My name is Markus Neuer and I lead the Tiger Trail team in Luang Prabang, Laos. Born in Germany, I always had a passion for adventure and travelling but, even more important, for other people. Through our Fair Trek in Laos projects, I have found a way to perfectly combine community work with tourism and bring people together from all over the world to work with Lao communities.

The views are spectacular on a half-day Tiger Trail mountain trek in Nong Khiaw, in the Luang Prabang province of northern Laos. Photo courtesy of Tiger Trail

Our team is international, yet all working and living in Luang Prabang. A big part of our company is regular interns, volunteers and students giving support. Our team members are currently from the US, Thailand, France, Germany and of course Laos. Tiger Trail was founded in 2000. I took over the company in 2008, and with the help of our incredible team it has become what it is today. We currently employ about 50 full-time staff members.

My Inspiration, Our Inspiration

I believe that the world is not fairly developed and even its most beautiful landscapes can be the stage for poverty and degradation. I aim to approach these problems by seeking a better way. We make an impact through an ongoing effort to care for the community and our environment, while enjoying the beauty and diversity of the world itself. If everybody would do this, we could have a better world, not just better adventures.

Tourists work alongside villagers harvesting rice near Huay Fai village (about 20 kilometres from Luang Prabang), Laos, during one of the Fair Trek tours offered by Tiger Trail. Photo courtesy of Tiger Trail

Fair Trek Is a Key Part of Our Adventure Travel Company

Fair Trek in Laos is an innovative community-based-tourism project aiming to assist in the development of communities in need. In return, it allows visitors to have access to remote villages by trekking, biking and kayaking, to learn and absorb different cultural experiences in Laos. Fair Trek is the first responsible-tourism project in Luang Prabang, and has been recognised widely as an example of community-based responsible tourism in the Mekong sub-region.

Fair Trek Was First Founded in 2007

I initiated Fair Trek in cooperation with local nongovernmental organisations and the government. It resulted from striking and obvious needs that I have experienced myself during normal treks through surrounding communities and in other countries. After the initiative had been started up, reviewed and adjusted, the operation of the Fair Trek project in Luang Prabang was transferred and is now partly run locally by the Provincial Tourism Department and a pool of operators, raising awareness toward development of tourism and community alike.

After years of development, Tiger Trail has continued to spread the Fair Trek initiative out to other areas of northern Laos, Nong Khiaw and Muang. Tiger Trail is also adopting the philosophy of “voluntourism” for an ecological school project, The Clay School Project, benefiting both the Fair Trek communities and volunteers.

Each tour that is within the Fair Trek project pays into a community fund! Depending on the setup, the funds are handled by local government institutions or the communities directly. The village funds are raised from each Fair Trek tour allowing each visitor to have an impact. Villagers are able to submit a request for needed financing, or propose their ideas on how to invest in improvements and development that benefits the whole community. A great side effect has been created through visitors who wish to assist more through donations. Through this the communities can achieve additional support through the awareness that Fair Trek provides to them.

The Villagers Also Benefit Directly

The villagers make an income selling food and accommodation, as well as traditional self-made handicrafts to the visitors. Individual villagers can earn from guiding around the communities and from helping out in tourism activities. Rental fees for land, blankets, cooking material and other assisting services also contribute to the local income. Our tours are not only “fair” in terms of money; they also preserve local culture and traditions. Having visitors gives the villagers an opportunity to spread and preserve their traditional performances and practices such as singing, dancing and playing local music.

Insider Tip

If you are coming our direction, give us a visit. Luang Prabang is a provincial capital city of Laos, where time still seems to stand still. Take a waterfall trek at Kuang Si and hang out on the Mekong to enjoy the stunning view. Also I recommend you visit Big Tree Café for a great photography exhibition and enjoy some locally grown coffee at either JoMa or Saffron Café, both engaged in social projects in the region. (Get more of the inside word on Luang Prabang.)

Volunteers work with locals to construct the foundation, columns and roof of the Clay School in Ban Naluang, near Nong Khiaw, in northern Laos. Photo courtesy of Tiger Trail

Attractions in and around Luang Prabang are diverse, including various waterfalls, caves, ethnic minorities, textiles and handicrafts, elephant rides and mahout elephant-care experiences. As part of the UNESCO World Heritage reconstruction plan, new buildings have been limited and old houses and streets received refurbishment to keep Luang Prabang a magical place. The most practical way to explore the city is by bike or on a walk. It’s really that small! On our various tours, selected sights and highlights can be combined on day trips and offer individual experiences with experienced and friendly guides.

For a short note on local weather: dry season lasts generally from October through April and wet season comes from the beginning of May to September. BUT I personally love and recommend the rainy season with its lush tropical green and powerful rain showers – it’s spectacular. Yearly average temperature is around 28°C, but it can fall to 15°C or 10°C during the cold season and even lower in the mountains.

The village ("ban") of Naluang, northern Laos, set amidst a stunning backdrop of karst mountains and lush jungle. Photo courtesy of Tiger Trail

View from Office Window

Well, there’s not much to see but at least we see most of the visitors as they fly into Luang Prabang airport, just about 300 metres from our office. We also have a decent view of a metal shop and a cement work space on the opposite side of the road.

Thanks to Markus for sending this through to us! If you’re interested in experiencing one of their fantastic trips, why not try Trekking in the Jungle or Living as a “Mahout” on an elephant sanctuary. Opportunities also exist for those interested in Volunteering in a Traditional Akha Village or Helping to Build a Clay School for a Small Village in Laos.

Such too were the reasons why whl.travel, the global online travel-booking network of mindful local travel experts, stepped up to sponsor it, working from within its extensive network of local partners to find fitting ecotourism prize material for the winners.

Participants were given a limit of 1,000 words and five evocative photographs through which to tell their stories. They were also required to provide tips about ecotourism in their selected destinations or reflections about how they might help better preserve that particular destination through ecotourism practices.

See the promotional video here:

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And now the winners have been identified. From dozens of submissions, a shortlist of 10 finalists (determined by public vote) was reviewed by a panel of judges that included representatives from The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), Tourism Concern, MyNatour and the WHL Group, the parent company of whl.travel.

Ethan Gelber, the Chief Communication Officer of the WHL Group, said (see the video directly below) that he was looking for three qualities when determining the best of the ecotourism travel blog contest finalists: the first was “how much time and effort was taken by the person to think about what an ecotourism experience is”; the second was “how carefully they made a choice of the experience they wanted to live through”; and the third was “whether or not the experience was as rich as they thought it would be.”

And now the winners have been announced and decided on their prizes:

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FIRST PLACE: A Garden Lady in India’s Cold Mountain Desert by Shivya

As her prize, Shivya will escape to the highland region of the Albanian Alps. Hosted by Outdoor Albania, the whl.travel local connection in Albania, Shivya will set off on a five-day guided trek through some of the country’s most vivid scenery. With overnights spent in the traditional houses of the Albanian highlanders, daytime activities include a ferry trip along Lake Koman, a visit to the Valbona Valley and a trek to the Theth Valley surrounded by high mountain passes and peaks.

SECOND PLACE: Reef to Rainforest by Hobbers

Hobbers will head deep into Estonia’s Soomaa National Park (soomaa translates more or less as ‘land of the bogs’). Surrounded by vast floodplains and crisscrossed by rivers, she and a companion will enjoy a wilderness experience in an area known for its canoeing, ‘bog-shoeing,’ beavers and berry-picking – all courtesy of Soomaa.com, an operator based out of Estonia.

THIRD PLACE: My Trip to Mali – Halt in Terya Bugu by Mario Difra

Mario will travel from his home in Italy to southwest Laos, a region replete with jungles, raging rivers and outstanding cultural heritage. Once there, he will embark on a high-flying treetop adventure by zipline, followed by a Mekong cruise to the World Heritage Site of Wat Phou – all made possible by Teamworkz, the whl.travel local connection in Laos.

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The three ecotourism packages that were not selected were a rainforest adventure in Ecuador made possible by the Yachana Lodge, the whl.travel local connection in Quito; a Galapagos Island tour through Yacu Amu Experiences, the whl.travel local connection in the Galapagos; and a visit to Sana’a and Soqotra in Yemen with Eternal Yemen, the whl.travel local in Yemen.

This Buddha statue was added to the Wat Phou complex in Champasak, Laos, when it was converted to Theravada Bhuddism at the turn of the 14th century. Photo courtesy of wikimedia/Adam63

Surrounding the temple complex is the province of Champasak, once a bustling region of enormous historical significance, both political and spiritual, as it was a seat of Khmer imperial power. Today, however, within a stone’s throw of Wat Phou, the little colonial town of Champasak, a quaint village with French colonial-era buildings, sees little intrusion from outsiders and displays none of the area’s immense 13th-century splendour. The ruins nevertheless continue to attract pilgrims and visitors, who marvel at the ancient stone sculptures and majestic carved boulders.

A Well-Deserved Status

In 2001, due to their unique cultural significance and beauty, the Wat Phou ruins were classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. This status sparked renewed interest from the Lao government, and, since 2007, both the Lao Information Ministry and the French Cultural Ministry are engaged in archaeological studies, as well as renovation of both the structures and their decorative engravings.

A carved boulder depicting a crocodile was supposedly used to perform human sacrifices over a 1,000 years ago at the Wat Phou complex in Champasak, Laos, before the beginning of the Khmer Empire. Photo courtesy of wikimedia/Mattun0211

The 390-square-kilometre complex – which includes the smaller Tao Tao, Nang Sida and Tomo temples – is exceptional testimony of the Khmer practice of Hinduism. In addition to the surviving stone-carved evidence of this dating back to the 6th century, the site itself perfectly portrays the Hindu vision of symbiosis between nature and the human soul, the temples being isolated within the confines of the forest.

This unique natural sanctity is enhanced by the alignment of the edifices at the lower and middle levels of the complex with the mountain summit. Nowadays, the bottom-to-top climb holds tremendous spiritual significance to Buddhists, who leave prayers and offerings on the way up and at the temple on top of the hill.

