Travel

Laotian city transformed by investment

13 Feb , 2024  

The old Laotian royal city of Luang Prabang, which is a Unesco World Heritage site, has long been a quiet tourist destination. But with recent Chinese investments, including a new high-speed railway, it has become easier for tourists to admire the city’s golden temples. While more tourist money is welcome, many residents are unhappy with […]

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Travel

Unwind on a Mekong River cruise

11 Oct , 2023  

He’s aiming for luxury travel with a dose of education, history and first-hand insights into how some of the most traditional (and poorest) people in this region live.

The result is a fascinating and, at times, hilarious experience that is not only, yes, relaxing and tranquil, but also a sobering reality check.

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Travel

From Bangkok to Vientiane

6 Aug , 2023  

Richard Barrow has been a writer of online Thai travel guides and travel news for nearly 30 years. He writes about his recent experience on getting the train from Bangkok, Thailand to Vientiane, Laos. He has also taken so many great photos so we can follow his experience, thanks Richard. “I recently embarked on a train journey […]

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Food, Travel

Gordon Ramsey in Laos

2 May , 2023   Video

A collection of Gordon Ramsey videos fro his time on the Mekong in Laos.

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Travel

Enjoying the Mekong River in Laos

7 Feb , 2023  

Over January I got the chance to enjoy a taste of life on the Mekong River a few times. The first was to take the dogs out for a trip with my friend past cucumber island to the island near the new China-Laos railway bridge. It was the most relaxing day I have had in […]

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Travel

Banksy in Vientiane

29 Dec , 2022  

I realized it’s been a while since I have blogged. Life has been incredibly busy the past few years despite the pandemic. How at times I longed to have nothing to do but secretly I think it would bore me to death. After my time with family and working remotely from New Zealand, I made […]

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Travel

Laos confident COVID-19 pandemic under control with one case recorded

30 Jun , 2022  

June 26, 2022 VIENTIANE (LAOTIAN TIMES/THE STAR) – Laos reported just a single case of COVID-19 and zero deaths across the country on Friday night, the Laotian Times reported. The daily COVID-19 tally from the Centre of Information and Education for Health showed that only one case of COVID-19 had been recorded in Vientiane Capital, […]

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Travel

Nong Khai-Laos border checkpoints finally reopen after two years

7 May , 2022  

From 9 May the Laos borders fully open Three border checkpoints in Nong Khai were reopened on Sunday, more than two years after they were sealed in March 2020 to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The main checkpoint is the First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge in Nong Khai’s Muang district, which connects with the Laos capital […]

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Travel

COVID-19 Vaccination rates in Laos

24 Mar , 2022  

A total of 5,136,399 people have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in Laos, (70% of the country’s population), according to the Lao Ministry of Health. A total of 4,367,592 people had been given a second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, equal to 59.52% of the population. In addition, 953,825 people have had […]

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Travel

Laos Cuts Quarantine times

5 Feb , 2022  

Quarantine times slashed as health system no longer under pressure

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Travel

First tourists arrive in Laos

11 Jan , 2022  

The first tourists to Laos since March 2020, a group of 17 students and six teachers from Ipo High School in Seoul, Korea, arrived at Wattay International Airport on Monday.

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Culture, Travel

Laos First Train Gets Name – Langxang

17 Oct , 2021  

The Lao flag symbol with it’s three colors inspires the new passenger train design for the Laos-China Railway. The passenger train has been named Lanxang and is due to arrive this week, ahead of the grand opening on 2 December 2021. The Prime Minister’s Office on Monday issued a notice that named the historic passenger […]

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Travel

Laos COVID Vaccine update

15 Oct , 2021  

The sixth batch of China-donated Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines has been handed over to Laos this week upon arrival at the Lao capital Vientiane on Wednesday. A million doses were donated. China is trying to donate 6.8 million doses in 2021. Laos has a population of approximately 7 million people. The Republic of Korea will also […]

