BiiG Travel

Local travel agency crafting tour packages in Laos & its neighbors including Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, and Myanmar.

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It looks promising 🤩🥳

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💦☘️Chutes de Tad Yeung, Bolaven Plateau, Sud du Laos #tadyeungwatefall #SouthernLaos #bolavenplateau Contactez-nous maintenant: ☎️ 020 96 572 538 📧 [email protected]

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Planning to have a 𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐈𝐍 𝐋𝐀𝐎𝐒? Here is the report from our recent traveler. ▶️▶️ https://alanowyong.wordpress.com/2023/01/28/birding-laos/ Interested? Contact us now: Mobile / WhatsApp: [phone] Email: [email protected]

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🥳𝐖𝐀𝐓 𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐔 𝐅𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐀𝐋 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 has been confirmed on February 3rd-5th. 🤩Let's come and join one of the most impressive festival in Laos with us. 🥸Further info: ☎️ 020 96 572 538 📨 [email protected]

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🕕🕕LAOS ENTRY REQUIREMENT UPDATE 2023 🛂Laos scraps all Covid-19 related requirement ❌No more Covid-19 vaccination proof ❌No more Negative Covid-19 test ☀️☀️Starting December 23rd, 2022 Planning to visit Laos? Contact us now: ☎️020 96 572 538 📫[email protected]

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Our recent traveler exploring Phongsaly, the least visited areas of Laos! Contact us if you are looking for the same adventure. **** WhatsApp: [phone] Email: [email protected]

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𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐉𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐨𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞

Celebrations took place in Xieng Khuang province on Tuesday (Nov 29) to formally mark Unesco’s listing of the Plain of Jars as Laos’ third world heritage site.

The formal declaration of the Plain of Jars as a world heritage site took place during the 43rd Session of the World Heritage Committee in Baku, Azerbaijan, on July 10, 2019.

The ceremony in Xieng Khuang province was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Prof Dr Kikeo Khaykhamphithoune, the Deputy Governor of Xieng Khuang province, Sengviay Sengchalern, and representatives of Unesco in Bangkok, Thailand. Prof Dr Kikeo Khaykhamphithoune hits the drum to mark Unesco’s listing of the Plain of Jars as Laos’ third world heritage site.

Speaking at the event, Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Suanesavanh Vignaket, said the Plain of Jars world heritage proposal involved 11 separate sites that contained 1,325 large and small ancient stone jars in the districts of Paek, Phaxay, Phoukoud and Kham.

The jars were carved from sandstone and granite, and their size ranges from very small to about three metres in height. They are thought to be 2,500 -3,000 years old. There are also a number of stone slabs, which are thought to be lids for the jars, or tombstones, while tools and other items of archaeological interest were found around the jars.

The Plain of Jars is located at the intersection of two major cultural systems during the Iron Age in South-East Asia and the area is known to be a place of migration within the region, resulting in trade and cultural exchanges, Suanesavanh said.

The recognition of the Megalithic Jar Sites by Unesco is expected to swell visitor numbers and bolster the economy of Xieng Khuang province. According to experts, the Plain of Jars comprises about 80 distinct sites but only 11 are included in the listed area as they have the highest concentration of stone jars. Jars have also been found in Phoukhoun district in Luang Prabang province, which borders Xieng Khuang province.

Three large sites in Paek district are particularly popular with visitors. The first site is 15km southwest of the provincial capital Phonsavanh, and has about 300 jars. The second site is 25km south of Phonsavanh and contains about 90 jars spread over two hills.

The third site is 35km southeast of Phonsavanh and has about 150 jars. Laos achieved Unesco recognition of its first world heritage site in 1995 when Luang Prabang’s old town was nominated for listing. The second followed in 2001 when the Vat Phou temple complex in Champassak province was declared a world heritage site.

The Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism is currently working on a submission to Unesco with regard to the Hin Namno National Protected Area, otherwise known as the Stone Karst Formation Forest, in Khammuan province. Source: https://www.thestar.com.my

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✈✈ THAI SMILES FLIES TO LUANG PRABANG ✈✈

VIENTIANE, Laos, 11 October 2022: Thai Smile Airways will launch direct daily flights from Bangkok to the UNESCO World Heritage town of Luang Prabang later this month.

