Vientiane
Stop by Wat Sisaket, believed to be the
oldest temple in the city…check out the collection of statuary at Wat
Pra Keo Museum…attend the That Luang
Festival in November, when the stupa becomes the center of activities,
candle-lit processions, and entertainment…ogle the colonial villas around
the Presidential Palace…compare Patuxai
to Paris' similar Arc De Triomphe…enjoy the calm of Xieng
Khuan, also known as Buddha Park, with its eclectic array of Buddhist
and Hindu statuary in a meadow near the Mekong River…shop the Morning
Market for weavings, Lao cotton, ceramics, and curios.
Luang Prabang
Enjoy the unhurried pace and quiet streets
of the ancient Royal Capital...attend one of the city's many festivals…compare
the architectural style of the city's temples
with that of Northern Thailand…visit Mount Phousi,
covered with small wats, and providing panoramic views of the city and the Mekong…stop
in at the Palace Museum for its intentional
mix of Lao and French architectural styles...stop by Wat
Xieng Thong to see its mosaics and classic Luang Prabang style sweeping
roofs…visit Wat Visoun, the oldest
in the city, with its 35-meter Lotus stupa and lovely collection of Buddha statues…shop
for produce alongside locals at That Luang market…sail
up the Mekong to visit the Buddha statues at the Pak
Ou caves.