Divine Natural Manifestations

The great Phu Kao Mountain looms over the site and is believed to be one of the primary reasons for the establishment of Wat Phou. The mountain’s silhouette is said to resemble a linga, a universal symbol of Lord Shiva, and a river descending from the mountaintop symbolises the stream of life that flows from Lord Shiva’s head (mimicking the reasons for the reverence of Mount Kailash in Tibet). Fittingly, an abundance of tales and folklore illustrates the divine powers that lie in these grounds: the temple is said to have cured people made wretched by illnesses and brought prosperity to those who sought blessings.

Looking back towards the Mekong river from the top of the hill where the main Wat Phou sanctuary is located in Champasak, Laos. Photo courtesy of wikimedia/mattun0211

After so many centuries, the surrounding voracious forest seems to be reclaiming what once belonged to it; trees and dense vegetation encroach on and around the grounds of the site. The effect is incredible, full of unexpected beauty. “From a tourist perspective, you walk up the centuries-old stone staircase of Wat Phou, under the frangipani trees that push directly out of the rock, to emerge before panoramic views of the surrounding area,” recalls Lee Sheridan, General Manager of Teamworkz, the whl.travel local travel connection in Laos. “The bird’s-eye view from the top of the hill takes in the temple ruins below, which are assumed to be prayer rooms. Beyond this you have two lakes, beyond which the Mekong River drifts silently past.”

Definite Must-See in Laos

Wat Phou is best enjoyed over a few days, and the best bet for nearby accommodation is in the town of Champasak. That said, a day trip can also be made from Pakse, the largest city in southern Laos.

In addition to the site’s clear historical appeal, a trip to the ruins is essential for visitors with spiritual inclinations: the calm surroundings, the inherent mysticism and few visitors make it a great place to meditate. “Wat Phou is primarily a pilgrimage place,” explains Alexandre Tsuk, Managing Director of the Inthira Group, which manages the Inthira Hotel, an excellent-value lodging set in a former Chinese shop house in Champasak town. “You can buy flowers to offer at the temple and you don t have the impression you’re in a tourist site at all.”

This carved pediment on the south side of the sanctuary at Wat Phou in Champasak, Laos, shows Krishna killing Kamsa and dates from the site's early days as a Hindu site. Photo courtesy of wikimedia/Markalexander100

After exploring the ancient ruins, a visit to the on-site museum reveals sculptures and relics removed from their original locations in the complex to avoid destruction from erosion.

Travellers with a few days to spare might enjoy arriving at the site after three tranquil days on a Mekong River boat cruise to Wat Phou. A full moon at Wat Phou is also special, as 10,000 candles are spread at night over the ancient ruins. This is in contrast to the first week of February, when the annual multi-day Wat Phou Festival brings the normally quiet site alive with ceremonies, games and processions of monks. Throughout the year, more adventurous travellers can join guided explorations of caves found on Phu Kao Mountain.

To plan a real local experience in Wat Phou, get in touch with Teamworkz, the whl.travel local connection in Laos. They’ll help you make the best of Wat Phou, but if you’ve got more time, also try other travel adventures in Champasak.

The situation in parts of Laos is particularly tragic. This is not a region that most of the world normally recognises as having been affected by the Vietnam war. While officially confined to Laos’ neighbour, tremendous volumes of bombs were also dropped on the dense forest Laos in an attempt by the US government to disrupt the activity of the Viet Cong.

The effectiveness of this strategy from a military perspective was, at best, debatable, but the toll on the lives of the native Laotian people is one that continues to rise. Dormant bombs maim and kill to this day, despite the best efforts of those who attempt to recover and deactivate such devices.

peaceBOMB – a joint venture between the RISE Project, responsible fashion company Article 22 and local Laotian artisans – aims to raise awareness of the ongoing situation in Laos. To do so, they make use of metal reclaimed from actual bombs to fashion items for sale. The project channels funds directly to Laotian communities affected by the problem and makes the most of the expert metalworking techniques that local craftsmen have developed over the years.

This video demonstrates an exceptional attempt to raise awareness of a significant problem and the steps being taken by a local community to help themselves overcome it.

We fully support the work of peaceBOMB and urge you to spread the word about their excellent work.

Do you shop when you travel? Are souvenirs irresistible? It's important to understand the perils of irresponsible shopping and learn how to shop the fair way - or else. Photo courtesy of Flickr/|vvaldzen|

The great part about buying handmade items like these is that they were all purchased directly from the artists who made them – an exceedingly rare interaction in an increasingly mass-produced world. Buying the items felt good to me, but best is that I know these local artists appreciated each sale as well.

Whether our purchases make a positive impact when we travel is unfortunately not always so clear. Yet in developing countries, where Western currency goes that much further, it’s a thought worth investigating. How can we be sure that our purchasing choices will ensure the well-being of locals and the environment? Are we supporting an industry that helps sustain the local economy? Do our penchants support a trade that values the labour, dignity and rights of all those it employs?

You could hardly do better than local handicrafts made from indigenous bamboo grown in the forests around Luang Prabang, Laos. Photo courtesy of Stanislas Fradelizi/Teamworkz

When it comes to buying the “fairest” souvenirs, being well informed can make a big difference. Responsible shopping means understanding what’s at stake with each penny traded with the goal to preserve the world’s heritage and resources.

Here then are a few points to consider to help ensure that our tourist dollars are well spent. I’d really encourage you to add some of your own.

Look Around for Local Crafts

From the hand-woven traditional textiles of Laos to the fine filigree jewellery available in Portugal or the eclectic wire sculptures sold along South Africa’s Garden Route, nothing compares in value to beautifully produced local handicrafts made by some of the world’s finest artists. After all, craft items make far better gifts than boring old t-shirts, and purchasing locally produced goods constitutes a viable source of income for local creative types the world over.

When you buy goods and handcrafts directly from the local producers, your money goes straight to the community and will help to preserve those traditional arts. Keep your eyes out at the smaller markets in rural areas for some of the best deals, or buy through specialty Fair Trade stores such as Global Exchange.

Get Goods Made from Sustainable Sources

We all know that poaching is wrong. Tourists who buy endangered animal furs have as much blood on their hands as the poachers themselves. Fortunately, butterflies do not look nice to me in a box. I’d never consider buying ivory, that barbaric and illegal trade that causes incredible agony and death to the most magnificent of creatures. I boycott buying furniture made from rare and endangered woods and always aim to buy products made from the finest renewable sources.

Enough said? Are you sure? Take a stroll down almost any tourist beach and you will likely see vendors selling coral or seashells. But, except in places where some invasive coral is harvested to preserve the native ecosystem, how many people know that the market for harvested coral is destroying the world’s ocean reefs and causing irreparable damage to underwater ecosystems? The colourful shells now sold as earrings and necklaces once contained living animals – creatures that are now dead because someone wanted pretty adornments. Please don’t encourage this trade.

Keep an eye out for homemade items made from sustainable resources, like the natural dyes used by traditional weavers in Peru's Sacred Valley. Photo by Laurel Angrist

Buy with a Conscience – Patronise Stores that Give Back

Another important way to ensure we spend our money responsibly is to purchase items that help to support the communities we visit. In the peaceful Xieng Khoang province of northeast Laos, for example, lies the cultural village of Ban Napia. Despite the countless atrocities they suffered as residents of the most heavily bombed region in the Indochina War, the villagers here are resilient and resourceful: aluminium scrap metal from leftover bombs is converted into delicate spoons and bracelets that are sold to tourists visiting the village-owned souvenir shop.

Around the world, of course, there are many other small stores that provide self-sustainable income to locals, whether through skills training or other means, and countless shops that contribute to worthy causes. Get online and ask around to find the best local charity shops and patronise businesses donating a percentage of profits to local community projects, environmental conservation or humanitarian assistance programs.

The successful thrift shops and bookstore run by Housing Works support programs providing housing, healthcare and job training to more than 20,000 low-income New York City residents living with HIV and AIDS. Photo courtesy of housingworks.org

Consider an Item’s Trade Roots – and Think Outside the Factory-Made Box

Many infamous examples exist of products made by exploited workers, produced under dismal conditions for shockingly minuscule wages. The most high-profile cases that come to my mind are the Christmas ornaments that were made by child workers and sold at Walmart, the Nike shoe company’s questionable labour practices and the horrific abuse and involvement of the Koidu diamond mines in fuelling Sierra Leone’s bloody, decade-long civil war.

Unfortunately, such stories only come to light once a corporation’s underhanded practices become too egregious to ignore. Let’s face it: mass production has had a long history of labour violations, many of which we choose to ignore because we want our cheap dinner plates, children’s toys, cell phones and you name it.

In South Africa, the Consolidated Diamond Mine, owned by De Beers, is said to have the largest private earthmoving fleet in the world. Outmoded vehicles and machines are dumped in this eerie graveyard without a second thought about the environment. Photo courtesy of Flickr/sosij

Factory-made souvenir items such as magnets, key chains or t-shirts are often manufactured outside of the destinations they represent, and typically have little to no real connection to the places they are supposed to portray. I don’t know the industrial origins of the most common and obvious mass-market souvenir items, but knowing what we know already, how much do we really want them? How great could they really be?

Instead, why not hunt for more meaningful mementos? Vacations are the perfect time to get just a little bit more creative: think of items that are not merely souvenirs but are actually used in local households for decoration or day-to-day living. Need some ideas? Go ask a local. They’re bound to come up with some imaginative suggestions you may never have thought of on your own.

In 1993, the surrounding region was declared the Nam Ha National Biodiversity Conservation Area, and since then, streams of tourists plan treks to enjoy the outdoors of Nam Ha and the culture of Laos’ ethnic groups.

Traditional farmers plant rice outside Ban Nam Lue, a small village about 15 kilometres west of Luang Namtha town in northern Laos. Photo courtesy of Kees Sprengers

Conservation efforts and ecotourism projects in the area aim to pass the benefits of tourism on to the local people, yet finding the right way to moderate contact between Lao subsistence farmers and westernised tourists is not easy. Travellers want to understand and appreciate the distinct practices and customs of ethnic groups like the Akha, Khmu, Hmong and Lahu, but oftentimes they lack a solid cultural context. Of course, language too is a big barrier.

