Enter the mystical world of Wat Rong Suea Ten – The Blue Temple! Welcome to the impressive realm of Wat Rong Suea Ten, known as the Blue Temple in Chiang Rai, Thailand. This sacred shrine is more than just a structure: it is a harmonious blend of ancient Thai tradition and contemporary art, inviting you on a journey of spiritual and visual discovery. Get ready for an unforgettable odyssey where the divine meets the artistic in a hypnotic dance of color and culture!

As you approach, the striking blue exterior immediately catches your eye. The architectural fusion within the temple walls testifies to the seamless integration of historic Thai design and modern aesthetics. Inside, where every step reveals a canvas of vibrant murals and meticulously crafted sculptures. These artistic expressions tell stories of Buddhism, local folklore, and cultural heritage, creating an atmosphere that transcends the boundaries between the sacred and the aesthetic.

As you explore the spiritual and artistic richness of Wat Rong Suea Ten, remember to fully immerse yourself, letting the captivating beauty and cultural significance leave an indelible mark on your trip. Like, subscribe, and press the notification bell to stay in touch with us, and don’t miss our upcoming adventures around Asia.

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The White Temple in Chiang Rai is a stunning piece of architecture that has captivated travelers from around the world. This sacred place, also known as Wat Rong Khun, is a contemporary Buddhist temple designed by the renowned Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat. The temple’s striking all-white exterior, intricate carvings, and reflective glass embellishments make it a truly unique and awe-inspiring sight. 

CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK TO WATCH FANTASIA ASIA VIDEO:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Nc95PGMe6Q

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Wat Rong Khun main temple and the carps lake

You cannot say that you have seen Chiang Rai without having been to Wat Rong Khun. Commonly known as the White Temple, this is a Buddhist and Hindu temple with a huge structure designed by famed Thai painter and visual artist Chalermchai Kositpipat. Wat Rong Khun is today one of Chiang Rai’s biggest tourist draws, and I had a chance to visit it as part of a Chiang Rai bicycle tour (CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT THE TOUR). Every day, hundreds of visitors line up to see the main building of this religious complex built just 13 km south of the city center of Chiang Rai.

Chalermchai Kositpipat

Wat Rong Khun unconventional architectural work is inspired by the Expiatori Temple from the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain. The temple is currently under construction, and it can actually be considered a work-in-progress. Its construction began in 1997, and the completion is not expected to happen for another 50-60 years. The project is being funded by donations and by sales of Chalermchai Kositpipat’s gallery prints, as well as by the private funds of Kositpipat, who had a very poor upbringing in his home town of Chiang Rai, but who has now reached a certain level of wealth and has decided to give back to his community. He is rumoured to have already invested 40 millions thb (1 million Euros) of his own money into the project.

Wat Rong Khun main temple

Chalermchai Kositpipat is famous for Buddhist symbolism and for the traditional Hindu modern twist in his art; his works are also known outside of Thailand. Despite being one of the most famous contemporary Thai artists, Ajarn (a title reserved to professors and great masters) Chalermchai Kositpipat has long been criticised for his stylistic choices: the outdoor complex of the white temple is completely made up of white lime and millions of small mirrors embedded in the tiles that make a beautiful light effects. The choice of white, like many others, is dictated by the idea of communicating through important evocative symbols. Asked why he has chosen to make Wat Rong Khun white, Kositpipat replies that gold is “suitable to people who lust for evil deeds” so he wanted this one to be more pure, different from the traditional golden temples. However amazing the white effect is, and no matter how much sense his concept makes, Wat Rong Khun is not always well digested by the local population, accustomed to hundreds of years of bright colours.

sea of ghoulish white supplicant hands pointing upwards

Back to my visit, past a pond populated by white carps, I made it across a bridge that crosses a sea of ghoulish white supplicant hands pointing upwards and reaching from the pits of hell while sinking to the underworld; this bridge dictates the cycle of rebirth and separates a small semicircle that represents the world as we know it, and the temple. It symbolises the road to happiness above the temptation, greed and desire. Two huge white naga snakes accompany the faithful to the inside of the temple; disembodied heads dangle from trees. This symbolism seems to be warning us: leave your anger and greed at the entrance or you will end up in hell.

