Today I took the Lao-China train and arrived in Luang Prabang around 1:00. I wandered around today and just took in the town. It turns out that Luang Prabang is a small town and it’s more homey than Vientiane.

Preparing for the End of Buddhist Lent

Buddhist Lent usually lasts 3 months (August, September, and October) during the rainy season. During Buddhist Lent, monks and novices stay in their monasteries, meditating and fortifying their Buddhist studies. Tomorrow is the end of Buddhist Lent, a celebration called Awk Pansaa that falls on the full moon of the eleventh lunar month. There is a big festival in Luang Prabang on Monday called Lai Heua Fai that falls on the day after Buddhist Lent. On this day, people in Luang Prabang and Vientiane have boat races, release banana leaf boats on the river, and enjoy the lanterns around the city.

I was talking to a monk while waiting for the bus this past Friday, and I asked him what monks do for fun. He said that the monks have been making paper lanterns recently. (An English Language Fellow of China told me that this was a better answer than he received! A monk told him that he sweeps the temple for fun.)

Courtesy of Guerra, C. (2023)

Monks making small paper lanterns that will sit on the ground around the wat

All the city is very excited for the holiday. There are many monks preparing for the holiday by hanging large lanterns and creating small ones with tissue paper, wire, and glue. On Sunday night, the monks will light all the lanterns in their wats since it will be the last day of Buddhist Lent.

Courtesy of Guerra, C. (2023)

Monks hanging tissue paper lanterns that they made!

Courtesy of Guerra, C. (2023)

Lanterns hanging above the entrance to a wat

Courtesy of Guerra, C. (2023)

Lanterns hanging on a wat

There are more foreigners in Luang Prabang than usual with the upcoming holiday. The city is more crowded than usual.

Wandering Around

Unlike Vientiane, Luang Prabang is small and touristy town. There is much less traffic, and the city center is much less spread out. There are many wats (temples) here, just like Vientiane. However, the wats in Luang Prabang are more tucked away. The wats in Vientiane have large gateways and are much more visible.

In general, Luang Prabang is more expensive than Vientiane because it is more touristy. They have many more handicrafts here and traditional arts made by ethnic groups of Laos (e.g., Hmong, Kmhmu, Akha, etc.).

Courtesy of Guerra, C. (2023)

Example of traditional Lao handicraft that I purchased (This embroidery is Hmong. You can tell by how the people are dressed.)

Tomorrow I will go exploring more and learn more about the city.