In response to this, the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre in Luang Prabang provides all visitors with the kind of well-grounded insight they seek.

Beginnings of the TAEC

The two founders of the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre (TAEC), Tara Gujadhur and Thongkhoun Soutthivilay, recognised a need for more easily accessible information about Laos’ diversity of cultures and ethnic groups. They began TAEC as a project in 2005 and opened doors to the public in 2007. Tara’s background in sustainable tourism development and anthropology complemented Thongkhoun’s 10 years of experience as Collection Manager at the Luang Prabang National Museum.

Inside the TAEC in Luang Namtha Laos, the local dress of the area's traditional ethnic groups and other aspects of their culture are displayed. Photo courtesy of TAEC/Kees Sprengers

More than five years later, Tara is pleased to report that support for TAEC has grown healthily. Word is spreading and now the ethnography museum is included in most guidebooks and itineraries. “Visitors are very appreciative to be learning more information about the country and people, and they’re often interested in hearing about our school activities, outreach and livelihoods work,” says Tara.

Complex Impacts

When asked about the positive effects of tourism on Laos’ ethnic groups, Tara readily lists several. She has seen how tourists can help create interest in the cultures and traditions of ethnic groups, a point of real pride within the communities. This is an important cue to the government about the importance of safeguarding ethnic heritage.

In the Hmong village of Ban Tha Luang in northern Laos, girls dress in traditional costume, play games and sing songs to celebrate the Hmong New Year. Photo courtesy of Kees Sprengers

Tourists also create demand for traditional crafts such as weaving, basketry, natural dying and woodcarving, which might otherwise slowly die out. Currently, the TAEC Museum Shop supports over 500 ethnic artisans from 12 provinces in Laos. Additionally, museum donations have gone to ethnic youth internships, village research funds and developing handicrafts with rural minority communities.

Unless programs are careful planned, however, there can be some negative consequences for tourism’s main stakeholders: the ethnic groups themselves. “Uncontrolled or poorly managed tourism and a rapid influx of new wealth can create community tension and hasten the erosion of social structures and community ties,” observes Tara. “Sometimes tourism also can exoticise, commodify or compartmentalise ethnic minorities, making villages into attractions rather than vibrant living cultures.”

The father of a Khmu family in Laos eats with his children inside their home in Ban Sopsim on the Nam Tha river. Photo courtesy of Kees Sprengers

Keeping it Positive

So how can travellers to Luang Namtha ensure that their presence is beneficial to local communities? First, you are encouraged to gain a little bit of understanding about the ethnic groups by visiting the TAEC or at least doing some background reading about local Lao cultures and traditions. Secondly, you can contribute to the economy as locally as possibly. You are strongly encouraged to buy new and locally produced handicrafts (as opposed to antiques or factory-produced souvenirs) directly from communities, small markets or fair trade stores.

It is also important to arrange tours through operators with good records. Look for agencies with solid community partnerships or those that have been designated as ‘responsible’ by independent third parties. Tours in which ethnic minorities are made to ‘dress up’ or are photographed and visited without being compensated should be avoided. Also, any tour guides who do not speak or behave respectfully to local people should be reported to their tour companies.

In many of the ethnic villages of northern Laos, the traditional housing style is a stilted hut with thatched grass roof. Photo courtesy of Kees Sprengers

Unfortunately, bad behaviour sometimes comes from locals because they think that’s what tourists want. Try not to reinforce this pattern.

Looking Ahead

As in the rest of the world, the lives of indigenous ethnic groups are changing rapidly. In Laos, faced with the forces of globalisation, subsistence farmers in rural areas often choose to leave their traditional ways of life in search of better opportunities in urban areas or abroad. Local, responsible tourism in these areas can provide them with opportunities in their home villages that impart the value of their unique cultural heritage.

What will the village life of Laos’ ethnic groups look like 50 years from now? Tara is optimistic. “These are vibrant cultures, and though they will change and evolve and perhaps be almost unrecognisable in 50 years, for the most part they will remain intact. Tourism can help to celebrate culture and create an appreciation for ethnic diversity.”

In villages such as Tai Dam, Laos, young girls learn the craft of weaving at an early age. Tourists can help maintain a demand for traditional handicrafts such as this, keeping new generations interested in learning. Photo courtesy of Kees Sprengers

Looking for a responsible trekking tour in Luang Namtha? Try a two-day or a three-day trek in the Nam Ha forests, where you’ll encounter the Akha and Khmu ethnic groups. Book through responsible tourism experts Teamworkz, the whl.travel local partner in Luang Namtha. Of course, when in Luang Prabang, be sure to visit the Traditional Arts and Ethnography Centre.

Bringing Laos alive for travellers is Tiger Trail, a leading sustainable adventure organisation that, for more than 10 years, has been promoting local development through tourism. Now, through its Fair Trek initiative that supports community-based tourism, Tiger Trail has has added a Clay School Project to its portfolio of projects benefiting local communities.

Kids gather under a stilt house (this style is very common in Lao-Lum and Khmu communities) in a Lao village where a clay schools will be built. Every time the Fair Trek team visits and works in the village, the children always gather nearby to play and watch. Photo courtesy of Fair Trek

Clay School Project

The Clay School Project aims to bring in international volunteers to support the construction of clay-brick schoolhouses. Construction efforts are initially planned in two remote Lao communities where Tiger Trail has a strong presence through a steady flow of international volunteers.

The first school is currently under construction in the village of Naluang, located in the Luang Prabang District of Nam Bak Province in northern Laos. In Naluang village, the sole existing school building is a bamboo hut only large enough for the youths from four to eight years of age. Now, in early July 2011, Fair Trek, along with community members and international volunteers, began construction of a three-classroom structure to accommodate the approximately 100 school-age youths in the area. As of the time of writing, the building’s foundation is complete, as are the adobe bricks needed for the walls. The project is expected to take two to three months.

Fair Trek team member prepared a Lao lesson of the blackboard, while the only teacher from the village was standing in the middle and trying to gather intention from the little kids. Photo courtesy of Fair Trek

The second clay-brick structure is planned for the village of Honglerk, in Khua District, Phongsali Province. Construction is scheduled to begin in November 2011.

Promoting Ecological Sustainability

For thousands of years, clay, mud and adobe have been used for the construction of buildings, particularly in parts of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. However, this practice is less common in Laos.

Although the use of sun-dried bricks made of clay soil, sand, hay and water is a novelty in Laos, for Fair Trek, the benefits of using these materials are four-fold. First, the construction materials are all natural. Second, the building will be climate-appropriate for this tropical, humid and hot region. Clay walls help to control humidity and keep heat and sound outside, resulting in a cool, quiet and comfortable learning environment. Third, the materials will be locally sourced as much as possible, and the project will rely on volunteer support, keeping construction and labour costs to a minimum. Fourth, local villagers – leaders, men, women, children and volunteers – can be involved in clay construction because there is no need for intensive training or skilled labour.

A Fair Trek team member (grey top) joined an adobe workshop at Baan Rangnok in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The seven-day workshop taught how to build a small adobe building, of around 15m2, including every step of adobe construction, from making mud bricks to painting. Photo courtesy of Fair Trek

Because of the non-traditional materials used for building the schools, obtaining government approval for construction has presented challenges, which have been turned into opportunities to promote environmental building practices. Winna Boonkham, Responsible Tourism Manager at Tiger Trail, who has participated in an earthen building workshop in Thailand for this project, interfaced with government officials. “I had to draw all benefits for them to see, including financial, environmental, social, educational benefits,” she explained.

Approvals having successfully been received, Boonkham looks forward to using Tiger Trail staff experience and training in mud building to promote a new sustainable form of construction. Local community members will naturally learn the clay building methods as part of the project: “So in the future, they may not even need us or anyone to help them build something – a library for example!” says Boonkham. At least the school “can be the model for the next mud school in Laos.”

A front view of the proposed clay-brick school, which will contain three classrooms, each with one door and four windows. The footings, foundation, columns and roof support will be concrete, but the walls will be filled with sundried-mud bricks (adobe). Standard roof tiles will be applied with wooden supports. Courtesy of Fair Trek

Broad and Beneficial Community Participation

Villagers’ participation and support of the project is central to its success. As a vital first step to realising this project, Fair Trek worked with the communities and their leaders to set up village funds, which are financial accounts created to support community initiatives. Community members then identified their most pressing needs, and with each Tiger Trail tour to the community, some of the tours proceeds are added into the account. From this first step, Fair Trek created a shared commitment with the villagers to achieve their main goal: improving educational opportunities for youth.

While the village fund will be a key source of financing for the project, another essential contribution will be the volunteer construction labour, primarily from villagers sacrificing some working hours in the field. But construction can be shared by all community hands; for example, when the men are working in the fields, the women and children can participate in the mud construction. Villagers will also provide accommodation and food for volunteers who come from abroad to help build.

A meeting between the Fair Trek team and Naluang villagers in Laos was held to introduce and demonstrate adobe construction. The result was that the villagers were interested and happy to learn and support whatever they can for the construction of this mud school. Photo courtesy of Fair Trek

The community has necessarily been at the heart of project planning too. “Since the start, they had to agree about what we are building and when, what they will have to do, what we will have to do, such as managing the space for the activities. This project will make the village so busy and full of people for the time… and they accepted that,” Boonkham said.

The Clay School Project provides a win-win experience for both the villages and volunteer travellers. More than 50 volunteers from the United Kingdom are expected to participate in the school construction in the village of Naluang to the benefit of both the communities and the volunteers: Communities receive fundraising support and extra labour power in building improved educational facilities, while volunteers receive a unique and meaningful travel experience through the opportunity to be part of the locals’ traditional rural lives and lend a hand in a community development project.