Chalermchai Kositpipat painting

Inside I was greeted by seraphic Buddha statues sitting in meditation on big lotus flowers, and I paid my respect to them before concentrating on the unusual iconography of the interior walls: not the usual story of the Buddha as depicted in most ordinary temples, but a series of frescos on shades of orange with characters that include Superman, Spiderman, Michael Jackson, an International Space Station, Batman, Angry Birds, Osama Bin Laden, George Bush and even Neo, the chosen one in the Matrix trilogy. These mixing of apocalyptic visions and science fiction is a choice that surely searches for a blend between the West and the East, the ancient and the modern. Unfortunately, photo taking is not permitted inside the the main building of the White Temple, so you have to take my word for it (or visit the temple yourself).

Good luck silver leaf

While I was very puzzled by the interior, where I spent longer time than I had planned, I was really amazed by the crisp white aesthetic of the exterior. Actually, the whole compound revealed endless surprises. The guide took me around each part of the grounds, explaining the symbolism of the artwork and of the sculptures. Around us were statues that seemed carved out of ice, with beautiful topless girls designed following the traditional Hindu canons, surrounded by pretty installations that are proudly displayed in the huge and very well-kept gardens. For a small donation, I wrote our names on a silver leaf and hanged it on the prayer trees present in the garden, joining the over 100,000 leaves already present.

workshop warehouse

The guide then took me to the massive workshop warehouse where I could witness work behind the scenes: sculptures, panels, mirrors being cut and glued to cement wings; several young artists take part of this amazing project, one that will take decades to properly complete. On the outside, a golden pagoda that looks like a temple in itself hosts the toilets.

temple in the making

Wat Rong Khun was badly damaged during the 2014 earthquake and it was closed for a short time until some experts verified the damage and reported that none of the complex structures suffered from extensive damage. At the Chalermchai Kositpipat gallery and shop, you have the chance to purchase one of the several prints or a book on the artist; in this way you will help financing works at this amazing structure that is Wat Rong Khun. Entrance to the White Temple is free, but I heard rumours that they are planning to charge a small fee very soon in order to collect funds for the construction.

Wat Rong Khun wiehing well

Chalermchai Kositpipat believes that this temple, his great tribute to Buddha, will give him immortality. Once, talking about Wat Rong Khun, he stated that “only death can stop my dream, but it will not stop my project!”

I have visited several temples around Asia, and I can easily attest that this is indeed a unique one. Visit it if you have the chance.

Asian Itinerary was kindly sponsored by Laluna Hotel and Resort, read our review on http://asianitinerary.com/laluna-hotel-and-resort/ or BOOK A ROOM BY CLICKING HERE !

CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK TO WATCH FANTASIA ASIA VIDEO O THE WHITE TEMPLE:

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Asian Itinerary photographer is about to ride!

What can I say, I love cycling! My plan for a bicycle trip in the Chiang Rai area had initially included taking my own bicycle there, finding a decent map and charging out along the way. Then I searched the internet for an independent tour company and I was more than surprised to find Chiang Rai Bicycle Tour, the only company offering pure cycling adventures in the area. I got in touch with them and picked a day for my tour.

When that day arrived, I woke early and had breakfast at my Chiang Rai hotel, then waited for owner Khun Bee at the reception. Phubordin Thitipongkul (AKA Bee) turned up in a pick up truck and he was already wearing his bike helmet, a good starting sign!

Chiang Rai Bicycle Tour bikes

The sonthaew (a pick-up truck set up to carry people) driven by Bee’s sister then drove towards the city outskirts where Chiang Rai Bicycle Tour have their headquarters: a simple family home in the countryside, with a patio so stuffed with bicycles there was no room for anything else. Bee owns 60 of them, all Trek brand, and the family maintains them and fixes them thanks to a mechanic station with of all the necessary tools. We were surprised to see some dated bikes in great order and well-tuned. Khun Bee then gave us a safety run-down, fitted us for bikes and fed us with notions on road customs in Thailand, hand signals and how to keep the ride safe. He stocked a set of tubes and a set of emergency tools in case of a breakdown in his rucksack, as well as a medical kit. These boys are so thorough, and you can tell their operations are so smooth thanks to the love they put in what they do. We were soon set to go.

Riding along dirt roads

We were now on the eastern edge of Chiang Rai cycling south along quiet lanes and footpaths toward the Lao River, a route well-studied and previously explored by Bee and his brothers. Lots of small tracks and back roads create wonderful trails that show bikers a side of the Chiang Rai countryside that most tourists will normally not see. We kept a comfortable pace and saw temples along the way, as well as rice paddies, rubber plantations, local markets, quiet neighbourhoods and farmers at work.

