Champa Meuanglao: May / June 2020

THE ROCK VIEWPOINT At Phou Pha Marn

ANT EGG SALAD The exotic taste of Laos

DIGITIZING TRAVEL download the Soutchai Travel App here

MAY / JUNE 2020

#ThisIsYourTime

Tissot Le Locle Automatic.

POWERMATIC 80 MOVEMENT WITH UP TO 80 HOURS OF POWER RESERVE.

TISSOT BOUTIQUE & SERVICE CENTER WORLDTIME - SIHOM NO. 83, UNIT 09, ANOU VILLAGE, CHANTHABOULY DISTRICT, VIENTIANE, LAOS PDR, TEL : +856-20-555 24 098 EMAIL: WORLDTIME.SH@JKALEXINTERNATIONAL.COM

TI S S OT WATC H E S .CO M TISSOT, INNOVATORS BY TRADITION

WORLDTIME - VIENTIANE CENTER NO. 13, KHOUVIENG ROAD, NONGCHAN VILLAGE, SISATTANAK DISTRICT, GROUND FLOOR, VIENTIANE, LAOS PDR. TEL: +856-20-555 24 097 EMAIL: WORLDTIME.VC@JKALEXINTERNATIONAL.COM OFFICIAL RETAILER: TAIFA TIME TRADERS 132, # 62/3 NONGBONE ST, NONGCHAN VILLAGE, SISATTANAK DISTRICT, VIENTIANE, LAOS PDR . TEL: + 856-21-215 268

BOUNMA CHANTHAVONGSA PRESIDENT & CEO OF LAO AIRLINES

Dear Passengers, Welcome aboard and thank you for choosing Lao Airlines.

In recent times, our world has had to face the crisis of Covid-19.

This problem has created large problems in livelihoods, the economy, and the lives of people throughout the world.

All of the airlines in the world have been greatly affected, including Lao Airlines.

In any case, Lao Airlines is pleased to carry on ying domestically and getting you to your ďŹ nal destination safely. In addition to this, Lao Airlines is keenly focused on inspection and prevention of the spread of this illness in conjunction with the Government of the Lao PDR to stop the transmission of Covid-19.

On behalf of the board of directors and all of the staff of Lao Airlines, thank you for choosing us, as we are very experienced with international standards, and we are committed to serving you.

Safe travels.

With highest respect, Bounma Chanthavongsa President & CEO of Lao Airlines

Sabaidee

Hello readers, Welcome to the May-June issue of Champa Meuanglao. In this issue, we present new travel ideas in Laos and throughout the region.

Join us on an adventure to The Rock Viewpoint at Phou Pha Marn, a new zipline experience in Khammouane Province.

Travel in the modern age with everything at your fingertips with Soutchai Travel’s comprehensive new mobile phone app.

COVER IMAGE A traveler uses the Soutchai App to find her way around Photo by Pongpat "Lou" Sensouphone

PUBLISHING

Visit the jungles of Houaphan Province and help in the effort to protect Lao wildlife at the Nam-Et Phou Louey National Park.

And learn about the true island paradises that await in Southern Laos.

Editor In Chief Editors

And finally, are you brave enough to try popular Lao dishes made from weaver ant eggs?

Managing Editor Contributing Editor

Happy Reading!

Creative Director

The Champa Meuanglao Publishing Team

Assistant Designer

In light of the current Covid-19 situation throughout the world, please be aware that certain activities, festivals, sites, businesses, and events mentioned in this magazine may not be open and operating as planned. Do exercise good judgment, maintain safety precautions, and follow the directions of Lao authorities at all times.

Contributing Writers

ADVISORY BOARD Bounma Chanthavongsa President Somsamay Visounnarath Vice President �– Technical, Operation & Training Sengpraseuth Mathouchanh Vice President – Planning, Cooperation & International Relations & Legislation

Head Photographer Contributing Photographers

Leuangsamay Leuangvanxay Vice President – Administration, Finance & Accounting Rada Sunthorn Vice President – Passenger Service, Cargo & Catering Saleum Tayarath Vice President – Commercial, Tourism

Jason Rolan Cameron Darke Aditta Kittikhoun Duangtavanh Oudomchith Angkhana Vongphukdy Jochen Moravek Thanouphet Maniseng Benny Omar Boun Saiyavong Claire Boobbyer Francis Savankham Janina Bikova Melody Kemp Mick Shippen Rosemary Murphy Vanida Phimphrachanh Phoonsab Thevongsa Bart Verweij Camilla Davidsson Mick Shippen Pongpat "Lou" Sensouphone

