Luang Prabang

Coordinates: 19°53′24″N 102°08′05″E / 19.89000°N 102.13472°E / 19.89000; 102.13472
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Luang Prabang
ຫຼວງພະບາງ, ຫລວງພຣະບາງ
Louangphabang
UTC+7 (ICT)
Post Code
06000[3]
Websitehttp://tourismluangprabang.org/
CriteriaCultural: ii, iv, v
Reference479
Inscription1995 (19th Session)
Area820 ha
Buffer zone12,560 ha

Luang Phabang,

French colonial influences during the 19th and 20th centuries.[18]

The centre of the city consists of four main roads and is located on a

Mount Phou Si; a large steep hill which despite the constrained scale of the city, is 150 metres (490 ft) high; a steep staircase leads to Wat Chom Si shrine and an overlook of the city and the rivers.[19][20]

The city was formerly the capital of a kingdom of the same name. It had also been known by the ancient name of Xieng Thong.

Luang Prabang Province and is the capital and administrative centre of the province. It lies approximately 300 km (190 mi) north of the capital Vientiane. Currently, the population of the city as a whole is roughly 56,000 inhabitants with the UNESCO protected site being inhabited by around 24,000.[16][22][23]

History

Dvaravati city state kingdoms

By the 6th century in the

Therevada Buddhism from Sri Lankan missionaries throughout the region.[24][25][26][27]: 6, 7 [28][29]

View of Luang Prabang, 1897

Lan Xang period

Xieng Dong Xieng Thong experienced a brief period of Khmer

1478–1480 expedition against Lan Xang and Lanna.[31] The capital was moved in 1560 by King Setthathirath I to Vientiane
, which remains the capital today.

Market in Luang Prabang, pre-1901

In 1707, Lan Xang fell apart because of a dynastic struggle and Luang Prabang became the capital of the independent

figurehead of Laos. When Laos achieved independence, the king of Luang Prabang, Sisavang Vong, became the head of state of the Kingdom of Laos.[32]

World War II

Damage caused by a communist ground attack on Luang Prabang airfield, 1967

The town was the scene of many events during and in the aftermath of World War II and it was occupied by several foreign countries during the war (

Nationalist China). Initially the Vichy French controlled the city but lost it to Thai forces following the Franco-Thai War of 1940–1941. On 9 March 1945, a nationalist group declared Laos once more independent, with Luang Prabang as its capital but on 7 April 1945 two battalions of Japanese troops occupied the city.[33] The Japanese attempted to force Sisavang Vong (the King of Luang Prabang) to declare Laotian independence but on 8 April he instead simply declared an end to Laos' status as a French protectorate. The King then secretly sent Prince Kindavong to represent Laos to the Allied forces and Sisavang Vatthana as representative to the Japanese.[33] Following Japan's surrender to the Allies, Free French forces were sent to reoccupy Laos and entered Luang Prabang on 25 August, at which time the King assured the French that Laos remained a French colonial protectorate.[33] In September the Chinese Nationalist forces arrived to receive the surrender of the remaining Japanese forces but also quickly set about buying up the Laotian opium crop.[33]

Laotian Civil War era

In April and May 1946, the French attempted to recapture Laos by using paratroops to retake Vientiane and Luang Prabang and drive

communist
forces seized power with North Vietnamese support and dissolved the monarchy.

Monarchs of Luang Prabang

Statue of Sisavang Vong, King of Luang Phrabang 1904–46, King of Laos 1946–59
  • Khun Lo, warlord who founded the city
  • Fa Ngum, prince of Luang Prabang who founded Lan Xang
  • Oun Kham, king who ruled under the French
  • Kham Souk
    (Zakarine), king who ruled under the French and who pushed for independence
  • Sisavang Vong, king under the French, and who, when France granted Laos independence, became king of the whole country

Tourism

A riverboat and marchers in the Lao New Year parade in Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang has both natural and historical sites. Among the natural tourism sites are the

Haw Kham Royal Palace Museum and the Wat Xieng Thong temple are among the best known historical sites. The town, particularly the main street, is dotted with many smaller wats such as Wat Hosian Voravihane
. Every morning at sunrise, monks walk in a procession through the streets accepting alms offered by local residents, an event popular with tourists. Mountain biking is quite common, with people often biking around the town or to the waterfalls for the day. Down the Mekong River, a 15-minute boat ride from the city centre, Ban Chan (the pottery village [35]) is an interesting place. Luang Prabang received 'Best City' in the Wanderlust Travel Awards 2015.

Gastronomy

O-lam, the most popular dish in Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang has a rich artistic and culinary history and the city's cooks were hired by the king.[citation needed] Typical local dishes include: Or lam (O-lam, the favourite dish of Luang Prabang locals), Luang Prabang sausage, mokpa (steamed fish), and Kaipen made from Mekong River moss (served fried) with the Luang Prabang's famous Jeow Bong.[36]

Transportation

Luang Prabang International Airport

Air

Luang Prabang is served by Luang Prabang International Airport with non-stop flights to adjoining countries.