Countryside scenes

The physical activity combined with a weak yet warming sun – we were lucky as the day was not that hot – made me start sweating in no time. The rescue came soon after, when Bee’s sister Ying pick-up appeared parked on a village football ground. Bee’s sister Ying takes care of the food and refreshments along the way in a very clever way: she drives the pick-up through side roads and shortcuts and positions herself at break points, in order for us to have easy pit stops with coffee and local snacks without Bee having to carry them. She also functions as the support team should anything happen to a bike, or should anyone wish to cut the ride short. Temperatures can soar in these areas and it is not always easy to keep on cycling while your body sweats profusely.

Village feel

It was time to grab the bikes again, continuing our ride through dirt roads and easy single-track trails in direction southwest along the banks of the Lao River. Hardly any motorbike or car bothered us at all. Discovering Chiang Rai countryside through quiet back roads was indeed my target, one that I was accomplishing. The scenery was stunning, there were lots of water buffaloes grazing in the fields. Bee stooped to have a chat with a family or rubber tappers and we later enjoyed a few cultural sights including cocks training for a fight and charcoal making. The day was still reasonably hot and we cycled at slow pace along irrigation canals, where we had plenty of time to get to know more about our host.

Khun Bee hails from Tha Thon, north of Chiang Mai, in the northern Thai border with Myanmar. He was a rice farmer before moving to Chiang Mai where he was a monk for over 7 years and subsequently worked as a guide for a trek and cycle company. He then moved to Chiang Rai looking for opportunities, and once he realised there was no bicycle company in town, he started his company, which is still the first and only bike-only enterprise in Chiang Rai. Bee and his brothers have obtained a Tourist Authority of Thailand licence as guides and also have a company licence, insuring riders on tours. Thumbs up for the guys!

Wat Rong Khun

We had so far been on potholed roads, dirt paths, and slight inclines, and it was now time to turn onto a paved road for the  final stretch before Wat Rong Khun, better known as the White Temple and one of Chiang Rai’s biggest tourist draws thanks to its unconventional origins – an artist project planned to last 60 years – and contemporary style. We had a lunch of traditional khao soi curry at a local restaurant, after which Khun Bee gave us a good tour of the temple, taking us around each part of the grounds, telling us about the symbolism of the artwork and sculptures, and showing us around the workshop where apprentices create unusual mirrored decorations for the temple.

Coal making area

The second part of the ride, though hotter, was just as interesting. The first leg was along paved roads, but the traffic was really little and we felt extremely safe. Bee then turned to country roads where we saw black herons and white herons fly by our heads, rice paddies, farmers on tractors, dogs. The afternoon went by fast; I stopped lots of times for picture-shooting, and I appreciated Bee patience. After an uphill portion we reached the Singha Park, a lovely compound with a long bicycle lane crossing through it. There we cruised along hills cultivated in fruit orchards, tea and vegetable gardens, we passed a lake with swans and fields of flowers in bloom. It was a great way to end a comprehensive tour, and we took advantage to have some extra discussions with Bee about different cultures and ways of life, the nature and the environment, religion and customs. Bee was a font of information and never tired of answering our questions.

Singha Park

Back at the parking, Ying appeared with her pick-up truck, offering us some energetic coconut cookies and cold drinks. Khun Bee loaded the bicycles on the roof of the truck and we were soon on the way back to town.

I can’t recommend Bee any more highly! If you happen to be in the Chiang Rai area and look for a great way to see Thailand from a slightly different angle, do not hesitate and give Bee a call!

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This was one of the best and most authentic bicycle tours I have ever been on; it gives you the chance to see the countryside of Northern Thailand through different eyes.

Bee at Singha Park

Chiang Rai Bicycle Tour take out large groups and all ages, 8 to 80, all heights can cycle – he has extra large bikes to cater for extra tall men! They also have tandems and pull-on for kids.

Chiang Rai Bicycle Tour is a well-run family business. They love what they do, and it shows. In fact, Bee motto is: “We love what we do and we do it well. We don’t mind competition, since there is room for everyone and we always get decent business”. They are the only company in the area to focus solely on cycling and, as it is their passion, they take pride in everything they do!

