Phim Hay 360s

Closer links urged to foster tourism


Photo: Temple in Savannakhet province, Laos

The Lao National Tourism Administration (LNTA) has urged tourist offices around the country to work together to promote popular tourist attractions.

“If all offices cooperate we hope to persuade tourists to stay longer in Laos ,” LNTA President Somphong Mongkhonvilay said on Tuesday in Vientiane province.

He said the administration planned to set up regions, each consisting of four or five provinces, and tourist operators in those regions would be asked to cooperate in promoting the various attractions in the area.



Recently, tourism offices from the five central provinces held a festival in Savannakhet province to promote tourist sites, local culture and handmade products, attracting thousands of visitors.

“This was a great event and served to showcase tourist attractions in the area. Another successful event was the Elephant Festival held in Xayaboury province earlier this month, which drew interest from the local and foreign media and advertised our tourism potential to the world,” said Mr Somphong.

He added that tourism in Laos has been developing in the last few years because the government has made it easier for visitors to get visas, as well as increasing access to neighbouring countries.



The LNTA will organis e a festival in Vangvieng district, Vientiane province, at the end of this year to promote tourism links between five southern and four northern provinces , as well as parts of Vietnam and Thailand .

“The festival will be held in Vangvieng district because it is well known among tourists worldwide,” Mr Somphong said.

He advised that provincial tourism offices should select their best tourist attractions to promote at the festival.


By Souknilundon Southivongnorath

Luangnamtha is a northern province bordering on China and Myanmar and its selection is based upon a series of environment, social, cultural, historical and development factors which make the site an excellent location to evaluate the potential for sustainable cultural and ecotourism in an around a protected area. With a population of about 115,000, Luang Namtha is a home to at least forty different ethnic minority groups, including Hmong, Akha, Mien, Shan and Yunnanese. The forests are dense, and cover near 99% of the protected area. Wild cattle (gauar and banteng), Asian wild dogs, tigers, clouded leopard, bears and gibbons also having in the forests and there is still a large bird population. The province also consists of the lowland Lao, Tai Lue, Thai Neua and Thai Dam who live in village just outside the protected area and the historic town of Muang Sing.



Muang Sing originally formed part of group of principalities loosely linked under the leadership of political entity called the Sipsongpanna whose political seat centered in southern Yunnan province, China. Now, it’s become a most interested destination of tourists from around the world. Its full of guesthouses, resorts, restaurants served a standard service in low prices. Take pick up from Luang Nam Tha at 6:00 am to Meuang Sing at 8.30 am.


Photo: New stupa in Luang Namtha

This province has a picturesque beauty with mountains, and many old temples. Although they have been destroyed during the war, there still remains one major attraction and old temple noticeably different from other classical temples. Usually tour itinerary includes an outing to Boten, the Lao-Chinese border checkpoint. South West of Luang Namtha, the still pristine forests of Nam Ha protected area with varieties of wildlife and vegetation can be found.


Photo: Casino in Boten, Luang Namtha

Luang Namtha is also a gateway to neighboring China, and the city of Boten is now a legal border crossing for international tourists. Located near the Nam Tha River, the provincial capital city of Luang Namtha is a commercial center for trade between China, Thailand. Buy a locally produced textile or basket. Visit the town’s historical museum. Get up before sunrise to experience Muang Sing’s bustling morning market, where you will meet all sorts of people, including Thai Dam, Thai Neua, Hmong, Akha, and Yunnanese, buying and selling their produces.


Photo: Tribal museum in Luang namtha

One of the best times to visit Muang Sing is in late October or mid-November, when the local people celebrate the festival of That Muang Sing, a grand stupa located just south of the city. Devoted worshippers pay their respects to the stupa with magical offerings of candles, flowers and incense. However, I want to suggest you that during this month you must take jacket with you all the time.


Photo: Tree house and gibbon experience

Getting there and Away
By air
Lao Aviation provides regular service between Vientiane and city of Luangnamtha, a trip of about one hour and ten minutes.

By road
There is regular bus service between the city of Luang Nam Tha and the transportation hub of Oudomxay, a trip of about five hours. But there is not direct bus from Vientiane to Luang Namtha.

By river
There is regular boat service on the Mekong River between Xieng Kok in Luang Nam Tha province and Xuay Xai in Bokeo Province.

Source: kpl

The Science, Technology and Environment Office in Kaysone Phomvihane district, Savannakhet province, is planning to refurbish the Dinosaur Museum as a major tourist attraction next year and is seeking funding.

The Head of the office, Mr Sinouan Sihalath, told Vientiane Times yesterday that the major goal is to attract local and foreign visitors to view the area’s unique fossil history and the items that have been unearthed over the previous 70 years.

“We also hope to raise awareness among locals and visitors of the benefits and importance of museums,” he said



“By 2010, the number of tourists visiting the museum is expected to rise to 10,000 per year, up from 6,000 last year. The reason for this increase is the opening of the second Lao-Thai Mekong Friendship Bridge at the end of 2006, linking Savannakhet with Mukdahan province, Thailand,” he added.

Mr Sinouan said the museum had generated around 20 million kip in tourist revenue in the past year.

Fossilised bones have been discovered in many parts of the province and are on show at the museum, but there is much more waiting to be discovered, he said.

Dinosaurs vanished from the Earth more than 60 million years ago. In Laos, the first remains were discovered in Tangvay and Nasay villages of Xonbouly district in 1936 by French geologist Josue Heilmann Hoffet.

At that time, Mr Hoffet discovered many fossils in the area, including the remains of four-legged sauropods, two-legged theropods such as the iguanodon, and prehistoric crocodiles and tortoises.

Mr Sinouan explained that a Lao technical team from the Social Science Centre and the Natural Resource and Environment Institute had cooperated with a team of palaeontologists from the French National Museum of Natural History since 1990.

Work has continued at 16 sites in the province, with Lao and French specialists discovering fossils not only in Xonbouly, but also in Phalanxay, Atsaphone, Xayphouthong and Songkhone districts.

By PHAISYTHONG CHANDARA
Vientiantimes