ADVERTISING Sales & Marketing Manager

Prae Phongpipatkul prae.phongpipatkul@champameuanglao.com (856-20) 95646578

Sales & Marketing Executive

Souphaphone Insixiengmay souphaphone.insixiengmay@champameuanglao.com (856-20) 55471337

LAO AIRLINES STATE ENTERPRISE LIMITED Headquarters Wattay International Airport Vientiane Capital, Laos Tel: (856-21) 513243-46, Fax: (856-21) 513247 www.laoairlines.com Follow our official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/laoairlinesofficial to get the latest news and updates from the national carrier of Laos

RDK GROUP 134 Samsenthai Road, Xiengyeun Village, Chanthabouly District, Vientiane Capital, Laos (856-20) 55731717 info@rdkgroup.la

DISCLAIMER

Champa Meuanglao is published bi-monthly for Lao Airlines State Enterprise by RDK Group. The views and opinions expressed or implied in Champa Meuanglao do not necessarily reflect those of Lao Airlines State Enterprise or its publishing agents. All information in Champa Meuanglao is correct at time of printing.

No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher.

All rights reserved. Copyright © 2020 by Lao Airlines State Enterprise and RDK Group. www.champameuanglao.com

MAY / JUNE 2020

42 CONTENTS

24

30

18 34 28 12

14

16

18

WHAT'S ON

FOOD CAPITAL

MADE IN LAOS

ADVENTURE

Our guide to events

The foodie's guide

Showcasing the best

Linking travel with

in Laos

to Vientiane

Lao products

wildlife conservation

24

28

30

34

42

TECH

FLAVORS

TRAVEL

STYLE

SNAPSHOT

Digitizing travel –

Ant Egg Salad –

Mekong Kingdoms –

Bangkok’s most stylish

The Rock Viewpoint

Soutchai Travel goes mobile

the exotic taste of Laos

cruising Laos in style

Lao restaurant

at Phou Pha Marn

50

54

56

62

67

AGRIBUSINESS

INSIGHTS

CONNECTIONS

SOUTHERN LAOS

ON THE AIR

Rhum deal – LAODI's

Growing relationships –

The Lao Food Foundation –

The secret lives of

Lao Airlines information

top shelf tipple

from Lao farms to the world

reconnecting through food

islands

12

WHAT'S ON

WHAT'S ON?

Laos is full of colorful festivals and celebrations happening all the time.

Stay up to date on events going on around the country and join in the fun!

Dates and activities may be subject to change during the Covid-19 pandemic situation

6

MAY

1. Rocket festivals are named using Lao numbers according to rocket sizes: meun (10,000), saen (100,000) and laan (1,000,000) – the largest rockets draw the largest crowds as well.

2. A secret homemade gunpowder mixture is tamped into the rocket before parading to the launching rack.

3. & 4. The annual festival in Vang Vieng is famous throughout the country.

NATIONWIDE

VISAKHA BOUXA

Commemorating the birth, first sermon, and passing into nirvana of the Buddha, this holiday also marks the beginning of the Buddhist calendar.

Temples all over Laos will hold candlelight processions at dusk.

1

2

3

MAY – JUNE NATIONWIDE

ROCKET FESTIVAL

4

Celebrate with locals as they call for rain just before the rice planting season. Homemade rockets are paraded through villages and launched into the sky to alert the gods to send rain. Expect a lot of music, beer, and plenty of merriment! Dates vary from location to location.

To list your event here, contact: advertising@champameuanglao.com

• Sky bar with Mekong river view • Private function catering at Sky bar • Well equipped fitness center • Spa - body massage & scrub

+856 21 249 999 info@surestayvientiane.com surestayvientiane.com 101 Chaoanou Rd, Watchan Village, Chanthabouly District, Vientiane Laos

14

FOOD CAPITAL

food CAPITAL

Benny Omar navigates the movable feast of Vientiane Capital, a town of exciting cuisines and dining experiences, with everything from sizzling street fare, cafe cool, or fine dining gourmandise.

Benny Omar is a food & travel blogger based in Vientiane.

Visit his page online: facebook.com/vientianelifestyle

LATIN

BACÁN CAFÉ Bacán is one of Vientiane’s top eateries for excellent, authentic, and reasonably priced Chilean & Latin American dishes. The ambitious cuisine gets full points for creativity.