Ground handling services confirmed the flight should commence on 30 October following last week’s introduction of a second daily flight from Bangkok to Vientiane to the Lao PDR capital. The airline now serves the Vientiane route with morning and afternoon flights.

THAI Airways International’s services to neighbouring Mekong Region countries (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam) have been transferred to its daughter airline, Thai Smile.

Using a fleet of A320s, Thai Smile will fly daily to Luang Prabang departing Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport at 0845 (WE576) and arriving in Luang Prabang at 1020. The return flight (WE577) will depart Luang Prabang at 1120 and arrive in Bangkok at 1255. According to a web search, the cheapest roundtrip fare on Thai Smile is USD197. The flight time is one hour and 25 minutes.

Thai AirAsia flies daily to Luang Prabang from its Don Mueang base quoting fares ranging from USD157 to USD220. Lao Aviation also flies daily on the Luang Prabang route using an ATR72.

Bangkok Airways will resume daily flights to Luang Prabang just one day after Thai Smile on 1 November from its Bangkok Suvarnabhumi base quoting a roundtrip fare starting at USD473. However, it uses the smaller 70-seat ATR72 plane taking two hours and 18 minutes to complete the flight. Pre-Covid, the airline scheduled three daily services to Luang Prabang.

Source: https://www.ttrweekly.com/

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CHAMPHONE LOOP - EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

Sometimes the best things are found where you least expect them. Savannakhet is the most populous province in Laos, yet also one of the least explored, as tourists seldom stray from the pleasant and scenic downtown area of the city. On a recent visit, I was advised to get out and see the real Savannakhet on the Champhone Circuit. To find out what I was missing, I acquired some transport and headed out of town. 

THINGS TO DO AND SEE    

Champhone District is quite flat and agrarian. It is marked by the Xe Champhone River which flows from mountains in the north down into the Xe Bang Hiang and onward into the Mekong.     

Soui Lake  

My first stop along this route was to admire the wide Soui Reservoir, jokingly called “the ocean of Savannakhet” which contains water for use in the area. It is a charming lake and popular spot on weekends for local people who flock to restaurants on the lakeside and enjoy fresh catches of fish and shellfish. 

Monkey forest / Dong Ling  

Driving on a few kilometers, the driver stops. “Monkeys!” he exclaims. We have arrived in Dong Ling – “Monkey Forest”. These rare animals live in a forest believed to be sacred by local people, so they are given free rein. Local shops must protect themselves with metal grating, or the cheeky monkeys will steal things and disappear into the forest. I bought a few bunches of bananas and tried to make friends. They were shy at first, but as more and more monkeys approached, I became uneasy and tossed the bunch at them, before jumping back into the van. 

Ho Taypidok – The first library in Laos  

Crossing the Xe Champhone River and on to the next village, we came across a real marvel of Lao architecture, Wat Ban Lam Chan. This ancient temple in Lam Chan Village is quite famous for its incredibly tall stilted Ho Tay Pidok library. Traditionally temple manuscripts were etched into palm leaves and bound together into books. As insects love to eat these leaves, libraries were often built on stilts in ponds, so they would be protected from pests. Sadly, many of these grand wooden structures have been lost and this is one of the few remaining. The manuscripts stored here are of such good quality that they are still regularly studied by academics.  

Turtle Lake  

Our next stop was another fascinating natural attraction in Don Daeng Village, a lake with sacred softshell turtles! The villagers nearby believe that anyone who disturbs these animals will mysteriously fall sick or die. Visitors often bring traditional Lao snacks to feed the turtles and avoid any bad luck. Local children nearby have a special way of calling the turtles to the surface to get a snack and are happy to help bring them up. A few children followed me and one of them called out in Lao. A turtle appeared, grabbed the food I offered, and then disappeared back into the murky depths. There is also a small Buddhist shrine built in the middle of the lake, but due to local beliefs, only men are allowed inside.  

