Going to China - 20 October 2008

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 08:29:35 GMT

The Great Wall from Mitianyu Section - Ph. by Liuba Beauvais

One of my most exciting trips ever is in the works… For the past two months I have been working on our exploration of China, the People’s Democratic Republic of China. It has definitely been at the top of our list of “1000 places to see before [we] die” for a long time; the delay was caused by the anticipated expensive trip, but also because I know absolutely nothing about preparing such a trip.

Over the years, I had read several books on that country’s history. We had also seen many documentaries on television. A Chinese friend had recommended we go in September or October, as the weather is the nicest at that time of year in most of the regions. So it was settled that we would go in the fall of 2009.

As a travel professional, I knew nothing about traveling in China, about being a tourist there; I had visited Asia several times: Thailand, Laos, Hong Kong… but that was the extent of my experience, and even so, my colleagues at Adler Travel knew them well and were a big help at the time.

So I started reading travel books and haunted all the online discussions I could find. Finally, I realized that I should ask a tour operator for help: we did not want to waste time traveling on our own, as tempting as the adventure of it was. We had three weeks to a month at our disposal and wanted to make the most efficient use of the time: more expensive, but well worth the reliability.

There were some musts: Beijing, the capital, Xian, to see the terracotta warriors which we had seen at the Metropolitan Museum several years ago, a Yangtze cruise, and Shanghai. Because we love animals, we added Chengdu to see the pandas, Lijiang, Kunming, for its famed gardens, Guilin, for its major role in Chinese history, and Yangshuo, to cruise the beautiful Li River. From our departure to our return dates, the itinerary would take 23 days, quite a trek.

I proceeded to the most obvious and contacted Travel China Guide, the Chinese tour operator recommended by many and based in Xian, by email; I also emailed Liuba Beauvais, one of the discussions participants on Frommer’s website; the former proposed hotels (which I researched with my usual tools), flights and sightseeing, and the latter patiently and consistantly offered invaluable advice on guides, drivers, hotels, priorities, etc.

As of today, our itinerary looks just right! How will we manage to wait for 11 months!

Laos, the Jewel of Indochina - March 30, 2007

Fri, 30 Mar 2007 14:54:33 GMT

Laos: Luang Prabang architecture

Almost everyone who has traveled to Southeast Asia has visited Vietnam and Cambodia. Recently, we had the opportunity to visit a lesser known country in that part of the world: Laos. Its official name is the People's Democratic Republic of Laos.

Our guide, Cox and Kings (the tour operator who has been in the travel business since 1758: that's right, 250 years of experience!), took our small group to Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage site; it is one of the loveliest cities of that part of the world, nestled as it is in the nothern mountains of Laos. Our hotel, the Résidence Phou Vao is located amidst seven acres of lush gardens with bougainvillea, palm trees and frangipani; the terrace, by the pool, overlooks the entire area as far as the eye can see, yet within walking distance from downtown.

We explored the area taking a traditional boat trip on the Mekong River to the Pak Ou caves with its thousand images of Buddha, we saw the Khuangzi Waterfalls, we climbed the 325 steps to the Buddhist temple in the center of town... Luang Prabang itself engaged us with its French architecture, its red-roofed temples, its saffron-robed monks, and its fine cuisine. We were invited to participate in a Baci ceremony, a buddhist celebration of special occasions: at the end of a brief service and a traditional Lao dance performance, our hosts tied cotton strings around our wrists wishing us health and happiness.

Then, we flew to Vientiane, the political capital of Laos: we visited the National Museum, in the former king's palace. We also went to Vat Sisaket, the oldest temple in the city with its remarkable hand-painted walls telling the history of Buddha. We were able to enjoy Carol Cassidy's factory: she is an American weaver who created a business where she employs and trains marvelous silk weavers. Our downtown hotel, the Settha Palace, was handsome and comfortable.

Finally, we flew to Pakse, the capital of the Champassak Province in southern Laos, it is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. We visited the Wat Phu temple, built by the same people who built Angkor Wat, only earlier. We went to the Khone Phapheng Waterfall and took a long-tail boat to see the Irrawaddy dolphins, the small freshwater dolphins believed to steer fish into the nets of the local fishermen. We rode elephants to Phu Asa temple on a mountain top: it offers stunning views of the valley below. The Pakse Museum displays the arts and crafts of the different ethnic groups of the area. Our modest hotel, in the center of town, was warm, welcoming, and very nicely run.

Throughout our trip, we shopped unabashedly: local artisans are wonderful workers and they achieve wonders with their weaving, their woodworking and their paper-making.

We left regretfully to return to Bangkok. Our week in Laos does not do justice to this lovely country with its warm and friendly people, its deeply spiritual culture, its breathtaking unspoiled mountainous landscapes, and its delicious food.

Merely writing about Laos is not enough. The beauty of the country, yet unsung, comes from the constant visual surprises it offers its visitors; when my husband and I visited there in the spring of 2005, we captured hundreds such treasures with our cameras, looking forward to sharing them with friends and travelers; they also serve to remind us of our wonderful trip. Please click below and have a look: let us know what you think, and most of all, enjoy!

Good addresses:

Information about Laos: www.visit-laos.com

Carol Cassidy's factory: www.laotextiles.com

Our hotels: www.residencephouvao.com in Luang Prabang; www.setthapalace.com in Vientiane; www.hotelpakse.com in Pakse.

Laos Photo Gallery

A memorable visit of Laos

Going to China - 20 October 2008

Laos, the Jewel of Indochina - March 30, 2007