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Travel

Laos-China Railway on Track for December

27 Sep , 2021  

The 6 US Billion Laos-China railway which was started in December 2016 is a year early and set up open on Lao National day this year, 2 December. The railway runs from the town of Boten on Laos’s border with China to the capital Vientiane and is now 93.82% complete according to the Miniter of […]

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Travel

Injecting pus from a milkmaid

2 Apr , 2021  

For 200 years vaccines have been developed the same way since 1796 when a patient was injected with pus from the sores of a milkmaid to cure smallpox – until last year in 2020. The past 14 months have been uncertain, rapidly changing and especially in the field of medicine. The COVID-19 vaccines are the […]

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Travel

My COVID Journey: Quarantine-Day 12-14

6 Mar , 2021  

Today is Saturday, the final day of the current week-long NZ lockdown. I have Sunday to go and then leave Monday (day 15). Today is also my day 12 COVID-19 test. This is my 4th test in total. One in Laos on the 18th and 3 in NZ Day 0, 3 and 12. I got […]

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Travel

My COVID Journey: Quarantine-Day 11

5 Mar , 2021  

Today started with a 7.1 earthquake at 2.27am followed by more with another 8.1 at 8.30am. I hadn’t slept well and while I didn’t feel it it is what perhaps woke me. A tsunami warning was issued for numerous areas to evacuate. I was okay in Auckland as were friends and family. Evacuation advice overrides […]

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Travel

My COVID Journey: Quarantine-Day 10

4 Mar , 2021  

Thursday 4 March wow. It’s actually my 11th day today but until the day turns over I guess it’s Day 10 since I started at Day 0. I escaped my room briefly today to take my 7 items of laundry down, my slot was 7.30 to 7.35. Why I \don’t know as it was actually […]

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Travel

My COVID Journey: Quarantine-Day 9

3 Mar , 2021  

I have to think about today as the days are blending into one another. Six books by famed children’s author Dr. Seuss have been pulled from publication by the company that manages the author’s legacy. According to Dr. Seuss Enterprises, titles such as “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street” and “If […]

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Travel

My COVID Journey: Quarantine-Day 8

2 Mar , 2021  

I spent some time today listening to music while pottering about. Daft Punk have split and it was announced by them posting an epilogue video. They were so influential in the early 1990s with early house. The best eroa of music!

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Travel

My COVID Journey: Quarantine-Day 7

1 Mar , 2021  

The day passed quickly. I heard a rustle at the door, the sound of a brown paper bag and a knock-knock. A delicious roast pork loin came for dinner – perfect.

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Travel

My COVID Journey: Quarantine-Day 6

28 Feb , 2021  

When will this be over? Another sleepless night. Went to bed at 11pm feeling tired but then I was wide awake and not comfortable. I had about 203 hours sleep. The nurse knocked at my door “CHECK”, she said. I got out of bed and put some clothes on. “TEST” she shouted again. I put […]

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Travel

My COVID Journey: Quarantine-Day 5

27 Feb , 2021  

I had a terrible sleep, I was wide awake and so got up at 1am and did some work until 6am. I grabbed a few hours kip then. Felt a bit crappy when I rose. The carpark outside seems empty. There are 150 rooms here so would expect to see more people. Maybe it’s to […]

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Travel

My COVID Journey: Quarantine-Day 4

26 Feb , 2021  

The day started with my breakfast pack (a massive service of granola), followed by a nurse taking my temperature with a gun. The phone ran to confirm my menu for tomorrow. With the amount of food, perhaps they think there are two people in my room. I heard the familiar noise of food arriving and […]

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Travel

My COVID Journey: Quarantine-Day 3

25 Feb , 2021  

I woke at 2am and again at 7am. I’m still not sleeping well. I feel a bit down in the evenings, it’s weird being locked up. I did some exercise before eating breakfast, an egg muffin. The NZ Defence Force lady called the phone in my room asking me to come for my day 3 […]

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Travel

My COVID Journey: Quarantine-Day 2

24 Feb , 2021  

I woke at 6am to see tomorrow’s food menu under the door. Enchiladas and Roast Pork Belly are on the menu. My back is sore from not being used to such a soft bed! The Sebel Manukau Hotel is a fine location to be help in Quarantine. The staff are nice, the room is clean […]

