Luang Namtha Bloom

With its proximity to the Nam Ha National Protected Area, and abundant activities for trekking, kayaking, cycling and rafting, Luang Namtha is a prime ecotourism destination in northern Laos.  Laos still doesn’t receive nearly as many tourists as neighboring Thailand. This, combined with an extremely laid-back culture, makes a visit seem very peaceful. Everything moves more slowly here. That being said, don’t imagine for a moment that peaceful means boring! Nam Ha NPA is home to many endangered and non-endangered species: clouded leopard, tigers, elephants, gaur, monkeys.  Luang Namtha is also a popular spot on the way to or from the border crossing into China, while Myanmar’s border is quite close as well.

The Luang Namtha Provincial Tourism Office has good advice on treks, and can organize one with the required local guide through the Nam Ha Eco-Guide service. Guides are trained and certified through the program.  They also offer guidelines for low-impact tourism, with input and feedback from villagers and residents of the province. Treks are varied, but most pass through forest, observe local flora and fauna, pass upland rice fields and spend some time visiting villages.

The Lao National Tourism Authority and others post “local etiquette” reminders around town, explaining some local customs to visitors. These are found throughout Laos.

Though the treks sounded great, the weather wasn’t so cooperative, and we decided to get scooters and stay a little closer.  After a heavy downpour, the clouds parted, and we (joined by our friend Fred and another guy, Kadir, who is cycling his way around Asia) set off for our adventure.  Nam Dee waterfall was the first stop. The ride up was extremely muddy, and we had some “fun” skidding out, pushing the bike through puddles and proving a ton of entertainment for locals, especially fellow scooter-riders much more adept than us at navigating through the mud.  It’s not such an impressive waterfall, but a pleasant picnic site at the entrance to a Lanten village. Villagers collect and benefit from the entrance fee.

Throughout the day, we passed a number of villages.  They are made up of clusters of houses on stilts, and are usually of one ethnic group: Akha (with gates at the fromt and back marking the boundary between the human world and the outside, natural world), Tai, Lisu, Khmu, Hmong (usually with villages high in the hills, experts at preparing herbal medicines, raising animals and forestr knowledge) and other groups. Some specialize in a particular craft or product (paper making, weaving silk or cotton, rattan products, etc.)

Luang Namtha Kids

After a tasty local lunch at Boat Landing (some recipes here), by the river in the old part of town, we visited several temples. That (temple) Poum Pouk is said to have been built originally in competition with another kingdom to prove which had the most merit. The original stupa was bombed twice, in 1964 and 1966. The second time brought it to the ground, but people keep what remains cleared out, and a special Buddhist ceremony is held there each year.  The new section of the temple was built in 2003.  Though Laos was officially a neutral nation, the country suffered intense bombing during the  “Vietnam War” in the late 60s and early 70s (the equivalent of one planeload every 8 minutes, 24 hours a day, for 9 years).   In fact, it’s said to be the most heavily bombed nation (per capita) in history.  Still today there are many deaths each year from the vast quantities of unexploded ordnance (UXO) uncleared throughout the country.  For more info, legaciesofwar.org seems to be a good source.   As for Luang Namtha itself, the old city was entirely destroyed by bombs during this time. The “new” town is a few miles north.

Luang Namtha Hill Top Temple

Our visit to Luang Namtha Stupa was enhanced by the lady who opened the door for us and led us to sit down inside. She took us one by one and chanted some sort of blessing or prayer, tying a braided orange string around our right wrist. It was a special, peaceful end to our day. We just made it back to town before the rain started again.

For more photos, click HERE.