Taleo Old Temple  

Just a few kilometers north is a striking piece of Lao-Indochinese architecture stained by modern history and one of my favorite stops on this route. In Taleo Village stand the remnants of an old, abandoned temple, Wat Taleo Kao. Built about a century ago, the temple was the target of American bombs in 1969 and many of the structures in the temple grounds did not survive. Thankfully, one building remains and houses a trove of folk-art paintings on its walls, telling local legends and stories of the Buddha’s life. Temples are not made like this anymore, as Lao people prefer more modern styles of art on their walls, so seeing this one in its original state was quite a treat, if it were not for the sad reason it was abandoned.  

Wat Phoukor  

This singular forest temple has been designed without wall so people can stay in touch with nature while praying Buddha. While walking in the beautiful surrounding forest, you can observe many statues depicting Buddhist hell and famous Lao tales  

That Kou  

That Kou is the ruin of one of the many pre-Angkorian constructions from the ancient Khmer Empire in Laos. This sanctuary was built at early second millennium with impressive lava stones and used to be a Hindu shrine.  

The Champhone Circuit really opened up this section of Laos and showed me a great diversity of fascinating historical and natural places. Visitors to the area should look beyond the city center – get out and see the real charms of Savannakhet!  

GETTING THERE        

Champhone District is located about 45 kilometers southeast of Savannakhet’s downtown area and road conditions can be quite rugged and dusty, so transport with high clearance is recommended.  

Lao Airlines has regular flights to Savannakhet from Pakse, Bangkok, and Vientiane.  

BEST TIME TO VISIT        

So, what is the best time to visit Champhone Loop?  

In general, you can visit Champhone Loop throughout the year though it will be a little muddy during rainy season from May until late August.  

The best time to visit the area is during dry season from mid-October until late April. If possible, you can manage to visit Champhone Loop around January when you can join the Taleo Temple Festival. Check with us for the detailed date if you are interested.  

TOUR PACKAGES        

We are so excited to invite our travelers all around the world to come and visit the Champhone Loop so that we have already created 3 packages that include the loop so that you know how we can combine the area with the other parts of Laos.  

Below is the brief itinerary of the 3 packages, please contact us for further details on itinerary and price.  

PACKAGE 1: CENTRAL LAOS ADVENTURE (12D11N)  

Code: LAET-CL12  

   1 ARRIVAL IN VIENTIANE  

   2 VIENTIANE EXPLORATION – BUDDHA PARK  

   3 PHOU KHAO KHUAY ORCHID TREK – PAKSAN  

   4 PAKSAN – KONGLOR CAVE – BAN NATANE (HOMESTAY)  

   5 BAN NATANE – PHAGNA MEANGWAN CAVE – TAD SAO E WATERFALL  

   6 BAN NATANE – KONGLOR CAVE – NAM SANAM WATERFALL – SAINAMHAI LODGE  

   7 NAMSANAM – BIRD WATCHING – BAN THALANG  

   8 BAN THALANG – THAKHEK  

   9 THAKHEK – SAVANNAKHET  

   10 SAVANNAKHET – CHAMPHONE LOOP – HOMESTAY  

   11 CHAMPHONE LOOP – BACK TO SAVANNAKHET  

   12 SAVANNAKHET – DEPARTURE  

   ****  

   PACKAGES 2: UNCOVER THE HIDDEN CHARMS OF LAOS (16D15N)  