You will find excellent customer service and food quality here. Make your way to Bacán Café for delicious ceviche, street-style quesadillas, empanadas, and tacos at decent prices.

For vegan options, you’ll do well with Bacán tortillas served with grilled tofu.

BAR

GALLERY 38

Rue Samsenthai Mon–Thur 7 am– 6 pm Fri–Sat 8 am– 9 pm @BacanCafeVientiane

don't miss

Latin Mix (mechada, cheese quesadila, guacamole, pebre, homemade tortillas)

CAFE

THE SECRET CAFÉ

BY SLOW

don't miss

Espresso Nyok Po Coffee Mandala Boutique Hotel, Phiavat Hom 2 Mon–Sun 7 am – 4 pm @thesecretcafebyslow

The Secret Café by Slow boasts an outdoor patio area and a cosy indoor space with glass walls and modern set-up, a great place to catch up with friends for a coffee.

The charming petite cafe has a great menu featuring finelybrewed coffee by Slow Forest Coffee from Bolaven Plateau in southern Laos and a menu featuring – laap burger, pomelo salad, and a selection of delicious pastries. Don't forget to get some coffee beans by Slow to take home with you.

Gallery 38 is an intimate 40-seater cocktail haven helmed by an awardwinning mixologist from Thailand.

This speakeasy serves enjoyable specialized cocktails that are very easy to drink. The head bartender has created a menu of drinks that includes signature cocktails, classics done right, and a constantly updating selection of seasonal cocktails inspired by local flavors.

Ban Xiengyuen Mon–Sun 7 pm– 2 pm @gallery38.societyofdrinkers

don't miss

Lotus Times cocktail

Same day delivery in the city ຮັບ-ສົ່ງ ສິນຄ້າອອນລາຍ

Delivery of online products

ຮັບ-ສົ່ງ ສິນຄ້າທົ່ວໄປ Delivery of goods

ຮັບ-ສົ່ງ ຜູ້ໂດຍສານ (Taxi) Taxi service

ເກັບເງິນປາຍທາງ ແລ້ວໂອນພ້ອມ COD and funds transfer service

ບໍລິການ ສົ່ງບັດເຊີນຕ່າງໆ Invitation delivery service

Phontong Chommany Village, Chanthabouly District, Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR

020 9899-9542 020 5587-8985

16

MADE IN LAOS

MADE IN LAOS

Looking for the perfect memento from your trip to Laos?

Whether shopping for souvenirs or sampling some delicious Lao snacks, Champa Meuanglao has chosen a few of the best local products.

PAKSONG GLORY This black tea is made from the rare buds of 1500-year-old tea trees.

The leaves create a full golden tea with sweet and smooth flavor.

It helps regulate one’s temperature and helps detoxify the body.

5,220,000 LAK

RECYCLED UXO DROP EARRING Make spoons not war. These earrings are part of our recycled metal collection, coming from Phonsavan. After the war villagers starting making spoons from recycled unexploded ordinance, now they used recycled metal to cast an array of items we can design.

36 Manor IHC office, Building A, Floor1, Ban Donenokkhoum, Vientiane WeChat 微信: Y1445756178

MATSUTAKE WHISKEY Rare Matsutake mushrooms are steeped in local spirits and believed to have medicinal properties.

75,000 LAK

120,000 LAK

Ma Té Sai Ban Aphai, Luang Prabang

Kualao Restaurant Rue Samsenthai, Vientiane

matesai.com

kualaorestaurant.com

BBL GANODERMA POWDER CAPSULES BBL ganoderma powder capsules, made of wild ganoderma lucidum, originated from Laos’ primary forest, helps protect your liver health from excessive smoking and drinking, poor sleep, hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

258,000 LAK BBL (Laos) Agricultural Resources Co.Ltd. Ban Nakham, Vientiane WeChat 微信��: BBL98666618

To list your products here, contact: advertising@champameuanglao.com

18

ADVENTURE

LINKING TRAVEL WITH

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION

Go on an epic Lao jungle safari.

TEXT BY JANINA BIKOVA PHOTOGRAPHS BY NEPL / WCS LAOS / NEPL FRIENDS & VISITORS

19

T

he Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park (NEPL) is located in the three northeastern provinces of Houaphan, Xieng Khouang, and Luang Prabang, and is the largest protected area in the country.