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Travel

My COVID Journey: Quarantine-Day 1

23 Feb , 2021  

After feeling to exhausted yesterday it wasn’t until midnight that I got to sleep. This is good though as I get used to the NZ time difference which is 6 hours ahead. It’s day 2 really now isn’t it. I wonder if they call it day 0 so try and make us think we haven’t […]

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Travel

My COVID Journey: Meal Photos

23 Feb , 2021  

Here are some photos of my quarantine room during COVID-19 hotel isolation in Auckland, New Zealand. My COVID-19 Travel Posts

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Travel

My COVID Journey: Quarantine-Day 0

22 Feb , 2021  

I didn’t think I was going to make it out of Laos. I got to the Vientiane airport 3 hours early and after 3 hours I still didn’t have a boarding pass. I was getting anxious. I went to the airport at 7pm with two friends, one has been helping people exit Laos over the […]

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Travel

My COVID Journey: Prologue

18 Feb , 2021  

In the future, I may look back on this and remember what is was like to travel during COVID-19. Of course, unless one really had to, you would not choose to travel at such a time. I will summarize my two-week quarantine in New Zealand. In the meantime here is a prologue while I remain […]

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Culture, Travel

Blessing at Wat Naxang

6 Feb , 2021  

I visited this monk at Wat Naxang this week. It had been a while since going to temple and it was time for a Buddhist blessing of good luck and protection evidently. I have followed this monk over the years from Wat That Luang to Wat Taohai and now Ban Naxang. He seems to move […]

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Culture, Travel

Life in Ban Paksanam

26 Nov , 2020  

This past weekend I was invited to help a remote village about 3 hours out of Luang Prabang with a new roof for the school, clothes and blanket (it’s almost cold season). About an hour south of Luang Prabang we stopped at Xiang Ngeun at the top of the hill. Lovely views (including the new […]

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Culture, Education, Travel

Anouluck Xang – Protect our Elephants

24 Oct , 2020  

Laos has been known as Lan Xang, the Land of a Million Elephants, since it was a remote, reclusive, ancient kingdom. Elephants are part of Lao peoples’ blood, bones and essential beings – as important as roots are to trees. It is with the understanding and respect for this connection that we share with you […]

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Culture, Travel

Magic Laos

2 Oct , 2020  

‘The Vietnamese plant the rice, the Cambodians tend the rice and the Lao listen to it grow’ – said the French colonialists. Needless to say, they didn’t mean it as a compliment. And maybe they should have. Hundred years later, looking at Laos we might find out that there is much to learn from its […]

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Culture, Travel

From Cambodia to Laos: A Journey of Inspiration and Purpose

22 Sep , 2020   Gallery

Over a decade ago, a transformative trip to Cambodia ignited a flame within me, setting me on an unexpected path of discovery. It was a journey that forever altered my perspective and led me to the enchanting country of Laos. here I reflect on the profound impact of my travels, the loss of a dear […]

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Food, Travel

Helping victims of bomb accidents

5 Jun , 2019  

Up to a third of the bombs dropped did not explode. In 2008, 300 people a year were injured or killed and today that figure is closer to 50. Uncleared land still poses a threat to farmers and villages and sadly people still suffer injuries today, often lost limbs or eyesight.

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Travel

Vientiane Opthamology Centre

31 Mar , 2019  

It’s almost been 12 month since I rushed down to Vientiane to the Opthamology centre after losing sight on one of my eyes. Looking back, I was surprisingly calm throughout the whole ordeal which took about 4 months with professionals to try and get to the bottom of the situation. At the time I thought […]

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Culture, Travel

Getting around Luang Prabang

12 Mar , 2019  

I was back at the motorbike shop this week. I’ve had a good run lately. I was going to the shop every few months since I got my fake Honda motorbike in 2016. I’ve changed shops during the last few years, from one Vietnamese shop to another. I decided bypassing the fuse to fit the […]

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Food, Travel

Secret train streets in Hanoi?

