Experience the Lao New Year in Luang Prabang I arrived in Laos about a week ago to find the country buzzing with excitement for the upcoming Laos New Year – called Pi Mai Lao, Boun Pi Mai, the Water Festival, or Songkran, as it is known as in Thailand. Knowing very little about the
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The Lao Hmong New Year in Luang Prabang “Easy. Just follow the crowds in traditional dress,” instructs Jua, one of my Hmong friends, when I ask how to find the Hmong New Year celebrations in Luang Prabang, Laos. Turns out it really is that simple. One crisp Saturday morning in early December I crest
Tiger Trail, Fair Trek, and Partner Kickoff Grand Opening of the Eco Bungalow in Long Lao Mai Well, we did it! The Eco Bungalow in Long Lao Mai is officially open for business. On Friday, 31 January 2014, we celebrated the official opening of the Fair Trek Eco Bungalow community-based tourism project. We joined together
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4th Annual Luang Prabang Film Festival Celebrates Southeast Asian Cinema For five days the annual Luang Prabang Film Festival (LPFF) transformed The Handicraft Market of Luang Prabang into a bustling open-air theatre. The screening space at the main intersection of this World Heritage town, with its ability to hold over 1500 people, was
Fair Trek ECO Bungalow Project Luang Prabang, Second Village Construction. Community tourism project under way in Luang Prabang Province. Building with Clay/Earth and with the help of Volunteers. This initiative for sustainable tourism is unique. Our mission, “tourism benefiting communities” is carried out… After the successful construction of a beautiful ECO-Bungalow
Julia M Brennan: Talk in Luang Prabang Highlights 25yrs of Textile Conservation The Traditional Arts and Ethnology Center (TAEC) in Luang Prabang recently hosted a talk by renowned textile conservator Julia M. Brennan, founder and owner of Caring for Textiles, based in Washington, DC. Ms. Brennan specializes in an exhaustive range of textile treatments,
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An evening on top of phousi Mountain in Luang Prabang “You’re going to sweat from places you never dreamt you’d sweat from” – That was what our friends, who’d already visited the temple on the Phousi mountains summit, told us about the “climb”. Therefore we prepared ourselves for a hard walk. With 6 litres
Luang Prabang Half Marathon: La Procession Belated high five and complimentary ice pack to all those hearty souls that participated in the inaugural Luang Prabang Half Marathon: La Procession on October 5. Even with a 6:30am start time, the heat and humidity can be quite a challenge, so we ll deserved congratulations to
Celebrate the end of Buddhist Lent! On the 20th of October there was Laos’ famous Festival of the Fire Boats or as they say in Lao Boun Lay Hua Fai. This festival marks the end of Buddhist Lent. For this festival, the villages around the area each make one large boat and decorate it with
An Intern’s Unforeseen Adventure in Laos…. It all started off as a typical day here in Laos, Luang Prabang…. A colleague, and me (a Tiger Trail intern) drove to Nongkhuay to deliver some clay bricks for our ECO Bungalow being built there. After picking up the bricks, we drove about 40 minutes away from Luang
The Living Land Farm a community Business in Luang Prabang An interview with the project and business founder, Mr. Mark Schnebli The Living Land Farm was created some 7 years ago by combining the rice fields of 9 farmers into a community project. Some of the owners were elderly and found it difficult to
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Bamboo Playground for Ban Noonsavath Primary School! A community project in Luang Prabang with Tiger Trail / Fair Trek / Reach Out Volunteers Some of the fondest memories I have of elementary school were not inside the classroom, but outside, on the playground! I loved jumping on the swing and kicking my legs to get
Akha Culture Experience Tour in North Laos Laos Travel tip on cultural home stay adventure with an Akha community in remote northern Laos, a 4-7 day cultural interaction program. The question has to be asked: Is the drive and all the ‘roughing it’ worth it? I’d have to answer an emphatic YES! The
Community Based Tourism in ASEAN Countries As part of their commitment to social responsibility, Tiger Trail sent me as a Fair Trek representative (as well as a representative from Laos) to join a two day conference in Bangkok organized by the Thailand Community Based Tourism Institute. The conference included researchers, community representatives, government,
A wedding in Laos Cotton yarn and red rose Legend says that there is a heavenly garden where each individual has a tree whose branches kiss those of their soul mate. The lovers are predestined by Nene (karma of love) and when the time came the couple is sent to earth, their wrists bound with a
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Workshops at TAEC, Traditional Arts Ethnology Center, Luang Prabang. Have you ever wanted to learn how to embroider like a Hmong woman, or try your hand at Khmu bamboo weaving? TAEC is now offering half-day workshops for you! These fun activities are taught by Hmong and Kmhmu artisans, and include a tour of the
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Volunteering and teaching in Laos & Luang Prabang There are a number of organisations bringing English to the residents and novices of Luang Prabang. Ranging from highly organised ‘voluntourism’ with all the bells and whistles, through to more low-key set ups, and a drop-in center for students, local Lao wishing to learn English have
Come see the Ethnik – Fashion Show at Hive Bar and Smokehouse in Luang Prabang! The textiles from Laos are some of the most beautiful in Southeast Asia. Today, the traditional clothing of ethnic groups are threatened by globalization. In a move to help combat the influx of inexpensive jeans and t-shirts, branches of the government and volunteer
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Luang Prabang Secrets Vol. 1, Alms Giving When you live and work in a place abroad, like Luang Prabang, you look at your new home with different eyes. You will easily find a different view on daily life and will fell different about what you like and dislike. Living abroad, especially in a place like
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In many ways, Laos is one of the most diverse countries in the world. There are three major ethnic minority groups in Laos: The Lao Lum, The Khmu and the Hmong. The history of the Hmong people is hardly researched. Most scientists believe the Hmong people used to migrate from the steppes of Mongolia across