The NEPL is unique in its rich wildlife biodiversity, many of which are endangered, including six wild cat species, dhole, northern white-cheeked gibbon, Phayre’s langur, two bear species, binturongs, otters, hornbills, and numerous species of civets and other primates.

The Wildlife Conservation Society began supporting NEPL’s Management Unit in 2003 and has assisted with the development of ecotourism products since 2010.

The national park tours are not only one of the few opportunities in Laos to spot wildlife in its natural habitat but are designed to support alternative livelihoods for local people and generate community support for wildlife conservation.

Most of the ecotourism service providers (guides, boatmen, cooks, etc) are from households that formerly relied on poaching and now currently work as wildlife spotters and protectors. To encourage conservation efforts, financial incentives are paid to the local people based on encounters with wildlife by visitors (including direct sightings and indirect observation such as animal calls, footprints, and scat). Greater incentives are provided for sightings of rarer species. All information collected on wildlife sightings and observations during the tours is recorded in a database and is further incorporated into the national park’s wildlife-monitoring program.

1 2

3

left: A trek through the cloud forest 1. Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park 2. Birdwatching at Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park 3. Blyth’s Kingfisher along the Nam Nern River 4. Visitor looking at the wildlife identification plate

THE NATIONAL PARK’S WILDLIFE TOURS The Nam Nern Night Safari

4

The Nam Nern Night Safari is a 24-hour boat-based wildlife spotting tour. The trip highlight is nighttime wildlife spotlighting, looking for wild and endangered animals such as sambar deer, multiple species of civets, spotted linsang, Asian golden cat, leopard cat, pythons, while the long-tail boats drift down the Nam Nern River. A daytime boat trip upstream offers opportunities for birdwatching, including Blyth’s kingfishers, eared pitta, and red-collared woodpecker.

In 2013, the Nam Nern Night Safari won the World Responsible Tourism Award for Best Responsible Wildlife Experience. This year, the Nam Nern Night Safari celebrates its tenth birthday.

MAY / JUNE 2020

20

ADVENTURE

2

1

MORE INFO To learn more about the Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park please visit namet.org

4

1. Local guide spotting wildlife on the Night Safari 2. Village guides are experts in the local area 3. A local lunch is ecological and delicious 4. Muntjac photographed on wildlife camera trap 5. Marks on trees show what kind of wildlife is nearby 6. Stay in a cozy bungalow

5

GETTING THERE Lao Airlines has regular flights to Xieng Khouang from Vientiane and Luang Prabang. Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park headquarters is in Muang Hiam, a 200 km drive north from Xieng Khouang.

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION TREKKING TOURS Following the success of the Night Safari, the national park launched wildlife conservation trekking tours in 2016. These treks range from two to five days and offer a unique opportunity to feel like a field biologist while tracking and identifying wildlife along trails in one of the most important wildlife habitats of the national park.

Direct wildlife observations are rare on the trekking tours compared to the Night Safari tour, but lucky visitors can spot various civet species, giant flying squirrels, serow, muntjacs, sambar deer, macaques, and birds including silver pheasants and hornbills, as well as hear the beautiful morning calls of the critically endangered northern whitecheeked gibbons. Together with the park guide and village wildlife spotter (themselves a former poachers), analyze footprints, scratches, scat, and view camera trap images set along the trail, and you might find evidence of clouded leopard, dhole, or bears.

Challenge yourself on the longer itineraries with a trek up to the summit of Phou Louey the “Forever” Mountain (elevation 2257m) – the highest point of the National Park and the third highest summit in Laos!

NINGXIA FEISHENG Electronic Information Technology Co.,Ltd. A full-service information system provider offering software development, information system and network integration services, wiring and cabling, construction and maintenance, installation and maintenance of stage lighting equipment and sound equipment, import and export of goods and technology.

3

FAST FACTS • One of the first two national parks and the largest protected area in the Lao PDR • A rare opportunity to spot wildlife in their natural habitat • On the Night Safari, the average wildlife sightings per tour have increased from only 4 animals only in 2010 to 10 animals per tour in 2019 • Winner of the Best Responsible Wildlife Tourism Award in 2013 and 2014 at the World Responsible Tourism Awards • The ecotourism program benefits a total of 26 villages, which represents almost 30% of all villages located in and around the National Park. Ethnic groups represented by these villagers are primarily Khmu and Hmong

Model: H3C Magic S1E 100 MB switch Fixed Interface: 5 10/100 base-tx ports (Auto MDI/MDIX) Network Cable Type: 10/100base-tx: 3/4/5 twisted pair, recommended, Transmission Distance: 100m External Dimensions (W×D×H) : 100mm×65m×22.5mm

Product Model: tl-ap901c Installation: Ceiling/wall mounting Size: 190 * 170 * 30 mm Wireless: 2.4ghz band: 450Mbps 5GHz band: 433Mbps Port: 1 10/100m RJ45 port

+8618161518368 (Yuening Zhang) 6

330381837@qq.com

22

ADVENTURE

23

1

MAY / JUNE 2020

DIGITIZING

TRAVEL Soutchai Travel goes mobile.