The school land and chief of Naluang village, Laos. The land is right in front of the community, and has been intended for a school for many years. The chief was proud and happy that finally the children soon will have a new school. Photo courtesy of Fair Trek

Promoting Local Culture in Laos

The clay school project is just one of the many ways Tiger Trail brings Laos’ unique culture to international visitors and supports destinations through community-based tourism.

Other include volunteering in a northern minority Akha village, participation in hospitality promotion and lodge construction projects; promotion of fair trek tourism in Luang Prabang; and support for the protection and care of endangered animals, including elephants in Luang Prabang or tigers in Phou Loi Nam Et.

Thinking of going to Laos? Contact Teamworkz, the whl.travel local connection in Luang Prabang and throughout Laos, for tours, accommodation and a load of the kinds of hints you could only get from a local.

Upon reaching her village she began experimenting with many different designs for her instrument, using plucked and bowed strings and various types of other materials before finally settling on a type of bamboo flute. The woman brought the new instrument before the king, who, after hearing her play, curtly responded that it was ‘fair.’ Modifying the instrument, she played once more and again asked the king if he was pleased. “Tia nee kaen dae,” he said, which means “this time it was better.”

The same persistent approach to finding the right kind of sound can be heard today in the mesmerising music of Aluna, the princess of pop in Laos.

Pop singer Aluna Thavonsouk divides her time between her career as a musician and her work as general manager for Thavonsouk Resort, her family's hotel business in Vang Vieng, Laos

Creative Drive

Aluna Thavonsouk is a Lao pop singer whose contemporary musical style draws upon older techniques and often includes traditional Lao instruments. In what she calls her ‘new sound,’ she may even begin including the khene.

“I started with normal pop songs. You learn as you go and I have changed my perspectives in writing songs as well as the way of making music and melodies,” Aluna said of her creative process. “The contemporary ideas came to my soul and I mix the traditional sounds into my music a lot these days, but I am not yet satisfied with the result. I am still looking for the new sound. It might take a year or forever… I don’t know, but it is exciting to me.”

Aluna’s humble attitude – she is also the general manager of her family’s hotel business in Vang Vieng – is uncommon for a musician of her stature, but her tirelessness has paid off ever since she began creating music back in 2002. To date, she has performed in U.S. cities like Chicago, Seattle and Los Angeles, and she has toured in Japan, China, Malaysia and throughout Southeast Asia. Her self-titled albums “Aluna” (2005) and “Aluna Part II” (2008) produced many number-one singles on regional radio charts and her hit “Khaum HouSuek Bork” earned her the award for Best Pop Song at the first annual Lao Music Awards in July 2008. Even The Today Show recognised this 29-year-old artist as one of the preeminent talents of Laos’ burgeoning pop music scene.

New Sounds

Laos’ contemporary music culture has emerged from a long history of political unrest and a complex mix of cultural influences. Although romantic songs and ballads have always been popular in Laos, Western music was first introduced in the 1920s during the French colonial period, impacting a new generation of Lao singers and composers. Then, following the country’s lengthy civil war and the 1975 Communist takeover, patriotic songs and anthems dominated the charts.

Since 2000, though, when the government began to relax the country’s music regulations, Lao record companies have been eager to promote singers who appeal to younger audiences. Today, pop music is booming and local Lao artists are heard on the radio alongside other foreign singers from the U.S. and Thailand.

Aluna is at the forefront of the homegrown talents now changing the Lao music scene. Her songs incorporate the Morlum Loop and other traditional Lao music – especially the catchy fast tracks – and often include unique beats and traditional instruments. Her lyrics focus on themes of love, but she also delves into topics like the environment, social classes and many other touchy subjects.

The man depicted in this statue is playing the 'khene', the national instrument of Laos. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Prince Roy

The artist is currently learning the khene (a bamboo mouth organ with many keys) and the traditional Lao flute, not to mention practicing the Lao Opera singing style, which requires a great deal of energy and the ability to play with how one projects one’s voice.

Deep Roots

While Aluna’s contemporary style has many musical influences, the traditional music of Laos plays an important part in creating that sound: “We, the new generation, never forgot the roots of our music,” she explained.

Born and raised in Laos, Aluna was surrounded by music from a very early age and always loved to sing. “People often ask who my music idols are and I respond, ‘They are my mom and dad.’ In fact, they are the first people who opened up my world to music. During my childhood, I’d often hear my dad singing with his guitar; my mom would sing along in her free time. They loved playing songs created by legends of the 60s and 70s like Elvis, Cliff Richards, The Beatles and The Carpenters, among many others. Those early experiences were so cool. Every now and then, I carry some of those old songs with me and sing along. Some people are surprised by my knowledge of old songs.”

When Aluna was young, there were always instruments around the house on which she could practice. (Her father was a musician.) At just five years old, she picked up her first instrument – a guitar.

“At that age, it was much bigger than my body and too big for me to hold, so I held it on my lap and played. I was always curious about how musical instruments produce sounds and how those sounds turn into different keys and notes. The guitar, keyboard and the harmonica were my favourites. With my mind’s empty canvas, I tried to differentiate the sounds, keys and notes using only my senses.” She did not study music, however, and never had professional training because it was too expensive.

“My childhood experience with music was so wonderful and peaceful that I knew I’d always want to be around it. Though I had been surrounded by music from a young age, I never thought of becoming a professional singer – that dream never existed.”

Life Changes

Meanwhile, Aluna excelled in her studies and received a scholarship to study abroad at a university in Australia. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business and returned to Laos to work at Thavonsouk Resort, her family’s business in Vang Vieng. Still, something was missing and she longed for the next adventure in her life. So, during the tourism low season, she took three months off from her job to travel to Europe. “That trip changed my life,” the singer reported matter-of-factly.

Music in Laos today comes in many styles. This photo of a percussion band was taken at the Bee Mai Lao Festival in 2002. Photo courtesy of Flickr/NeilsPhotography

Arriving in Paris in the early morning of June 21, 2002, Aluna noticed that a festival was in progress. “I heard music along the road, and I saw people spontaneously come out and play music. They sang about everything using their guitars, saxophones, trumpets, harmonicas and accordions. They were everywhere – on roadsides, in the Metro and on almost every corner I walked past. I was so happy to be in this amazing environment. I felt like I was brought back to something familiar, but also something that I was missing for some time. It was great to hear music again.”

That event was France’s Fête de La Musique (Music Festival), which offered Aluna the chance to see shows by musicians such as Lenny Kravitz, Sheryl Crow, R.E.M., Bryan Adams and many other legendary artists.

“It was so inspiring!” the singer recalled. “I was about to celebrate my birthday a few days later and I truly felt that witnessing this event was one of the most precious gifts ever… I tuned in and silently listened, and in that moment, I felt like a bolt of lightening struck me. It was in that moment that my dream was born. I said to myself, ‘Yes, why don’t I create music? Why don’t I sing?!’ ”

Since then, Aluna has moved from strength to strength and encouraged others to follow their hearts. “There are many ways to realise your dreams and true passions,” she revealed. “Free your mind and look deep down into your heart, because sometimes ideas don’t come right away. Part of the journey is to develop and grow by following your passion.”

For more information about Aluna, visit her facebook page.

Luang Prabang, once the royal capital of ‘The Kingdom of a Million Elephants,’ retains the beauty of its regal and French colonial past. Well-preserved buildings and a plethora of glittering Buddhist temples nestle at the confluence of two picturesque rivers and against a backdrop of densely forested mountains. The natural beauty and architectural preservation earned the town a place on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1995. Since then, development has been carefully restricted to the joy of a steady flow of foreign visitors keen to explore the town’s charms.

What better way to explore the jungles and forests around Luang Prabang, Laos, than from the regal perch atop an elephant? Photo courtesy of Stanislas Fradelizi

Exploring the laneways and riverbanks on foot or by bike, admiring the golden temples and chatting with friendly novice monks eager to improve their conversational English are some of the best ways to enjoy the relaxing vibe of Luang Prabang. Of the many splendid temples, the most famous is Wat Xieng Thong, where stunning, intricate mosaics portray temple myths and scenes of every day domestic life. Other attractions include a royal palace, now the National Museum, and the compact but fascinating Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre. A sunrise or sunset climb to the top of the town-centre’s hill, Mount Phousy promises wonderful views of the town and its setting.

Day Trips

With so much to do in Luang Prabang, we’d need more space to recommend everything. First up would have to be a cooking class with us at Tamarind. There is no better way to get insight into the local culture than through a trip to the market and lesson about Lao food.

Anyone looking for a bit more adventure must try some elephant trekking; booking through a responsible local operator is essential, of course, and we recommend the Elephant Park in Ban Xieng Lom.

Finally, if you yearn for beautiful, photogenic scenery, a trip out to Kuang Si Waterfalls is a must.

Shopping

Be sure to leave space in your bag for the great mementos to be found shopping in Luang Prabang. The main street transforms after dusk into a wonderland of bright colours at the Night Market.  Amidst the Beer Lao t-shirts, fisherman pants and imported cheap products, you will find handwoven Lao silk scarves in jewel colours, hilltribe crafts of naïve embroidery and handmade bed linen in traditional ethnic patterns.

The night market is a central feature of Luang Prabang, Laos, and a source for some good bargains, as well as some fine handmade local crafts. Photo courtesy of Stanislas Fradelizi

For more upmarket fair-trade local crafts and products, seek out retail outlets OckPopTok, Caruso Lao and Kopnoi.

Around town, keep an eye out for Mulberry “sa paper,” strewn with leaves and flowers, often fashioned into albums and paper lanterns. Silver is another regional speciality, delicately worked by former royal silversmiths. You can also find an excellent range of jewellery and ritual objects.

Restaurants

Dining options range from street stands to fine eateries and restaurants in Luang Prabang. If you’ve got a strong stomach and adventurous spirit, try the night market takeaway food: grilled fish, meats and spicy local delicacies. Daytime stalls outside the post office provide excellent value-filled baguettes.

For mid-range dining, try Tamarind, our user-friendly introduction to Lao cuisine, and Big Tree on the Mekong for tasty Korean. Coconut Garden is airy and attractive with an extensive menu of Lao and western dishes, while Joma Bakery caters to those seeking the comfort of Western food and le Banneton has a selection of French patisserie treats.