Road

Luang Prabang is served by Route 13, which connects to Vang Vieng and Vientiane to the south, and to Boten in the north. The road is paved, though the surface is in poor condition at places. Since 2014, a new road connects Kasi (close to Vang Vieng) to Luang Prabang, allowing the trip to be made in about 3 hours (compared to 5 hours via Route 13). Several daily buses run from Vientiane to Luang Prabang, taking 11–13 hours.[37]

The road from

Huay Xai to Luang Prabang is poorly maintained, remote, unlit, unmarked and dangerous for the unfamiliar, particularly in the rainy season. Buses regularly travel the route for 14–16 hours.[37]

If coming from Vietnam, sleeper buses can be caught from Hanoi to either Luang Prabang or Vang Vieng.

Waterway

The Mekong River itself is also an important transportation link. At

Huay Xai, across from Thailand, downstream to Luang Prabang takes two days by slow boat, typically with a stop at Pakbeng
.

Rail

Beginning December 2021, Luang Prabang is served by the high speed

Vientiane–Boten railway. The railway parallels Route 13, and serve as Laos' first major north–south railway line, from Boten at the Chinese border in the north to Vientiane in the south. The complete journey takes less than three hours by train instead of three days by road.[38]
[39]

Education

There is a French international school in the city, École francophone de Luang Prabang.[40]

Climate

Luang Prabang features a

tropical wet and dry climate (Aw) under the Köppen climate classification. While the city is generally very warm throughout the year, it is noticeably cooler during December and January. Luang Prabang also experiences wet and dry
seasons, with the wet season from April until October, and the dry season during the remaining five months. The city receives approximately 1,450 millimetres (57 in) of precipitation annually.

Climate data for Luang Prabang (1991–2020)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 39.4
(102.9)
39.5
(103.1)
41.0
(105.8)
44.8
(112.6)
44.0
(111.2)
40.0
(104.0)
39.0
(102.2)
40.0
(104.0)
38.0
(100.4)
38.6
(101.5)
36.3
(97.3)
36.3
(97.3)
44.8
(112.6)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 28.4
(83.1)
31.7
(89.1)
34.1
(93.4)
35.2
(95.4)
34.6
(94.3)
33.5
(92.3)
32.2
(90.0)
32.0
(89.6)
32.5
(90.5)
31.9
(89.4)
29.9
(85.8)
27.4
(81.3)
32.0
(89.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) 19.8
(67.6)
22.1
(71.8)
25.2
(77.4)
27.5
(81.5)
27.9
(82.2)
27.9
(82.2)
27.1
(80.8)
26.9
(80.4)
26.8
(80.2)
25.4
(77.7)
22.5
(72.5)
19.7
(67.5)
24.9
(76.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 14.7
(58.5)
15.3
(59.5)
18.3
(64.9)
21.6
(70.9)
23.3
(73.9)
24.1
(75.4)
24.0
(75.2)
23.8
(74.8)
23.2
(73.8)
21.4
(70.5)
18.1
(64.6)
15.0
(59.0)
20.2
(68.4)
Record low °C (°F) 0.8
(33.4)
8.0
(46.4)
9.8
(49.6)
14.0
(57.2)
17.0
(62.6)
14.0
(57.2)
17.2
(63.0)
14.0
(57.2)
10.6
(51.1)
7.8
(46.0)
2.4
(36.3)
2.2
(36.0)
0.8
(33.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 17.1
(0.67)
11.7
(0.46)
51.9
(2.04)
102.2
(4.02)
160.6
(6.32)
199.9
(7.87)
283.2
(11.15)
329.4
(12.97)
176.7
(6.96)
87.1
(3.43)
26.9
(1.06)
25.6
(1.01)
1,472.2
(57.96)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 2 1 5 9 14 15 20 21 15 7 3 2 114
Average
relative humidity
(%)
82 77 74 76 81 85 87 89 87 86 84 85 82.8
Mean monthly sunshine hours 175.5 193.6 174.3 185.3 184.0 131.7 106.8 119.1 158.5 185.0 169.4 168.2 1,951.4
Source 1: World Meteorological Organization[41]
Source 2:
NOAA (humidity, 1961–1990),[2][42] The Yearbook of Indochina (1932-1933)[43]

Sister cities

See also

Gallery

Phou si
summit facing south-east
  • Monks collecting alms at dawn
    Monks collecting alms at dawn
  • Buddhist Temple at Haw Kham (Royal Palace) complex
    Buddhist Temple at Haw Kham (Royal Palace) complex
  • Royal Palace
    Royal Palace
  • Primary school
    Primary school
  • Luang Prabang night market
    Luang Prabang night market
  • Buddha images at Vat Visounarath
    Buddha images at Vat Visounarath
  • Boats on the Mekong
    Boats on the Mekong
  • Pak Ou Caves
  • Landscape with a wooden footbridge crossing the Nam Khan river, where two workers are working at the consolidation of this structure, holding a big beam during the monsoon
    Landscape with a wooden footbridge crossing the Nam Khan river, where two workers are working at the consolidation of this structure, holding a big beam during the monsoon
  • Wat Nong Sikhounmuang
    Wat Nong Sikhounmuang

References

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  30. .
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  44. ^ "unk". Earth Times. Archived from the original on 6 March 2020. Retrieved 7 June 2020.[not specific enough to verify]

Further reading

External links