TEXT BY JASON ROLAN PHOTOGRAPHS BY PONGPAT "LOU" SENSOUPHONE / SOUTCHAI TRAVEL

25

T

A traveler uses the Soutchai App to find her way around

he secret of business is finding a niche and filling it well. For Soutchai Travel, this means facilitating travel for a broad spectrum of clients in many locations. To this end, they have recently launched a new app that gives tourists access to travel services 24 hours a day.

Soutchai Travel grew out of humble origins in 2010 by founder Khen Vongthongchit. “Originally we only had Soutchai guesthouse in Pakse. We found that tourists often needed other services, so we developed Soutchai Travel as an in-house agency to fill the need,” Khen mentions. Over the past decade, he has worked hard to grow the company from a small single desk in Pakse and now boasts a busy head office in downtown Vientiane and branch offices in Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang, the 4000 Islands, and the original location in Pakse, now employing 125 employees. The company also owns a resort near a waterfall just outside of Vientiane offering overnight stays In 2018, Khen noticed that more and more clients were becoming tech-savvy and with very little competition from any local online companies offering full services, he noticed a gap in the market. He and his team began work on an app to offer tourists the ability to book services from their own mobile phones with the utmost of convenience. After a full year of development and trials, the Soutchai Travel app was launched to the public in August 2019.

“The reception of the app has been very positive.

Tourists love the ease and convenience of being able to book travel anytime they like without having to visit an office,” Khen stated.

The Soutchai Travel app has four primary functions: Bus and Train tickets, Accommodation, Activities, and Coupon and Discounts. “Clients really appreciate us taking away the headache and hassle of navigating unfamiliar bus stations and crossing the language barrier for them. On some of the bus routes, we even collect passengers at their hotels,” added Khen.

Accommodation allows bookings of participating hotels and guesthouses, while the Coupon and Discounts function offers special discounts for app users MAY / JUNE 2020

26

TECH

at many restaurants throughout the country.

In Activities, guests can book tours and other things to do around Laos. As Soutchai Travel also serves the Lao market, they offer set departure join-in trip packages in the app to nearby Vietnam and Thailand, including hotels, meals, and return transportation!

Khen has plans to add a few more functionality in the future, including a mobile sim card service, so tourists can purchase a sim card in advance and have it ready for them on arrival in Laos. This will help travelers who can’t wait to begin posting their journey on social media.

Also in the pipeline for the app is a car rental service, which offers the highest level of travel flexibility, allowing travelers to go and stop wherever they like.

Currently, the app is available in English and Lao languages, but there are plans to add Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, French, and Spanish. Tourists can even pay in the app with a credit card, the BCEL One app, and soon, through AliPay and WeChat Pay. This allows a maximum of flexibility and convenience for guests from any country to book and pay easily.

With the combination of functionality, convenience, and a passion for travel, the Soutchai app helps all guests create their perfect itinerary.

1

MORE INFO Learn more about Soutchai Travel at their website: soutchaitravel. com and download the Soutchai Travel app in the App Store and Google Play.

1. Arriving in style with Soutchai Travel 2. The app interface is easy to use 3. Planning trips and meeting new friends 4. Khen Vongthongchit, founder and pioneer of Soutchai Travel

2

3

27

4

数字化旅行

轻松，方便地预订旅行服务，省去了去预定处的麻烦。”