Splurge at Blue Lagoon for international cuisine, L’Elephant Vert for vegetarian raw food or Apsara, renowned for their fish in tamarind sauce.

Local Treats

For a delightful walk, follow the peninsula shoreline along the Mekong riverside road, past the confluence with the Nam Khan River and back into town along that bank. This affords wonderful glimpses of Luang Prabang domestic life. In the dry season you will see locals working their prolific vegetable plots in the rich riverbank soil. The laneways within this Old Quarter, particularly on late afternoons and weekends, reveal intimate scenes of the relaxed social life of residents against a background of fascinating architecture.

As part of Tamarind's Cooking Course, a trip to the local market in Luang Prabang, Laos, often includes a glimpse into the more traditional life of the local population. Photo courtesy of Stanislas Fradelizi

Foodies must not skip a sindad, the local cook-it-yourself meal that is a cross between Korean barbecue and Chinese steamboat. You can identify restaurants specialising in this highly popular cuisine by the stone tables with central cavities for the cooking fire.

Lastly, though no visit to Luang Prabang seems complete without observing the monks’ dawn almsgiving ritual, it has sadly become something of a tourist circus. By all means observe respectfully by keeping out of the way of locals and monks and not buying rice from the insistent street sellers.

Night Out

With an official curfew of 11:30pm, Luang Prabang is hardly a wild all-night party town. However, behind Mount Phousy, you will find a variety of bars and drinking establishments dedicated to good times. Hive, the longest established, has an ethnic fashion show followed by talented local teens dancing hip-hop. Nearby is Lao Lao Garden with an open fire, extensive menu and inexpensive cocktails. Other popular spots are the tropical Utopia, which looks like a setting for Survivor, and the fun new Lao Lao Karma Bar. On the main drag, look for the compact Pack Luck Wine Bar or along the Nam Khan River try the scenically located Blue Ice, both expat favourites.

Desperate to beat the curfew? Head to the fluoro-lit bowling alley. It serves Beer Lao and is open until late. Dancing is also possible at the Dao Fa, a local club packed with youngsters that plays western techno. Or, join locals at a Lao disco: Muang Swa has a live band playing Lao dance favourites. It’s fascinating to watch, easy to learn and always fun to join in.

Organised rugby in Laos gives children, boys and girls alike, a chance to participate in competitive sports. Often, it reaches kids that are institutionally excluded from such opportunities. Photo by Jacob Cawthorne

I started playing rugby in 2003. It was my first year at Princeton University and I missed being a part of a team. I had always been drawn to contact sports and played American football and ice hockey in school. Rugby brought together the elements of those sports I loved: contact, teamwork, communication, intensity and non-stop action.

At Princeton I was a part of a successful squad that made it to the US national collegiate semifinals twice during my run. Though we didn’t take home the title, we won big games along the wa, and used our teamwork, communication and smarts to beat out stronger opponents from universities twice or three times our size. Now my journey with rugby has brought me to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, where I am Operations Manager at the Lao Rugby Federation (LRF), which oversees the sport and provides a valuable community outreach service.

A Short History of Rugby in Laos

The French brought rugby to the region in the 1960s and the sport was quickly taken up in major Lao institutions such as the National University of Laos and the Lao Army, whose squads were able to achieve success on the regional stage, beating the national team of Thailand and touring sides from Hong Kong. While rugby activities then went dormant during periods of domestic unrest in the 1980s and early/mid-1990s, a motivated group of Lao and expat rugby lovers put the sport back on the map in the late 1990s. They started games of touch rugby open to the community. As interest and participation grew, the games eventually turned into contact rugby, which, in order to compete in tournaments throughout the region, eventually led to the formation in 1988 of the Vientiane Buffalos rugby club.

In response to burgeoning interest in the sport, in 2001 the Lao Rugby Federation was founded to provide a formal framework for all rugby union activities taking place in the Lao PDR, whether in the context of school, community or domestic and elite international rugby development. Now in its 10th year, the LRF has seen tremendous growth, not only in programming and capital, but also in the local capacity to administer the sport to a high international level. The LRF is a full member of the Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU) and an associate member of the International Rugby Board (IRB). Most importantly, the LRF has achieved full recognition from the Government of Laos and the National Sports Committee.

Local Inroads and Enthusiasm

The local response to rugby has been a warm one. Of course, it is challenging to introduce a new sport in an area where football (soccer) is king, but the unique aspects of rugby (scrums and line-outs, rucks and mauls) are interesting to the public, and the social nature of the sport at all levels resonates well with the Lao ethic of community, friendship and fun. As school and community rugby outreach activities have taken place over the course of a decade, and as the LRF hosts more international tournaments and events, the sport has attracted a solid following and now boasts widespread support from individuals, Lao institutions, local businesses and the government.

Of particular value to the LRF is the coaching it has been doing in nine schools in and around the capital city of Vientiane, as well as at the National Drug Rehabilitation Centre. This is an exciting time, as new generations are graduating from school and passing through community rugby projects to make an impact on rugby as players and leaders in local clubs and on national sides. In 2010, 54 percent of the Men’s Senior National Team, 75 percent of the Women’s Senior National Team and 87 percent of the U20s Boys Junior National Team were graduates of the LRF’s school and community rugby development projects.

Grinning Lao boys give their all to keeping the rugby ball in motion. Photo by Jacob Cawthorne

More energy and resources will continue to be put into outreach initiatives targeted at Lao institutions such as the Institute of Physical Education, Lao Army, Lao Police and the National University, with an aim to develop more domestic clubs, a key criterion for full membership in the International Rugby Board.

Rugby and the Community

The heart of the LRF’s community programming is Champa Ban Rugby, which works to counteract the exclusion of children from recreational sporting activities by providing safe, fun and secure environments for participation in rugby union. Sadly, a significant portion of the Lao PDR’s youth population has no access to learning about the importance of healthy living and fitness, or life lessons such as teamwork, trust, respect, discipline and communication through recreational sporting. The capacity of many teachers to deliver quality physical education is low, especially in rural areas. Only the most athletically gifted are given the opportunity to play organised sports, and the play is highly competitive. Moreover, there are also especially few sporting opportunities available to young women.

In response to this, the LRF provides girls and boys with the chance to play, be healthy and form friendships through sport, whilst realising personal development opportunities to the fullest. This is accomplished through weekly in-house rugby training sessions at nine schools and the National Drug Rehabilitation Centre, bi-monthly community rugby sessions held on weekends at a central location in Vientiane, weekend-long summer residential camps and the Champa Ban Rugby League – all of which are organised, administered and coached by local Lao staff.

Rugby teaches young Lao girls the importance of healthy living and fitness or life lessons such as teamwork, trust, respect, discipline and communication. Photo by Jacob Cawthorne

Travellers and Volunteers Welcome!

Travellers are warmly invited to get involved in the LRF’s activities. Events are advertised on the LRF Facebook page and the Lao Rugby Federation homepage, as well as in the Vientiane Times, and travellers are always welcome to attend training sessions and competitions. Anyone who would like to have a run with LRF teams should contact the LRF office, which will connect them to the Buffalos, Wild Hogs or Lions club teams.

The LRF even welcomes travellers as short-term volunteers when hosting events such as the Vientiane International 10s, a club rugby tournament that draws men’s and women’s teams from across the region. The LRF is equally keen to partner with travellers who have expertise in specific areas such as graphic design, videography or sports medicine, to name a few.

Finally, I encourage visitors in Vientiane to stop by our office and meet the staff. Donations can be made at the office, where official LRF merchandise can also be purchased. The proceeds of all merchandise sales go directly to grassroots rugby development in Laos.

The Rugby-whl.travel Local Connection

Teamworkz, the whl.travel local connection in Laos, has long been a supporter of rugby development in the Lao PDR, not only as a sponsor but through financial contributions that helped the LRF develop enough administrative capacity to facilitate rugby’s expansion in Laos.

The co-ed group of young Lao athletes that make up Vientiane's community team cheerfully gather for a group photo. Photo by Jacob Cawthorne

There’s also a strong personal commitment. Lee Sheridan, General Manager at Teamworkz, is a long-time member of the Lao PDR Men’s National Team, while Mouksy Vongsouvath, who works on the booking staff for Teamworkz, is a well-established member of the Lao PDR Women’s National Team and President of the Vientiane Lions Women’s Rugby Football Club.

Both Mr. Sheridan and Ms. Mouksy have made great contributions to the sport in their home country. As a member of the Lao PDR National Team, Sheridan has seen victories in the Mekong Cup Series titles versus Cambodia in 2009 and 2010, and won the HSBC Asian 5 Nations Regional Tournament in 2009 and 2010 with victories over Cambodia and Brunei.

Ms. Mouksy has taken home the bronze medal for Women’s Rugby 7s at the 2007 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) and is a trailblazer in women’s rugby in the Lao PDR, leading her team, the Vientiane Lions, to success in major competitions in Thailand, Cambodia and in Laos.

I made personal acquaintance with Sheridan through the LRF. He started playing rugby in school, retired due to injury when he was 18 and was one of the people who started the contact rugby games in the early 2000s that led to the establishment of the LRF.

“There are few structured sports opportunities for youth in Laos outside of elite competition,” says Sheridan. “The LRF has been doing a great job through their schools and community outreach programs to engage young Lao people and not only promoting rugby, but also the health, fitness, teamwork, cooperation and respect that is associated with the game.”

Xieng Khouang

The Plain of Jars in Phonsavan, Laos, is probably the most important Iron Age site in Southeast Asia and has been nominated for listing as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. When first chiselled into shape, the Jars, believed to be the world’s biggest mortuary vessels, would have been white- or cream-coloured and sparkled in the sun. They must have been stunning.

The Plain of Jars is the most popular and intriguing attraction in Phonsavanh, Xieng Khouang, Laos. Photo courtesy of Sutikno Gindroz

Today, over 2,000 years later, some upright and some tipped over, they come in various shades of grey and speckle the green hills in the summer wet season, parched brown in the winter dry season, all on the Xieng Khouang plateau. Now, seven groups of Jars are open to visitors.

