The popular tourist attraction is currently receiving even more attention at the 13th China-Asean Expo and China-Asean Business and Investment Summit being held here on September 9-14, in which Laos is featuring Attapeu as its City of Charm in a bid to promote tourism and city-to-city exchanges.

Deputy Director of the Attapeu provincial Information, Culture and Tourism Department, Kongchak Sisavad told Vientiane Times lately that the province’s governor had approved a proposal to develop a water route to the lake.

The province’s Administration Office is now planning to sign an agreement with a local company to survey a water route via the Xekhaman River.

“The proposed route is about 50 kilometres long, and it would take a one-hour boat ride to travel from Sammakhixay District to the lake,” Kongchak said.

The road route to the lake is about 170 kilometers long, but one section of about 70 kilometers is difficult to negotiate in the wet season.

Kongchak said Laos’ City of Charm pavilion at the Osmanthus Hall of the Nanning International Convention and Exhibition Centre featured several of Attapeu’s attractions, but many visitors were particularly showing interest in the Nong Fa Lake and the Brao ethnic group.

The lake is located high on a hilltop and has crystal clear waters that reflect the blue sky and resemble the sea in colour. It is believed that the lake was formed after a meteor crashed at the site hundreds of years ago.

The Brao ethnic group is one of the 11 distinct groups in Attapeu Province. They typically build their houses on hilltops and wear elaborate bracelets on their arms and legs. They also cut their teeth, pierce ears and use animal tusks as earrings.

The Cities of Charm pavilion at the expo aims to enrich cooperation between China and the Aseanmember states and boost country-to-country ties.

China and the 10 Asean countries feature one of their cities at the expo every year to showcase development and business opportunities in trade, investment, science and technology, culture and tourism.

The other cities of charm featured at this year’s expo are Fuzhou in China, Bandar Seri Begawan in Brunei, Koh Kong Province in Cambodia, Indonesia’s Archipelago, Terengganu in Malaysia, Mawlamyine in Myanmar, General Santos City in the Philippines, Singapore, Bangkok in Thailand and Buon Ma Thuot in Vietnam.

Amidst the breakneck pace of the surrounding region, Unesco-protected Luang Prabang is a haven for anyone wanting to escape a hectic lifestyle and discover the art of slow living. Dotted by faded villas and gilded temples, Luang Prabang, the ancient royal capital of the Lan Xang Kingdom, is the heart and soul of Laotian culture. The small town, where most locals are asleep by 11, is a fusion of traditional Lao architecture and the villas built by the European colonial authorities in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Sitting at the confluence of the Mekong and Khan rivers, Luang Prabang promises to wreck any tightly planned itinerary thanks to a way of life that allows residents and visitors to soak in the luxury of time.

FRIDAY

Dinner under the mango tree: 7pm

3 Nagas, a charming boutique hotel in the centre of Luang Prabang, is home to the award-winning “Best Lao Restaurant” in Luang Prabang. If there is no rain, dine outdoors under the huge mango tree and savour the beauty of the three restored historical houses. The restaurant serves one of the best Salad Pak Nam (watercress salad) in Luang Prabang. Another snack not to be missed while in Laos is river weed or kai with jaew bong, a sweet-and-spicy chilli paste made with chilli, galangal and water-buffalo skin.

Time to bargain: 9pm

Luang Prabang Night Market runs from 5 to 11. The street is closed off to vehicles from Sisavangvong Road to Settathilat Road in the town centre. The contrast between the sea of colourful knock-down stalls and the glittering backdrop of Haw Pha Bang and the Royal Palace Museum came as a shock to this visitor, who remembers a much more laid-back night stroll through a handful of vendors just 10 short years ago. The entire street is filled with vendors selling embroidered bags and purses, T-shirts, silk, cotton pants and shirts and paper lanterns. If walking and bargaining re-ignite your appetite, then head to the Night Food Market down the narrow lane at Settathilat Road where you’ll find noodles, snacks, juice and the famous Beer Lao.