Loading the bikes on the truck

The tour was well-managed and highly professional; I highly recommend their tours to anyone who enjoys cycling and wants to see and experience a part of Thailand that your average tourist wouldn’t see. Rides are relatively easy, yet you need to have a minimum of good physical condition. If in doubt, discuss this with Bee at the time of booking so he can place you on the most suitable tour.

Chiang Rai Bicycle Tour also run multi-days tours, for the full list check their website on  http://www.chiangraibicycletour.com/chiangraicyclingtour_fullday.html  

Chiang Rai Bicycle Tour is fully licensed by all the proper authorities in Thailand, guides are authorised and licensed Thailand Tour Guides and they carry accident insurance for every rider.

Chiang Rai Bicycle Tour company profile on our website: http://asianitinerary.com/chiang-rai-bicycle-tour/ 

Asian Itinerary was kindly sponsored by Laluna Hotel and Resort, read our review on http://asianitinerary.com/laluna-hotel-and-resort/ or BOOK A ROOM BY CLICKING HERE !

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Chiang Rai Bicycle Tour

Chiang Rai Bicycle Tour
222/6 Moo 3 Tasai Muang
Chiang Rai 5700 Thailand 

Tel./Fax: +66 53 774506

Available 24 hours : Mobile +66 85 6624347

Website : www.chiangraibicycletour.com

e-mail : chiangraibicycletour@yahoo.com

Chiang Rai Bicycle Tour (Licence No. 24/00101) is a tour company that operates half day – five days cycling tours around Chiang Rai and Golden Triangle area. Chiang Rai Bicycle Tour is the only bicycle touring group based in Chiang Rai, the northernmost province of Thailand.

Chiang Rai Bicycle Tour

The cycling is on well-planned routes on quiet roads and lanes used by the local villagers, chosen for the interest and contact with the Thai countryside and Thai way of life. The bike tours are easy exercise and relaxing in beautiful surroundings that highlight the beautiful sites around Chiang Rai.

While your are cycling you will experience authentic Thai culture and see local Thais working in rice paddies, fruit orchards, rubber plantations, and learn to appreciate the gentleness of the Thai people in the village. You will understand why they call Thailand “the land of smiles, the land of yellow robes.

Chiang Rai Bicycle Tour is Recommended by TripAdvisor and the Holidaysplease Thailand Holidays guide.

Chiang Rai Bicycle Tour

Chiang Rai, the northernmost province of Thailand, is situated on the Kok River basin. Chiang Rai is about 785 kilometres from Bangkok and 182 kilometres from Chiang Mai. Chiang Rai is called “A Cycling Paradise” because of its rolling hills and beautiful mountain countryside . It offers a wonderful opportunity for riders to experience the Thai way of life as you cycle by and visit Thai villages, farmers working in their orchards and rice fields.

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Laluna Hotel & Resort

Laluna Hotel & Resort 

160 Moo 14 Sanambin Road Muang 

Chiang Rai 57000 Thailand

Tel : +66 53756442-3 Fax : +66 53 756558

lalunahotelandresort@yahoo.com

www.lalunaresortchiangrai.com 

FOR GREAT DEALS ON STAYS AT LALUNA HOTEL AND RESORT, CLICK HERE 

What do I usually look for in a resort where I plan to stay only 1 or 2 nights? Cleanliness, comfort, facilities and convenience of services provided. Laluna Hotel and Resort had this all.

Laluna Hotel and Resort stunning lobby

Laluna Hotel and Resort immediately gave me the impression of space; in fact, everything is quite big there: the parking, the lobby, the rooms, the restaurant, and it all points to grandiosity and to times past.

The bell-boys greeted us and quickly grabbed our bags while the front office staff allocated us a room and handed us the key, together with the wi-fi password and the breakfast coupons.

Laluna Hotel and Resort bungalow

Our appointed bungalow was near a splendid lagoon-shaped swimming pool with several sun beds on its decking, and it was partly concealed by a magnificent lush garden, for that touch of extra privacy. The garden at Laluna Hotel and Resort is so dense it feels more like the edge of a forest instead of the edge of a town. Inside, the room was large and so was the bathroom, all perfectly clean and well-presented. The TV had a great choice of channels, and coffee and tea facilities were ready on the desk.

Laluna Hotel and Resort swimming pool

During my stay at Laluna Hotel and Resort I was happy with the room service and with the helpful front desk. You are left to your own as much as possible, unless you do need something, in which case the friendly staff is always at hand to help and attend your needs.