23 Feb , 2019  

Visit Dec 2018 Hanoi, a city of many past names, was originally known as Long Biên ( “dragon edge”) during the CHinese ccupation. Long Biên Bridge, built during French colonial time just happened to be the highlight of my recent revisit to Hanoi. I’ve long had a love affair with Vietnam. It is the incredible […]

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Travel

Luang Prabang Bamboo Bridge

2 Feb , 2019  

Each year at the end of the rainy season the local village builds a Bamboo Bridge across the Nam Khan river. It is narrow and very sturdy. It washes away when the high waters come again in rainy season. For 5,000 kip you can cross from the peninsula side to Ban Phuang Luang (or vice […]

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Travel

Laos – Thailand: Free ticket

26 Jan , 2019  

You don’tget much for free these days, especially as a foreigner in Laos. Recently when I crossed the Lao-Thai border across the Friendship bridge by bus, from Vientiane to Nong Khai I was surprised. It’s a simple crossing but I imagine it’s confusing for “1st time crossers” as there is little signage to what to […]

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Culture, Travel

Wat Wisunarat (Wat Visoun) has a new watermelon

18 Jan , 2019  

Wat Wisunarat is Luang Prabang’s oldest temple and was once home to the Prabang Buddhas. It also contains what is known as the “Watermelon stupa”, build in 1530, it’s shaped like a watermelon. It is one of my first memories when I arrived in 2011. It took me a few years to remember this temple […]

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Food, Travel

Sunday morning roadworks

13 Jan , 2019   Video

One of my favourite sights in Luang Prabang … roadworks!!! It is not a sight seen often but a very welcome one. It seems the roads, including main roads and main tourist streets, were only repaired 6 months ago and already large potholes had reappeared causing traffic to grind to a halt. So imagine my […]

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Travel

Road collapses in Luang Prabang

2 Nov , 2018   Gallery

The road on the peninsula in UNESCO Heritage Zone 1 has collapsed further from the rain this past season. The road runs along the Nam Khan (the river that joins the Mekong River). It is a very beautiful part of Luang Prabang and teenagers love to ride their motorbikes round and round at night (much […]

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Travel

Fishing on the border

8 Oct , 2018   Gallery

Bokèo is a northern province of Laos. It is the smallest and least populous province in Laos. For most people they enter Bokeo when crossing via land from Thailand. I love going from Luang prabang up the Mekong River to Huay Xai, in Bokeo Province and into Thailand, it is a magic few days. I […]

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Travel

Stunning Laos – Together we thrive

31 Jul , 2018   Video

A beautiful video of Laos showing the stunning scenery and people that fill this magic country. Video by: Cedric Jean-Baptiste They say travelling is one of the best ways to grow and whilst true this only occurs if you reflect on the experience and learn from it. After going through hours of footage, this is what […]

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Travel

Beautiful Laos – Paradise seen from Heaven

5 Jul , 2018   Video

Filmed by: Christoph von Toggenburg Laos is covered in wild jungles, mirroring lakes, colourful rice paddies, beautiful temples, ancient ruins, amazing waterfalls and slow rivers. This short film takes you on a journey across Laos, captured from the air, showing this unique country from an entirely unseen perspective. Celebrating our engagement, my finacée Valentine and […]

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Culture, Travel

Phousi Mountain – Luangs Prabangs sunset vantage point

7 Apr , 2018  

Phousi Mountain or Mount Phousi as some say is a hill located in the centre of town in the heritage area, located on the peninsula between the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. The “sacred hill” is about 100 meters high. Many tourists climb the hill about 5.30pm to view the sunset so it gets rather […]

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Travel

Finding magic on Luang Prabang’s doorstep.