SATURDAY

Giving alms to monks: 6am

Giving sticky rice alms to hundreds of monks from more than 30 temples in Luang Prabang is a fascinating experience that shouldn’t be missed, no matter what religion you may adhere to. Once the monks go back to their temples, the locals will take other dishes to eat with the rice to the temple so do not put any other comestibles than sticky rice in the bowl. Long sleeves worn with trousers or long skirts are recommended for all alms givers.

Coffee coffee coffee: 7am

Introduced by French colonialists in the early twentieth century, coffee has secured its place as the country’s most famous drink and is also its largest agricultural export commodity. Pasaneyom Coffee Shop is one of the best places to enjoy an authentic Lao coffee, with a baguette (khao ji) or rice congee with youtiao (pah thong ko). If you prefer a more Western breakfast, check out Joma Bakery Cafe or Le Café Ban Vat Sene and enjoy your coffee while watching the world pass by.

Laotian whiskey and Pak Ou Cave: 9am

Ban Xang Hai or Whiskey Village, 29 km north of Luang Prabang, is a common stop on the boat ride to Pak Ou Cave and is just 30 minutes away by car. Laotian whiskey, or Lao Lao as it’s known locally, is traditionally used in important blessing ceremonies and to greet visitors, so don’t be surprised to be offered a shot of Laotian whiskey (or a jar with drinking straws to share!) as a welcome drink. Whiskeys bottled with snakes or scorpions, believed to have some medicinal benefits, are not for the faint-hearted. Taking a boat from Ban Xang Hai to Pak Ou Cave, a spot also known as Tham Ting, is a great way of recovering from the Laotian whiskey tasting. Tham Ting is a pair of centuries-old caves that are home to hundreds of small wooden Buddha images brought there by the boatmen for good luck.

Strolling or cycling, your choice: 1pm

With all the charm of a European town infused with the spirit of Asia, Luang Prabang is best discovered with a walk about town. A bicycle ride will speed up the travel time, giving more chances to visit attractions but less opportunity to enjoy the slow pace of the town.

Places not to be missed are Wat Xiang Thong, Wat Wisunalat and the Royal Palace Museum.

Founded in 1560 by King Settathilat, Wat Xiang Thong, which sits alongside the river, is the finest example of Lao monastic architecture. The highlight is the Sim – the congregation hall – with its low, sweeping, three-tiered roof.

The original wood structure of Wat Wisunalat, alternatively known as Wat Visoun, was destroyed by the Black Flag invaders, but the That Makmo – the “watermelon stupa” – was rebuilt in the late 1920s.

The Royal Palace Museum or Golden Hall was built in 1904, when the French ran the country. A blend of European and Lao designs, the museum was the home of Sisavangvong, the last king of Laos, until his death in 1959. Haw Pha Bang or Royal Palace Chapel, located at the northeast corner of the Royal Palace Museum, houses Prabang, a golden Buddhist statue after which the town is named.

Sunset at Phu Si: 5am

Wat Phu Si or Pra That Phu Si is opposite the Royal Palace Museum, on the hill in the heart of Luang Prabang. The walk up, 328 steps, isn’t easy, but is supposed to signify a test of faith. The summit offers some wonderful city views.

SUNDAY

Morning market: 6am

Don’t miss the morning market in a web of alleys off Sisavangvong Road. You will find fresh vegetables, fruits, river weeds, buffalo skin, huge river fish, live and dead chickens (still with their feathers), beehives and honey bees, barbecued paddy mouse, snakes, bats and other, not always recognisable, produce spread out on bamboo mats on the sidewalk for good prices.

Ock Pop Tok: 10AM

Choose your favourite silk or learn how to weave your own fabric at Ock Pop Tok Living Crafts Centre, a place where weavers, spinners and batik makers produce top-quality fabrics. A tour of the centre gives a superb insight into silk production and dye making. Lunch at the centre’s river-view cafe or try a cup of the pleasant silk-worm droppings tea.

IF YOU GO

ThaiAirAsia operates a daily flight between Bangkok’s Don Mueang and Luang Prabang.