destionation of Laos
History & Culture
As much as the country walks in peace nowadays, Laos' memories and marks of wars and strugglings still attract many Indochina tours fans. Once your Laos tours start, you'll be soaked in the massiness of Laos' history and culture.
History
The first Lao kingdom, Lane Xang was founded in the 14th century by King Fa Ngum after the conquered and unified the lands north of and including Luang Prabang, Xieng Khouang and the Korat Plateau, stretching into what is today Thailand. Luang Prabang remained the capital of Lane Xang until King Sethathirat moved the Kingdom’s administrative seat to Vientiane in the mid-16th century. Even after the capital moved to Vientiane, Luang Prabang remained the country’s spiritual and religious center. First contact with western emissaries occurred in the mid 17th century during the reign of King Surigna Vongsa. After his death in 1694, Lane Xang broke up into three separated Kingdoms—Vientiane, Champasak and Luang Prabang.
Laos together with Vietnam and Cambodia formed French Indochina during the 19th – early 20th century colonial period. Gaining independence from France in 1953, the Pathet Lao socialist revolutionary movement went on to found the Lao People’s Democratic Republic in 1975.
During your Laos tours, you can see, the ruins from wars and history stay where they are, but people are always forgiving yet never forgetting. The outlook for Laos as it moved into the 21st century was relatively positive. Tourism and light industry become the new engineering powers for the country’s promising future. Laos now attracts over a million tourists a year(well over half of them Thai), and the figure is likely to rise. It’s now the very high time to start your Laos tours before it gets too crowded.
Culture
The national motto Baw pen nyang (No problem) sometimes is quiet confusing to people from outside. The Laotian character is defined by Buddhism, especially Theravada Buddhism, so is its culture. Indeed, nearly all of the lowland Lao people – about 60% of the population – practice Theravada Buddhism while, higher in the mountains, the ethnic minorities tend to be animists whose lives are governed by the presence of phi or spirits. Such mixture can be seen through out the country in the many ceremonies and rituals that characterize Lao culture and in the small spirit houses seen in people’s homes, restaurants, wats and rice fields which are used to make offerings to the elemental spirits. Most Laotians believe that they are being protected by Khwan – the 32 spirits of the body.
Prior to the establishment of secular schools, village boys received basic education from monks at the wat and traditionally were expected to spend a period as a monk or novice prior to marriage or in old age. No doubt when in Laos tours you will see the memorable sight of orange robed monks lining up to receive alms in a village or town during their early morning rounds. As monks are trying to detach themselves from the earthly world they are not permitted possessions and so rely on the generosity of the people for food and clothing. Importantly these gifts provide an opportunity for the giver to earn merit for a “better” next life. Attending prayers at the wat on the quarter, full and new moon of each lunar cycle is an important way in which Lao Buddhists earn merit.
Laos tours are all about its history and culture. To visit and understand this top-notch destination in SE Asia, you might need a good insight for its dense history and colorful culture.
Not sure where to go or What to experience in Laos?
Fill out the form below to tell us your interests, your schedule and people in your group to Laos and/or countries around. Your private travel consultant in Indochina Odyssey Tours will contact you within 0.5 - 23.5 hours to give you a proposal including a tentative itinerary tailor-made for you and the most competitive price IOT can offer. Not all information is necessary in this form, but the more you tell us, the better we can serve you.