The hotel is not so far from the city centre and the clock tower area, which is only a 20 minutes stroll away, and there are great nearby facilities like a 7-Eleven convenient store across the street, a laundry, a massage shop and a few bars and restaurants, in case you do not feel like walking too far.

The morning after we were welcomed by a buffet breakfast that included a large assortment of Western and Asian choices, served in the adjacent building.

Overall, I was extremely satisfied by my two-day stay, and would recommend Laluna Hotel and Resort to anyone wishing to spend a few days (or even weeks) in this great Northern Thailand town.

Property Location 

A stay at Laluna Hotel and Resort places you in the heart of Chiang Rai, convenient to Chiang Rai Clock Tower and Wat Pra Singh. This resort is within close proximity of Central Plaza Chiangrai and Oub Kham Museum. 15 minutes drive to the airport.

Rooms

Laluna Hotel and Resort bungalow room

Make yourself at home in one of the 79 individually decorated bungalows (some surrounding the stunning pool) and rooms, featuring refrigerators and minibars. Rooms have private balconies. 48-inch LCD televisions with satellite programming providing entertainment, while complimentary wireless Internet access keeps you connected. Private bathrooms with showers feature complimentary toiletries and hair dryers.

Rec, Spa, Premium Amenities 

Pamper yourself with onsite massages or enjoy recreation amenities such as an outstanding outdoor pool lagoon-shaped. Additional amenities include complimentary wireless Internet access, concierge services, and wedding services. Guests can catch a ride to nearby destinations on the area shuttle.

Dining

Laluna Hotel and Resort restaurant and coffee shop

Grab a bite to eat at the resort’s restaurant, which features a bar and a garden view. You can also stay in and take advantage of 24-hour room service. Thirsty? Quench your thirst at a bar/lounge, a poolside bar, or a swim-up bar. Breakfast is available for a fee. The breakfast buffet will not disappoint you.

Business, Other Amenities 

Featured amenities include a 24-hour business center, express check-in, and complimentary newspapers in the lobby. Event facilities at this resort consist of a conference center, conference space, and a meeting room. Their tour booking service is run by experienced staff to help clients with any kind of enquiries.

Laluna Hotel and Resort lush gardens

The Gardens

Laluna Hotel and Resort is a urban oasis thanks to its amazing and well-manicured tropical gardens.

FOR GREAT DEALS ON STAYS AT LALUNA HOTEL AND RESORT, CLICK HERE

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Mae Sai, Chiang Saen, Tha Kee Lek, Don Sao: the first two in Thailand, the third in Myanmar and the fourth on a river island in Laos. Names that do not say much, if anything at all, less so if they are associated to the area of ​​Sam Liam Tong Kam. Nevertheless, this location takes on a very different meaning and above all a more suggestive one if we indicate it with its given name: the Golden Triangle, an area that conjures up images of poppy fields and opium dens, of caravans of smugglers and of drug traffickers, hill tribes, and of forest trails through which anything would travel.

It also evokes images of that wonderful movie, ‘Night Moves’, where Gene Hackman in the role of an old American officer at the helm of a handful of soldiers that with the help of a local tribe gang of drug traffickers enter Laos to free his son from a POW camp.

Fast boat on the Mekong River

The Golden Triangle is the meeting point of three countries: Thailand, Myanmar and Myanmar, all bathed in a big river artery, the Mekong, which flows from China to Vietnam. A river that became known not for being a resource for six Asian countries (the sixth being Cambodia), but for the clashes and battles that have seen it as an unaware setting during the Vietnam War.

Nowadays the Golden Triangle is merely a tourist destination exploiting the myth of the past, where trades are developed and souvenirs are sold. A place where the visitor has to travel a lot with the imagination to find, amongst the stalls of pestering Burmese vendors who pester you trying to sell you anything between Mae Sai and Tha Kee Lek’s, a glimpse of the world that somehow recalls the atmosphere and legend that have transformed the stretch of a river bordering three countries into the Golden Triangle.

On the border between Mae Sai and Tha Kee Lek, legends die out, and the sign that stands in a Burmese town’s square that in a realistic Socialist tone invites everyone to ‘join in to achieve a drug-free zone’ sounds more like hypocrisy, a useless warning in a place where the most offered drug seems to be Viagra.

