World Heritage stone wonders leave a lasting impression. August 13, 2009, is forever etched in my memory. A few days earlier I had arrived in Phonsavan, the modern capital of Xieng Khouang Province, intending to visit the famous stone jars as an independent traveler. After a few false starts, I...
Dress the part in Luang Prabang. Sao Sinh is the newest addition to Luang Prabang’s vibrant cultural tourism scene. Billing itself as the first “Rent and Roam” traditional clothing rental service in town, the shop stocks dozens of traditional skirts, blouses, trousers, sashes, jewelry, and...
Wat Phou reveals its true beauty and history for those who make time to visit. Tiny Champasak, gateway to a small hillside temple complex of outsized spiritual importance, lies in one of the most enchanting spots in all of Laos. Travelers I met tell me they’re skipping a visit to Champasak to...
A shopping visit leads to unexpected and tasty surprises. “What on earth is that?” I asked my Lao foster daughter, pointing to a small ovoid green fruit (it could have also been a vegetable) that revealed pallid pink flesh within. “It’s a Lao cucumber” she smiled. “Oh really.” Bending...
As Yoon Sora poses gracefully before the camera, unconsciously making the tiny, elegant movements of a flight attendant, she looks every bit the part in her silk sinh, or Lao skirt, which is part and parcel of the Lao Airlines uniform. Although conspicuously Korean among her colleagues, she...
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