   Code: LAEU-HC16  

   1 ARRIVAL IN LUANG PRABANG  

   2 ANCIENT CITY & HIDDEN CORNER OF LUANG PRABANG  

   3 MORNING ALMS GIVING – BUFFALO DAIRY FARM – KUANG SI WATERFALL  

   4 MEKONG RIVER BOAT TRIP – PAK OU CAVES – TAEC  

   5 TRANSFER TO XIENG KHUANG  

   6 PLAIN OF JARS & MUANG KHOUNE  

   7 TRANSFER TO VANG VIENG  

   8 VANG VIENG EXPLORATION – VIENTIANE  

   9 VIENTIANE EXPLORATION – BUDDHA PARK  

   10 FLIGHT TO SAVANNAKHET – CHAMPHONE LOOP  

   11 CHAMPHONE LOOP – BACK TO SAVANNAKHET  

   12 SAVANNAKHET – BOLAVEN PLATEAU – FANDEE ISLAND  

   13 BOLAVEN PLATEAU – CHAMPASAK  

   14 WAT PHOU – KHONG ISLAND – KHONE ISLAND  

   15 4000 ISLANDS – KHONE PHAPHAENG WATERFALL – PAKSE  

   16 PAKSE – UBON RATCHATHANI – DEPARTURE  

   ****  

   PACKAGE 3: ON THE ROAD ADVENTURE (26D25N)  

   Code: LAEU-RA26  

   1 ARRIVAL IN LUANG PRABANG  

   2 ANCIENT CITIES – MEKONG RIVER – PAK OU CAVES  

   3 BAN LONG LAO – KUANG SI WATERFALL  

   4 MORNING ALMS GIVING – NAHM DONG PARK  

   5 LUANG PRABANG – XIENG KHUANG  

   6 PLAIN OF JARS & MUANG KHOUNE  

   7 XIENG KHUANG – VANG VIENG  

   8 VANG VIENG EXPLORATION – BAN THAHEUA  

   9 CYCLING BAN THAHEUA – VIENTIANE  

   10 VIENTIANE EXPLORATION – BUDDHA PARK  

   11 VIENTIANE – ORCHID TREK – PAKSAN  

   12 PAKSAN – KONG LOR CAVE  

   13 KONGLOR CAVE – NAMSANAM WATERFALL  

   14 NAMSANAM – BIRD WATCHING – BAN THALANG  

   15 BAN THALANG – THAKHEK  

   16 THAKHEK – SAVANNAKHET – VIVANOUK HOMESTAY  

   17 CHAMPHONE DISTRICT EXPERIENCE  

   18 SAVANNAKHET – BOLAVEN PLATEAU – FANDEE ISLAND  

   19 JEEP TOUR EXPLORATION HIDDEN COFFEE TRAIL  

   20 TRANSFER TO PAKSONG  

   21 PAKSONG – WAT PHOU – CHAMPASAK – DONE DAENG  

   22 DONE DAENG – PHOU ASA TREKKING – DONE KHONG  

   23 DONE KHONG – 4000 ISLANDS – DONG KHONE  

   24 DONE KHONE – KHONE PHAPHAENG WATERFALLS – PAKSE – NKM HOMESTAY  

   25 HIDDEN PAKSE EXPERIENCE  

   26 PAKSE – UBON RATCHATHANI – DEPARTURE  

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🥳🥳🥳 What's up in Laos this weekends?

Next week, October 10th is the date of Boun Awk Phansa, which is the mark of the end of 3-month Buddhist Lent. The festive season will begin in Laos marking with the Boat Racing Festival in Vientiane and Festival of the boats of light in Luang Prabang.

However, the festive activities start from this weekends with plenty of play ground or beer garden opening throughout the two cities.

Let's come and enjoy!

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XE CHAMPHONE LOOP

The loop helps you discover the Champhone District hosting the biggest Ramsar Wetland in Laos.

The discovery is filled with full of beautiful landscape and traditional culture of the local people

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VIENTIANE BOAT RACING FESTIVAL 2022, OCTOBER 8-10

🚣‍♀️🚣All boats will start at Tha Wat Chan or Landmark Mekong Riverside Hotel, depending on the Mekong water level.

🚣‍♀️🚣26 boats will participate in the festival to compete this year. The winner will receive a trophy and cash prize of LAK 10,000,000.

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𝐁𝐨𝐮𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐰 𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐨 𝐏𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐛𝐝𝐢𝐧 | 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟔𝐭𝐡, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐

During Buddhist Lent, only two celebrations are observed. They are both to remember the dead. Haw khao Padabdin is celebrated on the 15th day of the waning moon in the 9th month (Lao calendar).