1 Apr , 2018  

I have always enjoyed crossing the Mekong on the car ferry or boat to the ‘other side’. I often go for a walk over here in Chomphet District in the Village of Xiengmene. Chomphet district is a poor area and many projects are needed in this area. See recent posts for recent projects in this […]

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Education, Travel

See what happens to this little girl

18 Oct , 2017   Video

I love this three-minute video that reminds us of the pleasures in life. It always brings a wee tear as I see the impact this mans simple generosity has had on people’s lives – especially the little girl who was finally able to go to school. Too many people live in these harsh situations and […]

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Travel

Wat Pa Houak, Phousi Mountain, Luang Prabang

2 Oct , 2017   Gallery

I have often seen this little temple at the base of the hill to the famous Phousi mountain. Phousi mountain is right in the middle of town and a popular place for tourists. There is a 150m walk to the top, a favourite spot for watching the sunset over a beautiful Luang Prabang. From the […]

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Photo by chuttersnap on Unsplash

Travel

Bus connects Nan and Luang Prabang from Oct 2017

27 Sep , 2017  

Luang Prabang in Laos will be connected with Nan by a bus service from Oct 1. (Post Today photo) State-owned Transport Co will introduce a minibus service between Nan and Luang Prabang next month. General manager Jeerasak Yaowatsakul said the new minibus service starting on Oct 1 would take about eight hours on a 373-kilometre […]

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Travel

Trip to Tad Sae waterfall

22 Jul , 2017   Gallery

I got an unexpected invite to join friends and their neighbours for a trip to Tad Sae waterfall this Sunday. I had heard these waterfalls, one of two in Luang Prabang, had been dry but now as it’s the beginning of rainy season I thought there may be some water on this hot day. Unlike […]

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Travel

Kayaking the Ou and Mekong river to Luang Prabang

4 Jul , 2017   Gallery

I decided this week to take a day off and go kayaking down the Mekong River from just north of Pak Ou caves. I’ve visited the caves a few times before but never via the Mekong or kayaking. So I joined a tour and set out by tuk-tuk about an hour north of Luang Prabang. […]

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Travel

Getaway to Northern Laos – Muang Ngoi

16 May , 2017  

This lovely photo was taken on the Mekong River in Luang Prabang before I was fortunate to be able to get away for 2 days to Nong Khiaw about 3 hours North Fron Luang Prabang. Nong Khiaw is a very small town divided by a bridge. It is very beautiful and most people take a […]

Travel

Beware the voluntourists intent on doing good

3 Mar , 2017   Video

The term voluntourism refers to the growing phenomenon of individuals travelling to developing countries to carry out volunteer work.  They go for a week or two for a “project” — a temporary medical clinic, an orphanage visit or a school construction. Many go to teach English during high school, college vacations or during an OE/gap year. […]

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Travel

Laos town known for drunkenness and tourist deaths cleans up its act

12 May , 2016  

This great article by Claire Boobbyer gives a great overview of the town and beauty of Vang Vieng. “I want us to preserve the mountains of Vang Vieng, the river and the culture for the future,” Thanongsi Solangkoun told me as I sipped mulberry wine at his organic restaurant on the Nam Song river in Laos. […]

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Travel

Unlocking Laos for the traveller

11 Apr , 2016  

This article recently published By Harry Bedford shows what a wonderful place Laos is for tourists. It is the only country in South East Asia with no beaches but they make up for it with beautiful people, mountains and waterfalls. Did I mention the food? This short articles will give you a good taste of […]

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Travel

Archaeologists just found human remains in the mysterious ‘jar plains’ of Laos

6 Apr , 2016  

JOSH HRALA – 5 APR 2016 At first glance, the Plain of Jars in Laos looks like something out of an Indiana Jones film. The landscape is covered in clusters of stone jars, ranging in size from 1 to 3 metres tall, with some weighing in at over 10 tonnes. But what was their original purpose? […]

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Culture, Travel

Magical Laotian Town Preserved by UNESCO Loses Its Soul

30 Jan , 2016  

This article by DENIS D. GRAY: AP has been posted on so many sites including NZ news media. There is a lot of truth to this. it is sad that locals are gone and their places taken by outsiders and foreigners. I feel that foreigners living in Luang Prabang seem to respect the local customs and […]

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Culture, Travel

Luang Prabang temples

2 Nov , 2015   Video

Luang Prabang has 33 Buddhist temples. This short video is of some smaller less glamorous temples than Vat Xieng Thong for example. Sit back, relax and take in the peacefulness of Luang Prabang, Laos.  

