06:30: Guide and driver pick up at hotel. Wake up as the sun rises, we will prepare to join the most sacred tradition of Laos, the daily morning alms giving, which dates to the 14th century. More than 200 Buddhist monks depart from various temple to gather their daily meal from the faithful residents sitting quietly on the streets. From there, we will visit the temporary morning market near the former Royal Palace. Just set on the ground, the local people come here to barter their day’s catch from rice, to vegetable, to fish, or chicken. This is the best chance to experience the flavor of local life After breakfast at the hotel, we transfer to the Traditional Arts & Ethnology Center (TAEC), the collection of diverse Lao ethnic groups. We will stroll around to visit the center to understand more about the Lao diverse ethnic culture.
After that, we will join the seminars of “Ethnic Diversity and Cultural Change in Laos” This fascinating 60-minute presentation and question-and-answer session gives background on Laos’ ethnic communities, their history, and their culturalpractices, including livelihoods and crafts. Guests have an opportunity to learn about lifestyles in ethnic villages, and are shown unique artefacts fromTAEC’s collection that are not accessible to the general public. The seminars are led by one of the two TAEC Founder/Directors, either Thongkhoun Soutthivilay, a Luang Prabang-native who worked at the Luang Prabang National Museum for 10 years, and who has attended trainings and conferences in the US, Thailand, Netherlands, Japan, and Brunei; or Tara Gujadhur, an American who has worked in Luang Prabang for over 10 years, with a background in anthropology and sustainable tourism development The ethnic Khmu lunch will be served at TAEC Café.
In the afternoon, we transfer directly to the beautiful Kuang Si waterfalls which is the biggest in the Luang Prabang area with three tiers leading to a 50-metre drop into spectacular azure pools before flowing downstream. The pools also make great swimming holes and are very popular with both tourists and locals We will also take a short visit to the Bear Rescue Center, which houses a couple of dozen animals rescued from the hands of poachers and traffickers. Before returning to Luang Prabang, we stop to visit the Kuang Si Falls Butterfly Park (closed from 15 APR – 30 JUN; 01-14 SEP, & 01 JAN every year), whose mission is to create a research centre studying and publishing about Laos butterflies, host plants and preservation. Laos is also known for its traditional crafts, we will take a short visit to the Ock Pop Tock Living Craft Center, where you will have a short tour so you get information about Silk, about weaver, about the Women that work in the Centre.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Luang Prabang