Of course, the Jars are still stunning and also awe-inspiring, especially after having survived centuries of war and neglect, most recently during the Indochina Wars (“Secret War”) in the 1960s and 1970s. (The violence of those times transformed the landscape of Xieng Khouang with countless craters and even inspired the Xieng Khouang–style War Architecture that uses bombs as building material for houses.) Not much is known about the hidden stories of the Plain of Jars and a trip to this remote region in Northern Laos will certainly inspire your thinking about history, war and the limits of human knowledge.

In Xieng Khouang, Laos, women demonstrate how they've learned to make spoons from war scraps of the Secret Wars of the 1960s and 1970s. Photo courtesy of Sutikno Gindroz

Day Trips

The most obvious day trip advice is to get out of Phonsavan Town and explore the Plain of Jars. Book a Phonsavan tour with a local travel agent or just rent a motorbike or pushbike to admire the Plain of Jars Site 1 (big), Site 2 (beautiful) and Site 3 (surrounded by rice fields). Afterward, visit the War Spoon Village of Napia and the villager-owned souvenir shop to learn about how they are converting bombs into spoons and bracelets.

To get further afield, hire a local guide (it’s best to pre-arrange this) for the three-hour easy hike from the Phuan village of Napia to the Hmong village of Namkha, where a rural electrification programme has made the light bulb a new development. After that, continue to the old Phuan Capital of Muang Khoun, which once rivalled Luang Prabang in splendour until countless foreign invasions and then heavy bombings damaged much of the town’s tangible heritage. Do the two-hour history trek to get a better idea about the role of the small but pivotal Phuan kingdom. Alternately, a small hike to the Tai Dam weaving village of Naxay takes you across picturesque rice fields.

Ruins remain of the once spectacular Muang Khoun, an ancient province in Laos that compared to Luang Prabang in splendour. Photo courtesy of Sutikno Gindroz

If you have more time on your hands, go for the two-day trek (book online, individual tours are not possible) to the original Hmong mountain village of Ban Phakeo. On the way back, visit the Hmong village of Ban Tajok, famous for its Xieng Khouang War Architecture that uses parts of bombs as construction material for houses.

Shopping

When shopping in Xieng Khouang, keep in mind that the best souvenirs are hand-made, like the silk Phuan textiles that are famous in Southeast Asia for their intricate weaving technique and fascinating stories. Visit the award-winning Mulberry Farm to learn about silk production and weaving, and buy some of their high-quality products that are sold as far away as Paris and Tokyo.

The Secret War left a legacy of UXOs (unexploded ordnance) that still threaten the local population. Check out the UXO Survivor Information Centre run by World Education Laos for souvenirs produced by UXO Survivors. Do a day trip to Ban Napia and check out the village souvenir shop to buy bracelets and spoons made by villagers from (controlled) aluminium war scrap.

A view of the mist-covered hills of Xieng Khouang Province, Laos. Photo courtesy of Sutikno Gindroz

Restaurants

For a rural area like Xieng Khoang, restaurants and local cuisine exceed expectations. For good local food in Phonsavan Town, try Sangha or the Simmaly Restaurant, the later having the largest portions in town.

You can also find international fare at Nisha’s Indian restaurant. Also worth a try is the Lima Site restaurant at the old airport (Golden Mountain Resort).

There are many Lao-style ‘hot-pot places around – just look for the word Sindaard. The best one is maybe Sao Phuuan near Phonsavan Market, but you will need a tuk-tuk to get there.

Local Treats

For the best finds, don’t stay on the dusty main road! Get some fruit and beer, and then check out the magical sunrises and sunsets from the hills around Phonsavan. Or take a stroll at the local market and examine the various kinds of mushrooms: mastake mushrooms are a variety that is valued by many Japanese visitors as much as truffles. More adventurous treats are fermented swallows or porcupine, which locals praise for the sour meat.

The author, Andreas Hofmann, at L'Auberge de la Plaine du Jarre restaurant, in Phonsavan Town, Xieng Khouang, Laos. Photo courtesy of Sutikno Gindroz

Night Out

For something with colonial-alpine chateau flair and open fireplaces hidden in a private tropical pine forest, try the French restaurant and bar L’Auberge de la Plaine du Jarre, also known as Phu Bhadeng, which is run by Lao-French manager Sanya. After two or three cocktails, he can tell more than one obscure story about the Plain of Jars.

Watch the movies about the Secret War at Sousath Travel, and the documentary at the MAG exhibition. The UXO Survivor Information Centre has a reading and video room as well.

The Plain of Jars Site 2 café at the old airport has typical local music, mainly Thai folk songs. Anyone feeling really adventurous can join the town youth and sing karaoke Thai music at the local disco called Chittavanh.

Originally from the United Kingdom, Lee is a busy guy. He has been living and working in and around Laos for nearly 10 years, the last six of which as General Manager of Teamworkz, a travel agency and sustainable tourism and marketing consultancy recognised and trusted as local travel experts by a number of international organisations.

Lee Sheridan and his fiancée Pan play tour guides for Lee's visiting sister. Photo courtesy of Lee Sheridan

On the side, Lee is also studying for a Masters in Responsible Tourism Management and working as a tourism consultant with organisations like the International Finance Corporation on their Stay Another Day project, with Dutch development organisation SNV at the provincial level to design long-term tourism development strategies with local stakeholders, and a few others such as the Asian Development Bank. He is also the local Tripbod connection in Laos.

WHL Group: Which is your favourite WHL Group destination and which would you most like to visit?
Lee: Without doubt, Laos is my favourite place, and I am not just saying that because we are whl.travel’s local connection here. Ten years ago, while backpacking in Laos, I fell in love with the country and decided to stay. Within Laos, Champasak Province would have to be my favourite destination. With a pre-Angkor UNESCO World Heritage Site, the largest waterfalls in Southeast Asia, the very rare Irrawaddy dolphins, the best coffee in the world, and 4,000 idyllic islands in the middle of the Mekong River (which is up to 14 kilometres wide at this point) – how could this not be my favourite place?

In terms of where else to visit, I would love to get down to the Pacific Islands and visit some of our whl.travel local connections out there, like Fiji, Vanuatu, and Samoa. They sound and look fantastic! And with Laos being landlocked and mountainous, I would love to see the differences in cultural and biological diversity.

On the special occasion of his family visiting from the UK, Lee Sheridan chose for them the luxurious Luang Say Residence in Luang Prabang, Laos. It was one of the finest hotel experiences he can recall. Photo courtesy of Teamworkz

WHLG: What would you never travel without?
Lee: I don’t go anywhere without my laptop. I would be lost without it. I get withdrawal symptoms if I cannot connect check my emails every few hours. I even wake up in the night to check them!

WHLG: What do you miss most about home when travelling?
Lee: If my fiancée Pan is reading this, then most definitely her! If she’s not, then probably Beerlao (the national beer of Laos) and the great team I have in our Teamworkz office.

WHLG: What’s the most adventurous trip you’ve ever taken?
Lee: This would most likely have to be my first. When I was 17 I took part in a month-long World Challenge Expedition to Costa Rica. I remember erupting volcanoes, canoe trips through crocodile-infested waters, catching hypothermia climbing a mountain, village homestays in remote forests and giant turtles laying their eggs on golden beaches. Looking back, I can see how this trip inspired me toward a life of travel and adventure.

WHLG: What is your funniest travel experience?
Lee: I can’t think of one that doesn’t need censoring!

WHLG: What is your scariest travel experience?
Lee: Returning to the UK – each and every time.

Lee Sheridan sits down to a nice dinner in Luang Prabang, Laos, with his visiting mother and fiancée, Pan. Photo courtesy of Lee Sheridan

WHLG: If you could go on holiday with anyone famous – living or dead – who would you take?
Lee: I would love to have travelled with some of the early explorers of this part of the world – people like Henri Mouhot or Dr. P. Neis for example. Can you imagine traipsing through the jungle and just stumbling upon Angkor Wat? Rather than just going on holiday with them though, I would much rather travel back in time and join their original expeditions. Now that would be an adventure!

WHLG: Describe the best and worst accommodation you’ve ever stayed in.
Lee: While I am not normally one of luxury, my mum and little sister came over to visit early in 2011 and we spent a wonderful few days in Luang Prabang. A few nights at the Luang Say Residence was followed by a night out in the forests at Lao Spirit and waking up early in the morning to bathe the elephants in the river. Both of these lodges are up there with the best I have stayed in.

The worst was 12 years ago in a US$2-per-night beachside bungalow in Koh Samui. It was a picturesque bamboo hut with a balcony and a hammock overlooking the ocean. I woke up in the morning with thousands of bites! I’d been attacked by bed bugs, mosquitos, sand flies and God only knows what else. I was left feeling extremely miserable and very uncomfortable for a week to follow.

WHLG: Describe your earliest travel memory.
Lee: As a child, buckled in to the back seat of the car arguing with my sister on road trips around the UK. Family holidays in the north of Wales arguing with my sister. Trips to southern France arguing with my sister. I am starting to understand why I love to travel on my own these days!

The Sala Don Khone Hotel is a guesthouse on Don Khone Island, which makes up one of the Four Thousand Islands in Champasak Province. Lee Sheridan believes it could benefit from travellers exploring beyond Vientiane and Luang Prabang. Photo courtesy of Teamworkz

WHLG: Please briefly explain what you think local travel is.
Local travel means more than just being based in the destination that we serve. Local travel means providing a kind of travel in which our guests can experience a place beyond the surface level. Living in tourism destinations, we often notice that tourists all do the same things at the same time in the same way as all the other tourists, and we wonder why. Local travel to us is about understanding the locality of a place and what makes it special. It’s about participation and positive interaction.

