3 nights, then back to LP for 3 more nights. Most of our plan was dictated by logistics and room availability which was very tight for last minute planners like us.

So, if you have info on Nong Khia and get time to update, I'd appreciate that too.

Thanks.

Julie
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Old Feb 6th, 2016, 04:32 AM
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As I think someone recommended on your other thread, get the Hobo Maps for LP - there's one for central and one with surrounding area that would be a huge help if you do the bike loop. Monument Books in LP has the maps. We had a short stay in Nong Khiaw, would have tried to cycle out of town if we felt better - but we did hike up the Viewpoint, a very steep 2km trail to a spectacular panoramic view. Takes an hour and a half to go up unless you are under thirty. It's a gorgeous area and you can arrange boat trips etc. We didn't manage much else except meandering around (except yesterday I unexpectedly was invited to have a fairly bottomless glass of BeerLao on the guesthouse patio on the river, with the very sweet woman who runs the place and her visiting friend and the 2 ladies who work for her, and their tiny kids. My favorite hour of the trip so far).
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Old Feb 6th, 2016, 05:48 AM
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Thanks so much. We are over 60, so our hike up to the viewpoint will be at least 2 hours!

This is an immense help.
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Old Feb 6th, 2016, 12:19 PM
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LOL. It's an interesting article and sounds a familiar theme, but I'm a lot less enthusiastic for our 5 days already booked there now. Not so much that other tourists will be there, but by being there, we're what killed it.

We went to visit a music school just over the bicycle/motorbike bridge and were clearly in a regular neighborhood.

Thanks for posting that. It's encouraging. We've found a lot of places have a real face not very far away, if you get off the guide book's recommended walk diagrams. Even Machu Picchu town, which is about a purpose built town as one could find, has neighbourhoods for the people who live and work there.
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