Burmese vendors on the Thai side of the border

I arrive in Mae Sai on an early afternoon after visiting the villa and gardens of the Queen Mother at Doi Tung. Moving from Doi Tung to Tha Kee Lek is like getting from Switzerland to hell in just 35 kilometres. Three quarters of an hour in Myanmar only to get back into Thailand with a Dantesque feeling that ‘and hence we came forth to see the stars again’. The King’s Mother passed out a few years ago, and her residence has been transformed into a museum of sorts, with its flower gardens so well manicured, and with a royal project a few meters away where crops of vegetables and fruits are grown to support the local tribes.

A walk in the midst of those artfully designed flower beds that include cyclamen, poinsettia, roses and the common orchids, as well as dozens of other species of unknown names, was almost an escape from reality through an itinerary of colours, of order, of waters that flow from hanging showers or from simple bamboo canes. All surrounded by hundreds of people, mostly Thais, who crowd every flowerbed, every floral sculpture and every greenhouse as if to bestow a further tribute to the already revered mistress of the house. Everything is perfect in this corner of the world protected by the Royal Family, especially the villa where, from time to time, the Queen Mother spent her days. A kind of wooden chalet surrounded by potted flowers, a house which beauty lies in its simplicity, in the picture of this ‘Grandmother of the Nation’ that can only inspire fondness when you stop to watch her image, serene and always with a gentle smile on her face. Anyone could see their own grandmother in her, so much that you can almost expect to see her appear, ready to offer you a sweet, perhaps made with those strawberries that are plentiful in this area.

After lunch, I reach Mae Sai and the Burmese border. Thais harbour prejudices against the Burmese: centuries of wars, of warded off invasions when the Burmese were a florid warrior power, and other more recent episodes, leave scars.

Buddha watching over the Golden Triangle

Today, Myanmar is the shadow of the country that once was. A nation crushed by the weight of a military dictatorship where free elections were held only recently, where people and monks’ protests were often suppressed by the use of force, and where the opposition leader has recovered only a few months ago her freedom after years of house arrest. However, one can see small signs that may lead to a better future.

Mae Sai is an anonymous border town where markets and stalls thrive, where trades more or less legit happen, and where tourism bring over the stench of Myanmar poverty. Entrance to Myanmar costs about 20 US Dollars, plus photocopies of your passport and a few paperwork formalities. The difference is plain to see through border guards’ behaviour: Thais are kind, smiling, and fast to give information. Their Burmese counterparts are just as kind but a bit colder and less smiling, diffident to the point of declining, albeit politely, even a harmless souvenir picture.

Then there is the bazaar, with its dirt, its miseries, its beggars always nagging in offering goods of all kinds: from the inevitable Viagra to decks of cards with the image of Saddam Hussein, from low quality stones of to pornographic movies. The immediate feeling is that Myanmar has nothing to do with its backdrop of wonderful temples, and that those nice kids you immortalise smiling and innocent, instead of representing hope they look like the image of a grey and anonymous future, and their smile will be turned off amongst the stalls of a local bazaar.

Tha Kee Lek local market

Chiang Saeng is the focal point of the Golden Triangle. From its shore you can make out the coast of Myanmar and Laos, and only eight hours by boat to the north lays China. The Mekong flows undisturbed with its brownish color further intensified by the sunset light. A one-hour tour with a local speed boat takes me to touch the three coasts, with a stopover at Laos’ Don Sao market.

Laos is less pretentious then Burma; entering the country only costs a few UD Dollars and no formalities at all. I do not even need a passport for this kind of clandestine entry, and the customs officer, if you can call him so, also poses for a souvenir photo. I walk casually among the stalls, glancing on simple local products amongst which Chinese-made items and spirit bottles with cobras, centipedes and other similar creatures inside, as well as silk of a decent quality.

Laos is a poor country that is finding its way, but its poverty seems to be quite a discreet one. It seems that people are aware that after the American bombs that have made this country known to the world only thanks to the services of war correspondents, there may be a tomorrow thanks mainly to tourism which brings people to visit Laos’ most valuable gems: Luang Prabang, and the 4000 islands where the Mekong River widens to form a sort of delta in the southern part of the country.

In the small village behind the market, a group of men are having fun playing a game of traditional takraw with a woven rattan ball, four women chat on the side of a stall, and only a bear locked in a cage reveals all its misery for a lost freedom. It looks like the image of the Laos of the past, but I cannot help but think that it reminds more of the image of the Myanmar that I saw today.

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