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Oudomxay province has announced the opening of Chom-aung cave as its newest tourist attraction.

The cave is part of the province's new long-term strategy to integrate its tourism industry with that of Luang Prabang province, to encourage visitors to the world heritage site to continue on to Oudomxay.

Officials said Chom-aung is one of the longest caves in northern Laos , and is located 40km from Xay, the largest town in the province, and is accessed by a gravel road.

The Head of the Oudomxay tourism office, Mr Sivan Bounsavath, said yesterday that only some parts of the cave were open to tourists. “The cave is very long, spread along a mountain range, and we are yet to find its limits,” he said.

He added that the cave, which officials had begun surveying in 2003-2004, is between 30 to 40 metres wide and has a permanent flow of water through it. Fish swim in the underground river.

Home stays are now available at Chom-aung Tai and Chom-aung Neua villages where tourists can take a two or three day trek.

A trip to the cave is part of the trekking programme to explore natural forests, waterfalls and farmlands and to see how local people make a living.

Officials said several caves are waiting to be developed for visitors, but the province has limited funding.

Xay, the provincial town of Oudomxay , is being developed with new buildings and roads and is rapidly becoming a gateway to the northern provinces .

Last year, tourist arrivals reached almost 70,000 people, an eight percent increase over the year before. Tourists enter the province from Bokeo or Luang Prabang province.

Mr Sivan said more than 100 tourists visit Pakbeng district on the Mekong River every day and some of them continue onto Xay.

O ne third of the tourists come from Western countries and the rest are from China and Thailand , he said.

Programme tours mostly feature trekking to observe the lifestyles of the 14 local ethnic groups and experience the natural environment.

According to the tourism office, Oudomxay province has eight hotels, 50 guesthouses, four resorts and 92 restaurants.

The main challenge is the undeveloped roads leading to the best tourism sites. In the rainy season, some sites are completely inaccessible, but the provincial authorities will be tackling this issue soon.

“We have seen the potential for growth in our tourism industry, but we also face a challenge to develop enough facilities and maintain the roads,” Mr Sivan said.

“Our strategy stipulates tourism development to generate income for local villagers as part of our poverty reduction plan,” he added.

By Somsack Pongkhao
Content: Vientianetimes
Photo: Ecotourismlao

Photo: A sticky rice field on top of the Pha Pon Golden Mountain near Luang Prabang, Laos. A Hmong villager stands admiring the sea of clouds below. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/hleung/2071568156/in/photostream/)

Perhaps the world's most famous newspaper, the New York Times, recently named Laos as number one of the world's top 53 tourist destinations to visit in 2008.

Author of the Travel Section of the newspaper, Mr Denny Lee, collected information on the most attractive destinations in the world, and named Laos as the number one place to visit this year.

In his report, Mr Lee states that “Vietnam and Cambodia are so 2007. Now, Laos is shaping up to be Indochina's next hot spot. Ancient sites like the Vat Phou temple complex and Vientiane are drawing culture seekers”.

“F oreigners have praised us because our Party has a clear policy on tourism development that conforms with the latest in world's trends,” the Director of the Lao National Tourism Administration's Marketing Promotion Department, Mr S aly Phimphinith, said on Monday.

Mr Lee mentions the unique delight of a luxury teak houseboat cruising down the Mekong.

“Global nomads are heading to Luang Prabang to sample the Lao tasting menu at 3 Naga, or hang out by the infinity pool at the seriously upscale Résidence Phou Vao.”

Tourist destinations continue to be improved, and the tourist sector has increased its efforts to promote tourism. The government has successfully developed the tourism infrastructure as well as improved all facilities for tourists in the country, Mr Saly said.

The administration has also extended cooperation with neighbouring countries and international organisations to attract more foreign tourists to Laos, he said.

“The country offers stability and safety, while at the same time preserving its many national heritage sites as tourist attractions, and this part of the world has therefore become an attractive destination in which to relax,” Mr Saly said.

Due to the beautiful scenery and views, those tourists interested in nature, as well as fine culture, historical sites and the lifestyle of Lao ethnic groups and Lao people are drawn to the region.

The tourism industry plays a very important role in Lao's economy. It generates sustainable incomes for all Lao people and helps to remove people from the despair of poverty, Mr Saly said.

Since the country first began a specific tourism campaign in 1990-2000, the number of visitors to Laos has rapidly increased.

Foreign visitors to Laos topped 737,208 in 2002, and tourism became one of the nation's leading income earners.

The Lao National Tourism Administration is expecting more than a million visitors to Laos this coming year, generating around US$195 million for the tourism sector.

By vientiane times