For the ones who visit Luang Prabang during this period, there is the chance to join the famous Luang Prabang Boat Racing Festival.

Haw means to wrap in small packs. For celebrations people prepare a large pot of cooked sticky rice mixed with sweetened coconut milk. Then they take a small handful of the mixture, wrap it around a lengthwise slice of cooking banana, kuaj tom, and wrap it in a banana leaf.

The pack, called khao tom, is then steamed until the banana is cooked. Khao means rice and tom means boil, but, in fact, the pack is steamed. The banana turns pinkish.

Sometimes mashed yellow beans or coconut mixed with sugar is wrapped in the rice instead.It is also the time to show respect to maethaulanii, the earth god. Literally, padap means decorate and din means dirt (earth).

Early in the morning at 4 or 5am people place the khao tom, other food, betel for chewing and cigarettes, all wrapped in banana leaves or lotus leaves, in the temple grounds at the foot of trees, before that (stupas holding the ashes of the deceased relatives), or in the corner of the temple walls.

Before going to the temple, haw khao are put in the four corners outside one’s house, the stairs, the spirit house, the rice storehouse, and on the gate.

The haw khao are put on the ground so that the spirits can reach them. While it is still dark the spirits can come and get the offerings.

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𝐍𝐚𝐦 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥 - 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐡𝐞𝐤 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐩

Located within the Phou Hin Phoun NPA near the village of Na Hin, Tad Namsanam is a spectacular multi-level double waterfall, which topples over a sandstone cliff into a rocky stream below.

Part of the reason for coming here is the trek through a lush jungle alive with gigantic trees and wildlife that includes birds and butterflies. The hike is not to be taken lightly—the rough cut trail is difficult, steep and slippery. At a decent pace it takes three hours roundtrip—those doing the Tha Khaek Loop in three days will find it difficult to include this hike due to time constraints.

Start no later than 14:00 to ensure a return by sunset. The admission booth closes at 16:00 but we heard from other travellers than they have no qualms selling tickets to hikers right up until closing time, in spite of the fact that it would mean returning in the dark.

The waterfall is at its most spectacular in the rainy season (May to October) when the waters are rampaging. In the dry season the water flow slows to little more than a trickle, pretty nonetheless.

The entrance is on the main road (Route 8) beside the wat. From here it is 1.7 kilometres to the motorcycle parking area and a further 1.5 kilometres of jungle bashing to the falls themselves.

Some of our adventure packages include Namsanam waterfall in the Tha Khaek to Konglor trips. You can also add Tad Mouang waterfalls, trekking further to see the 18 tiers which flow year round.

Bring plenty of water and we strongly advise against hiking alone. In 2008, an Australian tourist was almost killed on this trek after becoming lost during a tropical downpour. Paths were washed away and access back to town cut. He was rescued 11 days later by helicopter.

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What a lovely couple! Thanks for visiting Laos with BiiG Travel

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Boun Khao Phansa 2022

🙏🙏🙏 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐃𝐚𝐲 - 𝐕𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚 𝐃𝐚𝐲 | 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟏𝟑𝐭𝐡, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐

Boun Khao Phansa, Buddhist Lent Day is the start of the three-month period during the rainy season when monks are required to remain in a particular place such as a monastery or temple grounds. Here, they will meditate, pray, study, and teach other young monks. In the past, monks were not even allowed to leave the temple, but today, most monks just refrain from traveling during this period. You will still see them out during the day.

It is said that monks started remaining immobile in a temple during this time because they wanted to avoid killing insects and harming farmland. Apparently, traveling monks were crossing through fields, thus destroying the crops of villagers and farmers. After catching wind of this, Buddha decided that in order to avoid damaging crops, hurting insects, or harming themselves during the rainy season, monks should remain in their temples during these three months.

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🚣‍♀️🚣🚣‍♂️ 𝐋𝐚𝐨𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐

⏰ Luang Prabang: August 26th, 2022

⏰ Vientiane: October 11th, 2022