Local travel is a belief that nobody knows a place like the people who live there. Local travellers make the effort to seek out what locals recommend, what locals would do, and spend time enjoying and understanding the destination as a resident might, rather than staying in the isolation of the ‘tourism zone’. Teamworkz’ experienced staff are here to help you make this step – a step inside our destinations to understand why we love these places as much as we do.

WHLG: In what ways do you see local travel benefiting the country in which you live?
Laos is a culturally rich country with a lot to share with the world, especially travellers willing to spend the time and make the effort to look below the surface, to make a little extra effort in getting out of the main tourism centres. I believe local travel will bring great benefits to travellers.

In Laos, tourism is largely concentrated on Vientiane and Luang Prabang. For tourists to move to other areas of the country would mean a greater dispersal of tourism spending and more people benefiting from the growth of the tourism industry.

How is biodiversity measured? Conservation International, an organisation that “empowers societies to responsibly and sustainably care for nature, our global biodiversity, for the well-being of humanity” has established a way to identify the world’s biodiversity hotspots, or areas that have especially high numbers of endemic (native) species, based largely on two factors: the number of plant species endemic to the area (must be greater than 1,500 species) and the acute need to protect the area from habitat loss beyond an already measured 70 percent of the original.

In these fragile areas, the acute priority placed on conservation means that visitors and travellers must handle with care. Unchecked tourism is part of the rampant human encroachment on nature that threatens the planets’ bio-diverse ecosystems and its health. When practiced responsibly, however, tourism can be a driving force behind conservation efforts.

We encourage travellers to explore these biological treasure troves, but to do so responsibly. Some of the best ways to do this are on guided tours with local tourism professionals committed to conservation principles and making as little impact as possible. These guided tours also deliver high levels of learning, adventure and fun!

We are pleased to offer our five favourite ways to experience biodiversity hotspots around the globe.

A mirror image of the healthy corals of the Solomon Islands. Keep them healthy with a scuba dive tour that cares. Photo courtesy of Tina Aydon

Scuba Diving the Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands enjoy healthy reefs that represent a small part of the Coral Triangle biodiversity hotspot in the southwest Pacific. Divers visiting the town of Gizo on Ghizo Island, which is famous for its submarine seascapes, discover a variety of healthy, warm-water reefs teeming with fish that have not been loved to death. At Njari Island, off Gizo, as many as 279 fish species have been counted on a single dive. With Dive Gizo, the whl.travel local connection in the Solomon Islands, daily dive tours are limited to eight passengers at each site to ensure there is no great impact on the marine life. The dives, including some wrecks, suit both novices and masters, and promise great photo ops.

As part of a biodiversity conservation initiative in the area, a partnership between WWF-SI (World Wildlife Fund for Nature Solomon Islands) and Dive Gizo was launched in 2003 to protect eight reef sites around Gizo from careless anchorage; the easy solution was to deploy marine buoys. Dive Gizo is also a member of the Gizo Marine Conservation Area (GMCA) Management Committee, which has established nine marine protected areas covering an area of approximately 43 square kilometres. As well, the Dive Gizo diving staff belongs to the marine biological team that collects baseline and ongoing coral monitoring data for the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network.

The Amazon Tree Climb in Manaus Brazil will get your own limbs working and your adrenaline pumping all way up to the canopy layer. Photo credit Government of the state of Amazon, Brazil

Amazon Tree Climbing in Manaus, Brazil

As the largest tropical rainforest system in the world, the Amazon is a place of unparalleled biodiversity. In fact, more than one third of all species in the world live in the Amazon Rainforest. Where is one of the best places to get a sense of this almost preternatural environment? The city of Manaus, in the north region of Brazil serves a magical gateway into a unique world.

Given the surroundings, Manaus is headquarters to a number of rainforest tour activities, from kayaking and river cruises to canopy tours. Now, even Amazon tree-climbing is an option! Outfitted with climbing gear, visitors can hoist themselves up through the branches and up to the jungle canopy the way researchers do to collect data. Even better, with Selenetur Travel, the whl.travel local connection in Manaus, concern for the rainforest is top priority. Tours groups can be no larger than six so no harm befalls the trees, and bilingual instructors inform about the ecosystem and the surrounding wildlife. This blissful encounter with nature leaves climbers with a renewed impulse to conserve it!

Carlos Augusto, one of the trip coordinators, says, “Our trees are previously inspected and the climb sites are carefully chosen. We opt for primary forest areas, which gives us a better chance of observing the wildlife in its natural habitat. Our wish is to share the magic and beauty of the Amazon forest with our guests, so that they may understand and respect this fragile ecosystem.”

In Luang Namtha's Nam Ha National Protected Area in Laos, award-winning conservation-minded ecotourism projects are underway. See it through the mists of the area's refreshing waterfalls. Photo courtesy of Stanislas Fradelizi

Waterfall Trekking in Luang Namtha, Laos

Luang Namtha Province lies in the northwest of Laos, sharing borders with both China and Myanmar. Around 85 percent of its 9,325 square kilometres is mountainous and approximately 50 percent is covered by forests, making for landscape with high levels of biodiversity. Home to more than 20 ethnic minority groups, 37 large animal species, 297 bird species and 60 fish species, Luang Namtha has been recognised as having enormous potential for ecotourism.

The 2,230-square-kilometre Nam Ha National Protected Area (NPA) is a primary tourism attraction in Luang Namtha. Lying at the intersection of the Indochina and Himalayan bioregions, the bio-diverse area is a protected area of international significance. The importance of the Nam Ha NPA is in relation to tourism in Luang Namtha – primarily as a result of a major ecotourism project undertaken by UNESCO and the Lao National Tourism Authority called the UNESCO-NTA Lao Nam Ha Ecotourism Project.

Designed to create an economically viable national model for locally managed community-based culture and nature tourism, the project has demonstrated that properly planned ecotourism can be used as a tool for heritage conservation and rural development, involve local communities in tourism management and operations, and raise substantial public sector revenue. In 2001, the UNESCO-NTA Lao Nam Ha Ecotourism Project won a United Nations Development Programme Award in 2001 in addition to a British Airways’ Tourism for Tomorrow commendation.

One refreshing way to explore the Nam Ha NPA rainforest is a one-day waterfall trek that leaves from the small town of Vieng Phouka, located two hours by car south of Luang Namtha town.

On an early morning in the first week of April, a solitary canoe makes its way along what is normally a forest road in Soomaa National Park, Estonia. Photo courtesy of Aivar Ruukel.

Canoeing the Fifth Season Floods in Estonia

Soomaa National Park, which surrounds the Estonian ‘summer capital’ of Pärnu is a naturally quirky place, principally because it protects some of the world’s rarest ecosystems – peat bogs and wetlands (the word soomaa means ‘land of bogs’). Estonia is a wet country with almost 25 percent of the territory consisting of different kinds of wetlands, arguably the most important of which are the ancient and disappearing peat bogs. Their ecological importance has been distinguished as, among other accolades, a CORINE biotope area and one of Europe’s most valuable wilderness areas certified by PAN Parks, and turned it into an European ecotourism hotspot.

Another quirk about the Soomaa region is its ‘fifth-season’ spring floods. Each year, usually in April, spring melt-off raises water levels by about five metres, submerging everything – forest floors, meadows, fields, roads and even village houses – for two to three weeks during which a boat is just about the only way to get around. This is not a catastrophe but a much-anticipated season and a popular time for canoe trips into the national park. Some tours navigate the swamped forests – even right up to the doors of houses – using haabjas, or traditional hand-carved dugout canoes made from huge aspen logs.

From the relaxing rhythm of a canoe, Fifth Season observers can take a good look at some of the wetlands flora and fauna. Although not officially designated as a ‘biodiversity hotspot’ by Conservation International, the Kuresoo bog is ranked particularly high in species diversity. Soomaa is also a natural home for eagles, black storks and other rare birds, as well for carnivores such as wolf, lynx and brown bear.

Sri Lanka's Sinharaja Forest Reserve boasts the highest concentration of endemic species in a country fabled for its endemism. Photo courtesy of Ethan Gelber

Hiking Through Primary Rainforests in Sri Lanka

The gorgeous rainforests of Sri Lanka are on the list of the planet’s top 10 biodiversity hotspots most at risk of destruction. Sadly, at the top of the list of Sri Lankan rainforests most at risk is Sinharaja (meaning ‘lion king’) Forest Reserve, the largest Gondwanan rainforest in South Asia. It is relatively small – barely more than 110 square kilometres – but if taken with contiguous forest reserves, it represents the largest single block (about 475 square kilometres) of wet-zone primary forest in the country. Naturally, it is the green heart of Sri Lanka’s unique and enormously important biodiversity, boasting the highest concentration of endemic species in a country fabled for its endemism.

Preserved from loggers by virtue of its difficult terrain and finally put beyond their axes in only 1977, Sinharaja is now also one of Sri Lanka’s eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Today, the greatest threat to Sinharaja is the unchecked devastation of the ecosystem it shares with surrounding woodlands, some officially counted in a semi-protected forest buffer zone. Bewilderingly, in the 15 years from 1990 to 2005, despite legal protections, 900 square kilometres, or approximately 35%, of the 1990 total forest coverage within 20 kilometres of the park was destroyed. Along with them went who-knows-what in the way of biodiversity.

The best way to appreciate what’s left and continue to call attention to its irreplaceable bounty is simply to visit. Paths within the protected area can only be covered on foot and in the company of a guide. While tours can be arranged in advance, qualified and knowledgeable guides are available for hire (for an affordable fixed price) at the Kudawa and Deniyaya entry points.

Sri Lanka is peppered liberally with other brilliant ecotourism indulgences across a wide variety of ecosystems. For example, why not try a boat ride on the mangrove-fringed Madu River, home to at least 60 species of bird?

Travellers who make it there, specifically to the lesser-known Lao province of Champasak, are always wowed by the region’s attractions and wonders, the first often being the phenomenal World Heritage site of Wat Phou.

Beyond these ancient Khmer temples however, are the region’s extensive undisturbed landscapes and spectacular national parks. From the thunderous waterfalls of the Bolaven Plateau and the wetlands and wildlife of the Xe Pian Conservation Area to the quiet pace of life in the Four Thousand Islands – Champasak’s abundance of natural thrills will keep even the most ardent eco-adventurers entertained.

