Lao People's Democratic Republic, or simply Laos, is a country located in the South-East of Asia. This state borders on Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, China and Myanmar. Laos covers an area of 236,800 km 2 . In 2005, its population was almost six million people. Among tourists this is not a very popular destination, but completely in vain. Indeed, in the state there are a lot of interesting places to visit. You will find a lot of exciting excursions, unusual entertainment and fantastic nature.
Laos History
Starting from the XIV century, the state of Laos is gradually being formed. It has always been inhabited by such migrating tribes as Lao, Thais, Siam and others, as well as the mountainous warlike tribes Mien and Hmong. In the XIV century, the military leader Fa Ngum formed a single kingdom called Lang Sang Hom Khao. The monarchy included disparate powers located near Luang Prabang. The new kingdom lasted until the XVII century. Then it broke up. Already at the end of the next century, most of the power of Laos (general information is presented in our article) fell under the hand of Thai rule.
At the end of the 19th century, Laos became part of French Indochina. And only in the summer of 1949 he managed to get rid of the influence of this empire. But another misfortune came in the person of the United States of America, which began to bombard the east of the country in 1964. And only ten years later, the attacks stopped.
Culture and Entertainment Laos
Laos (the capital is the city of Vientiane) is a country with an amazing culture. It is represented by folk crafts, sculpture, traditional dances and music, as well as painting. The main types of sculptures are monuments dedicated to the Buddha. To sculpt them use wood, stone and bronze. Also, masters often depict various monsters characteristic of the mythology of India.
Buddha is often present in painting. In addition, artists have always been involved in painting scenes from the Ramayana, the Indian epic. Modern Laos painters and sculptors, along with classical Buddhist plots, create works that reflect the beauty of nature and folk life.
If you like outdoor activities, then Laos (the capital is indicated above) will provide you with all the opportunities for this. After all, here you can do cycling, trekking and rafting. And in the case when the tourist is a fan of exotic and non-traditional pastimes, then tubing is at his disposal - rafting on ponds on an inflatable chamber, speleology or zip-lining. This is an incredibly amazing activity: in the jungle, on the trees - at an altitude of 37 meters - 23 platforms are mounted. Strong steel ropes are stretched between them. Travelers are attached to them using a special device. The length of the rope reaches almost one meter, and the distance between the platforms is 180 meters. So try to take such a walk!
What to see
In addition to entertainment, the country is rich in various architectural masterpieces. Thus, Laos, whose sights are not world-famous monuments, still deserves that its long-term cultural places be visited by guests of the country.
First of all, I would like to note the camp of elephants. Laos is called the state of millions of these giants. Animals work on a par with people: they help to cultivate fields, build housing, overcome long distances and much more. In the aforementioned camp, travelers have the opportunity to mingle with these unrivaled creatures, take a walk through the jungle on horseback on elephants and feed their pets. And if you have the chance to visit Laos in February, then you will certainly get to a grand event - the Elephant Festival. Thousands of people gather annually in Paklai County in order to admire the huge participants. You can go to this corner of the globe today without any problems, because a visa to Laos is inexpensive and paid immediately upon arrival in the country. And if you plan to stay in the state for less than 15 days, then you do not need it at all.
Monastery of kings
Wat Xieng Thong (“City of Golden Temples”) - this is what they call the royal monastery, decorated with mosaics and frescoes. It is the largest monastery in the state, and it is located in Luang Prabang. The religious building was built in 1560. Since that time, it has not changed much. The temple building is a representative of the traditional temple culture of Laos. It can be characterized as follows: gradually sloping, the roof slopes descend almost to the ground. The rear red wall of Wat Xieng Thong is decorated with images of various animals and birds, laid out in mosaics. In the temple itself is a rare statue of a recumbent Buddha. Laos (its sights deserve attention!) Will always offer its guests to visit interesting places, albeit not as famous as Stonehenge or the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but still amazing and unsurpassed in their grandeur and beauty.
Blood and moon
A rectangular panel with three horizontal stripes and a circle in the middle - this is the flag of Laos. The upper and lower stripes are painted red, symbolizing the blood of victims who sacrificed their lives for the independence of the country. The middle, largest, strip has a blue color, which has become the embodiment of the resources of Laos. In the center of the blue field is a huge white circle. He became a symbol of the moon, which rises over the Mekong River.
On December 2, 1975, the flag of Laos received its legal approval. This composition of the canvas was proposed in the second half of the 50s of the last century. But the people needed to achieve their independence so that this symbol of the state had the right to exist.
Main city
The capital of Laos is Vientiane, and we have already mentioned this. I would like to talk a little about this wonderful place. Its name translates as "sandalwood city." Vientiane is considered the main financial center of the entire state. About two hundred thousand people live in it.
The city was founded by King Setthathirath in 1560. At that time, the settlement was also the capital, not Laos, but a country called Lang Sang. This state ceased to exist in 1707. At the same time, Vientiane turns into an independent kingdom. In 1779, the village was completely destroyed by the Siamese army. And in 1899 it becomes the capital of Laos.
In Vientiane as in Paris
Laos (the capital is indicated above) has little resemblance to France. More precisely, some coincidence can be seen in the main cities of these countries. So, Paris boasts the world-famous Arc de Triomphe, and Vientiane - the Arc de Triomphe of Patusay, which somewhat resembles its French “colleague”. There is an attraction on the main street of the Lao capital - Langsang Avenue. The facility was built in honor of those residents who died in the war for its independence from France.
Oddly enough, but Patusai was built with the money of the French government. The design has four entrances, and its small towers crown it. The arch is decorated with a pattern consisting of lotus flowers, and its ceiling is painted with blue paint and painted with images of elephants, buddhas and warriors. From the observation deck on top of the Arc de Triomphe you can see the whole city and its surroundings. There is a belief that if you buy a cage with a bird in a small shop located nearby and, standing on top of the building, release the feathered creature and at the same time make a wish, it will certainly come true.
Buddha Park
Laos, the capital of which is a kind of temple of the Buddha, offers its guests to visit another attraction located in Vientiane. This is Buddha Park. True, the object was located not specifically in the city itself, but in its environs. The park has a small size: 200x70 meters. You can see all the sculptures located very close to one in one in one hour. All sculptures are made of concrete and iron. Their author is a Buddhist artist and monk Bun Liua Surirat. This project was created in 1958.
Now shopping!
So that your family and friends do not doubt that you have visited Laos, bring them souvenirs from this country. Typically, tourists carry samples of folk crafts. It can be fabrics, furniture, jewelry. Gifts can be bought in small ethnic shops and in the market. If you make purchases in the capital of the country, then you will have to pay more for them than in provincial towns. But still, despite the significant difference in price (almost twice), the cost of souvenirs is not high.