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Travel

Trip to Pak Ou cave

28 Sep , 2015   Video

Teachers and volunteers from school went to Pak Ou by tuk tuk for lunch together. After lunch we crossed the river to the cave full of Buddhas. Neither the number of Buddhas or steps were counted. This is out day trip where you can see more of the beauty that is Luang Prabang.  

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Culture, Travel

Delivering aid to three villages decimated by flash flooding

22 Sep , 2015   Video

On Saturday, teachers and volunteers from school in Luang Prabang joined friends from a Laos organisation Education and Sharing to deliver aid to three villages decimated by flash flooding at the end of the monsoon season. The villagers had no warning of the impending disaster as it had not rained for many days. Four people […]

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Education, Travel

Videos: Interviews | Awards Day | River Crossing – Luang Prabang

15 Sep , 2015  

Last week I was busy interviewing with 4 other teams. Over 350 people applied for the 200 places available. Mornings were very busy with many interviews and during the afternoon I took this footage showing some of the school and people who work and volunteer here. Awards day  

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Education, Travel

Free English Resource Centres in Luang Prabang

15 Sep , 2015  

MyLibrary and Big Brother Mouse are two projects in Luang Prabang where students can go for free to learn and practice English. Big Brother Mouse has many foreigners who drop in and speak with the students. MyLibrary runs other training such as photography and has computers and books available to students. Unfortunately so many people […]

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Culture, Food, Travel

September in Luang Prabang

13 Sep , 2015   Video

I have been busy everyday helping at school, setting up computers for the new computer teaching programme and other IT administration tasks. Laos is deeply rooted in Buddhist traditions and it does feel like time has stopped here especially in the centre where there is still a very strong colonial french feel. Last weekend I met […]

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Food, Travel

Arriving Lao PDR

29 Aug , 2015  

After much prep and planning the last month, I woke at 3.40am in Wellington, showered, dressed and walked my 30KG bag to the street to meet the taxi. It is a nice feeling not having to worry about too many things in the morning especially when it’s early. I had lived off lists this past […]

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Travel

Meeting the Laotians Clearing Their Country of America’s Unexploded Bombs

3 Jun , 2015  

I have posted similar information before, but people I speak with are often very surprised about this unknown history and current situation in Laos (perhaps a somewhat unknown and mysterious country) in relation to unexploded bombs (UXO). This article below is a great overview of both and every little share helps raise awareness of this tragic history […]

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Education, Travel

Laos regulates Social Media

27 May , 2015  

The Lao communist government regulate social media and check on people posting incorrect or inappropriate information. The move came last year following growing circulation of incorrect and misleading information on social media among the country’s increasing online community, notably on the Facebook website in the wake of Lao Airlines plane crash. The number of Facebook users in Laos has […]

Travel

People dying in Laos from US bombs

13 Mar , 2015  

Unexploded ordnance (UXO) are explosive weapons (bombs, grenades and land mines) that did not explode when they were dropped and still pose a risk of detonation, decades later. About one third of Laos remains contaminated with UXO left behind from the Vietnam War – the most heavily bombed country in the world. Cluster munitions are the […]

Travel

About Lao PDR

13 Mar , 2015  

Thailand promotes itself as amazing, Vietnam can well be described as bustling, Cambodia’s Khmer temples are awe-inspiring… but the adjective that was most often applied to Laos is forgotten. Visitors who are drawn by the laid-back lifestyle and the opportunity to watch the sunsets on the Mekong will simply explain the attraction by revealing that the […]

Travel

Vang Vieng and Herbal Saunas

25 Jan , 2015  

You usually end up in Vientiane when arriving Laos, So to get to Luang Prabang I decided to go by bus and stop over in Vang Vieng. Vang Vieng was known as the party capital of SE Asia – ironic that it is in in the middle of a [quiet] landlocked country. It was a back-packer […]