Treks for Eco-Enthusiasts

Located on the Bolaven Plateau, the 120-metre waterfall of Tad Fane is the tallest in Laos

Hikers of all skill levels often head straight to the Bolaven Plateau, the uplands in the northeast of the province, which is bordered by the Mekong River and the Annamite Mountain Range. Site of many of the area’s most stunning waterfalls, sweeping coffee plantations and many ethnic minority villages, this area has seen tourism find a solid foothold and given a great boost to the local economy.

Any walk through the beautiful scenery is a highlight for travellers in the area and guided tours can sharpen one’s grasp of the region’s unique natural history and culture. The two-day loop offered through Teamworkz, your whl.travel local connection, takes in several hilltribe villages, visits the spectacular 120-metre Tad Fane waterfall – the tallest in Laos – and stops at a swimming hole and for some local coffee tasting. Travellers with less time can see the essentials on a day tour.

Experienced hikers are sure to be drawn to a two-day trek through the Xe Pian Conservation Area, one of the most important protected areas in Laos and one well known for its incredible biodiversity. The trip includes canoe rides, treks through dense jungle and a homestay in a local ethnic village. Along the way, the local guide points out the park’s native medicinal plants and wildlife, a special sharp eye out for the endangered yellow-cheeked gibbon.

Other excursions within Xe Pian are the climb to the top of Mount Asa, during which a half-day elephant ride takes you through the forest and up to the summit, site of a pretty ruined fort.

Scenic Cycling Excursions

Cycling is always an engaging way to enjoy the scenery and interact with the locals. In Champasak, Teamworkz’ extended four-day cycling tour is ideal for physically fit travellers looking to make the most of their time. Departing from Pakse, the provincial capital, famous for its hand-woven cottons and silks, the trip includes visits to coffee plantations and waterfalls along the Bolaven Plateau, small forest trails throughout Xe Pian and several local ethnic villages. The distances covered each day range from 40 to 90 kilometres; bikers bed down at local homestays and ecolodges, where there is time to relax in the evenings and sample the local fare.

A gentle 90-minute ride on the back of an elephant takes travellers to the summit of Mount Asa, located in the Xe Pian Conservation Area of Champasak, Laos. Photo courtesy of Stanislas Fradelizi in Flickr/whltravel

The saddle of a bike is also the perfect perch from which to explore the sleepy islands of Si Phan Don, also known as the Four Thousand Islands – where the Mekong is up to 18 kilometres wide and encompasses thousands of small islands. The largest island, Don Khong, is just a short ferry ride from the mainland and has plenty of comfortable guesthouses, many of which have bikes for rent to travellers for around 10,000 KIP (US$1). It’s the best budget way to pedal around and enjoy the laid-back riverside scenery.

Teamworkz also has a full-day bicycle tour to an abandoned French railway that once linked Cambodia and Laos across a different island, called Don Khone. The day trip departs from Pakse and includes a stop at the stunning emerald green Liphii waterfalls, close to the Cambodia border.

Zip-line Jungle Jaunts

Thrill seekers longing for the ultimate adventure are sure to find it in Champasak. Just one hour by car from Pakse, the small village of Ban Nongluang is the launching pad for a heart-stopping and high-flying jungle excursion by zip line.

The adventure is offered in two- and three-day packages, both of which also begin with a breathtaking canopy walk across a steep river valley. Continuing past plunging waterfalls, travellers receive a zip-line safety briefing before blasting off through the treetops. Speeding through the jungle, they savour phenomenal views from above the dense forest, an elevation kept even at bedtime, as lodging is in tree houses.

Real adrenaline junkies may prefer the three-day adventure; day two features extended zips of up to 400 metres at daredevil speeds through the forest’s upper stratum.

Real thrills await everyone on the final day for both tours: the ultimate highlight is the steep bolted rock climb up one of the highest peaks in the area. At the summit, the impressive views take in nearby waterfalls, the mighty Mekong and even neighbouring Thailand.

Like countries throughout Asia, China celebrates the New Year with a splash in some areas

Below are our picks for the top five New Year celebrations in some of the most beloved nations of Asia, each with its own unique traditions and festivities.

China

The Spring Festival, also known as the Lunar New Year, is the most important annual celebration for the Chinese people. Apart from being a weeklong holiday mandated by the government, it is a time to honour the past, celebrate the present and gather good luck for the future. Prior to New Year, people flock to stores to buy ingredients for grand feasts, as well as various decorations for their homes, new clothes to wear when visiting ancestors and gifts for friends and family.

The Chinese people attach particularly great importance to the Spring Festival Eve. In recent years, a Spring Festival Party has been broadcast on China Central Television (CCTV) – essential entertainment for the Chinese both at home and abroad. No matter where they are in the world, families stay up to see the New Year come.

In Lijang, China, elaborate decorations are placed with care as part of one of the biggest festivals of the year - the Spring Festival or Lunar New Year

Around the world, homes are also decorated to reflect the festive atmosphere. Door panels are pasted with Spring Festival couplets written, in Chinese calligraphy, with black characters on red paper, indicating the owners’ wishes for a bright future and good luck for the next year. Pictures of the gods are also posted to ward off evil spirits and welcome peace and happiness.

The lively atmosphere not only fills every household, but also permeates the streets in both China and Chinatowns everywhere. Lion dancing, dragon lantern dancing, lantern festivals and temple fairs take place for days. In the Chinese city of Lijiang, where tourism is a vital industry, travellers gather around a giant bonfire and enjoy the unique songs and dances performed by various ethnic minorities from around the region.

Vietnam

Tết Nguyên Đán, more commonly known as Tet, is the most important traditional festival in Vietnam and falls around the same time as the Chinese Lunar New Year – in 2011, February 3rd is the first day of the new lunar year, a date that is also the foundation ceremony day of the Vietnamese Communist Party. Everyone will be celebrating the Year of the Cat.

The flowers of the Han Market in Da Nang, Vietnam, are at their most vibrant during the New Year celebration of Tet. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia/Dragfyre

In the city of Da Nang and many other places, the streets become noisy and crowded with Tet preparations. Never hampered by the relatively cold weather, Han Market, the city’s biggest flower market, opens its doors and displays a wide range of colourful wares like apricot blossoms, peach blossoms, rosebushes, daisies, sunflowers, dahlias and marigolds. Families gather in their homes to worship the Kitchen God, who is said to fly to heaven to report all the events of the previous year.

On New Year’s Eve, families gather for lunch or dinner and pay tribute to their ancestors, welcoming them to the celebrations. Houses are cleaned and decorated. In the evening, people assemble by the nearest riverbanks to watch firecrackers at midnight. Then, they flock to biggest pagodas in the city to burn incense and pray for good luck for themselves, their families and their businesses.

Thailand

The Songkran festival is celebrated throughout Thailand as the traditional New Year, from the 13th to the 15th of April in 2011. On these days, the most noticeable practice is the throwing of water: Thais roam the streets with pitchers or water guns, or post themselves at the side of roads with a garden hose and drench each other and passersby.

The Songkran festival in Thailand is another annual New Year water-throwing free-for-all street party. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia/Love Krittaya

Traditionally, Songkran is a time to visit and pay respects to elders, family members, friends and neighbours. People go to a wat (temple) to pray and give food to monks. They may also gently cleanse the Buddha images in household shrines, as well as Buddha images in monasteries, using water mixed with a Thai fragrance. It is believed that doing this will bring good luck and prosperity for the New Year. In many cities, such as Chiang Mai, images of the Buddha from the city’s most important monasteries are paraded through the streets so that people can throw water at them, ritually ‘bathing’ the images as they pass by on ornately decorated floats.

Among young people the holiday has evolved to include dousing strangers with water as relief from the heat, since April is the hottest month in Thailand. Fun-filled water fights are basically an essential part of the fun.

Laos

What can best be described as a national water fight, Pi Mai Lao (Lao New Year) is celebrated annually in Laos, from the 14th to the 16th of April in 2011. Since it takes place during one of the country’s hottest seasons of the year, it is a welcome and refreshing event.

No generation is exempt from enjoying the large-scale water fights that break out in Laos as part of Pi Mai Lao, the annual New Year celebration. Photo courtesy of Lee Sheridan

Like in Thailand, the festival is a time to visit temples, and pay respect to and bless friends and family before the start of the New Year. Many people visit a number of temples to wash Buddha images and hope for a good start to the New Year. Traditionally, the water used to wash the Buddha images is considered blessed as it drips off the Buddha. For this reason, it is collected and gently poured over loved ones to wash away the problems of the past and help them prepare for the start the New Year clean and full of optimism.

Today, this widely practiced tradition is celebrated with enthusiasm; if you are in Laos during Pi Mai Lao, be prepared to get wet! Vientiane and Luang Prabang are the two best places to enjoy the New Year celebrations, with Luang Prabang hosting a parade through the town centre, sand-castle building on the banks of the Mekong and a traditional beauty pageant. Beer Lao soon flows freely and there is music and dancing in the streets: tourists join merrily dressed locals, young and old, in the most jubilant of Lao festivals designed to bring the new year in with gusto!

Cambodia

Lasting three full days between the 13th and 16th of April in 2011, Khmer New Year is arguably the most popular festival and national holiday in Siem Reap and over Cambodia. Chaul Chnam Thmey, as it is called in Khmer, coincides with the end of the harvest season, so farmers celebrate the New Year with their families and enjoy some relaxation before the rainy season begins.

In Cambodia's Chol Chnam Thmey New Year celebration, water throwing is a common part of the widespread festivities and games. Photo courtesy of Lee Sheridan

People travel from near and far to meet with their relatives, visit temples and partake in the celebration that occur throughout the country. City and village streets are often packed revellers enjoying some time off with their friends and families, celebrating together by dancing and playing traditional games.

The throwing of water is also a notable feature in Cambodia during this special time of year, although it happens primarily limited in the main tourist areas.