It’s November in Laos and it’s unseasonably sunny, wet and warm. Uniformed schoolgirls, their glossy black ponytails reaching to mid-back, grasp bicycle handlebars with one hand and an umbrella with the other. A pair of giggling saffron-clad teenage monks passes by wooden bungalows, each one boasting a giant satellite dish. A thirty-something businessman talks animatedly on his mobile phone, his starched sleeve revealing a tattered white string wrapped around his wrist to ward off evil spirits. Restaurants both modest and pricy boast water buffalo jerky and crème brulee. Young and old women alike favor the traditional skirt, a sinh, sometimes with a bejeweled designer t-shirt.

Traditional and modern Laos exist—however improbably—in harmony.

Introducing Laos and Luang Prabang

Landlocked, The People’s Democratic Republic of Laos occupies the Northwest portion of the Indochina peninsula; it’s slightly larger than Utah and has a population of about 6.2 million. For a small country, it’s ethnically diverse, with more than 100 groups. It bears the imprint of those who have sought to dominate it: the French during the colonial era, the Japanese during World War II, the United States during the Vietnam War and, most recently, the communists. Still, for all the turmoil its soil has seen, the people are relaxed and the pace is gentle. In spite of the rapidly developing infrastructure—many hotels, roads, airports are being built or improved—this is the region’s forgotten country.

Luang Prabang has an appealingly dilapidated majesty. Surrounded by mountains, the former royal capitol has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, thanks to its surfeit of wats (temples) and colonial shophouses. The unprompted greeting saibadee, is repeated from daybreak to sunset by children and adults alike. Soon, the singsong word rolls off my tongue.

One morning, I rise before dawn and join reverent locals and interested visitors for the traditional morning alms. A line of monks clad in bright orange robes, brown arms extending rice bowls for offerings of rice on the town’s main street as the sun rises. It’s a moving spectacle, quiet and powerful, setting the course for a day of temple sightseeing in the compact, leafy town. There are more than 30 temples here. The most memorable are Wat Xieng Thong, with its sweeping roof and brightly colored mosaic tree of life; Wat Mai, with its gilded relief panels; Wat Visoun, with its collection of “calling the rain” buddhas; and Wat Winsunalat, which features a distinctive watermelon stupa.

Laos - Images by Suzanne Wright

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Pak Ou Caves

Another day, I take a half-day trip to the Pak Ou Caves. I board a wooden boat on the Mekong River, which is the color of Ovaltine, for the slow ride, gliding by green terraced banks where farmers plant Chinese cabbage, corn, peanuts and potatoes. The captain approaches the cliffside, where a clutch of boats are already nosed into the narrow landing. He expertly inches past each one, until I can step, zig-zag fashion, on a few boats, then onto the land. First, incense fills my nose, followed by the sound of rattling Joss sticks ringing in my ears. Discovered in the 16th century by King Setthathirat and once inhabited by monks, the lower cave contains 4,000 stone, gold and wooden Buddha images. One hundred steps lead up to the upper cave, where there are fewer Buddhas and fewer people. A small, barefoot girl holds a tiny white bird in a rattan cage. For $2 you can buy it and release it. On the way back, I stop at Whiskey Village, where preparations for a wedding ceremony are taking place: a half dozen young women sitting in plastic chairs peel garlic, while a circle of four older women squat on the ground, weaving marigolds and banana leaf decorations.

Eating in Laos

Laos has distinctive cuisine -— sticky rice is a staple and fish sauce and galangal are important ingredients —- and Luang Prabang has a thriving restaurant scene. At Tamarind Restaurant, I sip iced lime and lemongrass and tuck into a $5 sampler plate of local dishes. At the beautifully restored 3 Nagas Restaurant, I enjoy a set dinner of crunchy and salty sun-dried Mekong weed served with spicy jam and buffalo skin; a garlic-laced salad with fried shallots and garlic and vegetables; aromatic bamboo soup with amer leaves; sautéed beef with onions; and coconut milk and tapioca with seasonal fruits. The Maison Souvannaphoum Hotel serves dinner poolside amidst its lovely grounds as a soft rain falls: minced chicken salad with mint and lime juice, marinated deep-fried Mekong fish with garlic and pepper; and an array of fresh fruits.

If You Go MythsAndMountains.com arranged my customized, eight-day itinerary, providing a guide and driver in each city, booking flights and reserving hotels.