Strange things about temples
We had the opportunity to experience Laos in mid-October this year, with our first stop being the capital Vientiane, located in the northwest of Laos. There, we visited many famous spiritual sites in Laos, such as That Luang Pagoda (meaning "Great Pagoda" in Lao), the largest Buddhist temple in Laos. This pagoda has also become a symbol of Lao architecture and culture, its image featured on Lao banknotes and the national emblem.
That Luang Temple - a famous temple in the capital city of Vientiane.
Furthermore, Phra Keo Pagoda is a large museum, housing and protecting many valuable artifacts such as Khmer Buddha statues, a throne, objects made of silver, gold, jade, and some wooden sculptures... Sisaket Pagoda has the most statues in Laos, with nearly 7,000 rare Buddha statues of various sizes made from different materials such as bronze, wood, silver, or gold plating...
Besides their unique architecture, what was unusual about the Lao temples we visited was that most of the statues were exposed to the open air instead of being placed in secluded areas like in Vietnamese temples.
Sisaket Temple has the most statues in Laos, but it has no doors and a very low roof that you can touch.
In each temple, there is almost only one place for an incense burner and a donation box where visitors can offer prayers. The offerings sold at the temple only include flowers, incense, and candles; there are no elaborate offerings with many items commonly found in Vietnamese temples. Therefore, visitors come here primarily to admire the offerings rather than to make religious offerings.
Notably, Buddha statues are not only found in temples but also in parks, such as Xiang Khuan Buddha Park (also known as Xiang Khuan Buddha Sculpture Garden), famous for its unique Buddha statues and becoming a spiritual tourist destination in Laos. The Buddha statues, situated along the Mekong River under giant trees, give visitors a feeling of peace and tranquility upon entering.
The large, shady trees in Xiang Khuan Buddha Sculpture Garden create a very peaceful atmosphere for visitors.
One unique cultural aspect that tourists will find quite unusual is that every morning, around 6 a.m., upon stepping out onto the streets, they will witness monks going on their alms rounds. Local people participate in the ritual by waking up very early to prepare a portion of food to offer to the monks.
The offerings consisted of cooked food, usually sticky rice neatly arranged in bamboo or wicker baskets, along with cakes and candies. After receiving the offerings, the monks kept only enough for the day's meal, and the rest was given to the poor.
Go to Vang Vieng to see… bridge jumping.
When visiting Laos, many tourists also seek out Vang Vieng town (Vientiane province), located 150 km from the capital Vientiane. Vang Vieng is famous as a small and peaceful town with a fresh and cool climate, ideal for relaxing activities. Here, you can find many exciting sports activities such as kayaking, zip-lining, hot air ballooning, and paragliding.
Tourists swim in the emerald-green stream at Tham Phu Kham.
Vang Vieng is also known as the land of a thousand caves, boasting dozens of impressive caves. The main attractions are the limestone mountains and caves, the most interesting of which is Tham Phu Kham cave.
Here, there's a stream with crystal-clear, emerald-green water teeming with fish. The fish are as plentiful as in the "sacred fish stream" in Cam Luong commune (Cam Thuy district, Thanh Hoa province ). What's unique is that visitors can jump into the stream and swim alongside the fish. Most visitors come here to swim, not to admire the scenery like at other famous streams in Vietnam.
A woman is jumping off a bridge over a stream in Tham Phu Kham.
Interestingly, a platform has been designed on a tree trunk extending over the stream, about 3 meters above the water's surface, allowing visitors to climb up (using a ladder) and jump into the stream from there.
This bridge-jumping activity has attracted many tourists, both men and women, and children. Perhaps this is something never before seen on any other streams in our country.
The tourists who participated in the diving event included children.
No iced tea on the sidewalk.
If you're a shopaholic visiting Laos, you'll be disappointed because there are few local products available (except for two famous items: dried beef and sausages). Most consumer goods are imported from Thailand and Vietnam. However, buying goods here isn't easy either, as shops and markets are only open from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM at the latest and are closed on weekends.
Streets in the capital city of Vientiane at just after 9 PM.
A Vietnamese person who has lived in Laos for 20 years said that if they want to buy a product, they have to buy it before 4 PM on Friday, because the shops are closed on weekends.
Surprisingly, entertainment and recreational activities in the capital Vientiane are also very limited. Restaurants all close before 10 PM. Even the rare night market in Vientiane, located next to the Mekong River, offers very few services. There are a few vendors selling fresh produce, some clothing and shoe stalls, and mostly late-night eateries serving grilled food, similar to those found on some small streets in Hanoi at night.
The night market in Vientiane is deserted.
Next to this night market is a fairly large park, but it's almost deserted, not even for people exercising, a far cry from the familiar scenes in Vietnamese public spaces.
If you take a walk on the streets at night, after 9 PM, the streets are deserted and there are no sidewalk tea stalls or "lemon tea and chat" stalls like on the streets of Hanoi.
Along the pedestrian street, supposedly the busiest at night, the reporter encountered only one street vendor selling incense and flowers for tourists to offer as gifts at the foot of the monument near the night market…
A woman sells religious items on the pedestrian street in the night market.
Another strange thing is that while visiting some areas in the capital Vientiane and Vientiane province, we came across quite a few abandoned farmlands, overgrown with weeds…
Perhaps those who are energetic and enjoy a lively atmosphere might find Laos quite boring, even frustrating, because they can't make the most of their time for work. But those who live a peaceful and contented life might find peace and happiness there.
Laos has historical origins in the Kingdom of Lan Xang, founded in 1354. Lan Xang means "Land of a Million Elephants." Therefore, Laos is known as the Land of a Million Elephants.
Laos covers an area of 236,800 km² ; located in the heart of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), in Southeast Asia, it shares borders with five countries: China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Myanmar. From north to south, 10 provinces of Laos share a border with 10 provinces of Vietnam.
Laos has a political system similar to Vietnam's. The current population of Laos is over 7.2 million, with an average density of approximately 25 people/ km² , an average population growth rate of 2%, and an average life expectancy of 62 years. Currently, the per capita income in Laos is US$2,718.
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