老挝旅行，手机帮您

翻译 : 尹航 图片：PONGPAT "LOU" SENSOUPHONE / PHOONSAB THEVONGSA

商业的秘诀是找到合适的位置并很好的填补这个位置。 对于Soutchai 旅行而言，这个需要被填补的位置就是为 众多客户提供旅行便利。为此，他们最近启用了一个新的

Khen说。

Soutchai 旅行APP具有四个主要功能：公共汽车和

火车票预定，住宿预定，活动预定，以及优惠券和折扣购

买。 “客户真的很感激我们消除了前往陌生的公交车站 麻烦，并为他们解决了语言不通的问题。在某些公交路线

Vongthongchit创立，白手起家， “最初，我们只是在巴色

旅行还为针对老挝本土客户，因此他们在应用程序中提

有家Soutchai旅馆。我们发现游客经常需要其他服务， 因此我们创立了Soutchai

旅行供内部使用满足客户需

求。 ” 在过去的十年中，他非常努力的使公司从在巴色的

供了前往附近国家，包括越南和泰国等旅行套餐，包括酒 店，餐饮和往返交通！

Khen计划在将来增加更多功能，包括移动SIM卡服

务，以便游客可以提前购买SIM卡，并在抵达老挝时为他

立地设有分公司，员工数量达125人。该公司还在万象外

旅行者。该应用程序还将提供汽车租赁服务，该服务可以

的瀑布附近拥有一家度假胜地，可提供过夜住宿。

在2018年，Khen注意到越来越多的客户需要高科技

的服务，并且在当地具有提供全面服务的线上公司很少，

们准备好了。这将帮助迫不及待想马上使用社交媒体的

付宝和微信支付。这为来自任何国家的客人预订和付款

旅行

“对 该 A P P 的 反 馈 非 常 好 。旅 客 很 享 受 可 以 随 时

旅行创始人及引领者

目前，该应用程序支持英语和老挝语，但计划添加泰

客提供最大程度的便捷性—游客可以通过自己的手机预 APP于2019年8月向公众发布。

1. 加入Soutchai的流行旅行方式 2. 应用程序页面操作简单 3. 策划旅行，遇见新朋友 4. Khen Vongthongchit, Soutchai

地停下，享受自驾游。

语，越南语，中文，日语，韩语，法语和西班牙语。游客甚至

订旅行类服务。经过一年的开发和试用，Soutchai

载Soutchai 旅行应用程序（APP）。

说是所有旅行交通中灵活性最高的，旅行者可以随时随

这也就意味着竞争小，他再一次注意到了市场的空白。 他和他的团队开始开发一款应用程序（APP），旨在为游

请在App Store和Google Play中下

以预订老挝各地的旅行套餐和其他活动。由于Soutchai

一个小办公桌成长目前的公司集团，其在万象市中心拥 有总公司，在万荣，琅勃拉邦，4000美岛以及在巴色的创

soutchaitravel.com

住宿预定涵盖了众多酒店和宾馆，而优惠券和折扣

功能则可在老挝全国许多餐馆的使用。活动部分，客人可

旅行于2010年由创始人Khen

行的信息：

上，我们甚至可以到酒店接在旅客前往车站。 ”

应用程序（APP），游客可以24小时使用旅行服务。 Soutchai

了解更多关于关于Soutchai 旅

可以使用BCEL

One及信用卡支付，并很快可以使用支

提供最大的灵活性和便利性。

集功能性，便利性和对旅行的热情，Soutchai应用程

序（APP）可帮助所有客人计划完美的旅行。

MAY / JUNE 2020

28

FLAVORS

Ant Egg

SALAD

The exotic taste of Laos.

TEXT BY ADITTA KITTIKHOUN PHOTOGRAPH BY PHOONSAB THEVONGSA

Remark: food seen here is displayed for commercial effect. Actual presentation and portion of dishes will vary.

29

W MORE INFO Kualao restaurant is open daily 11 am–2 pm and 6 pm –10 pm +856 21215777 kualaorestaurant.com

e’ve all heard of minced meat salad laab (or its sliced meat equivalent koy), the quintessentially Lao salad dish made by mixing select meats and fresh vegetables tossed in fermented fish sauce and lime. Koy paa (fish salad) and koy ngoua (beef salad) tend to be popular on traditional Lao menus and serve as common introductions to Lao cuisine. But for the most daring taste buds, we recommend the exotic koy khai mot daeng, or weaver ant egg salad.

Koy khai mot daeng is your typical Lao salad featuring a melange of ants and their eggs. Because the ants feast on mango tree leaves, they emit a sour flavor. The eggs, however, are juicily fatty and mildly sweet. Local cooks typically season koy pa with weaver ants to give the dish a distinctively tart tang.

For a hygienic and delicious experience, we recommend trying the ant egg salad at Kualao Restaurant. Be sure to tailor the level of spiciness to suit your buds. These high-protein insect pupae are worth a try, if not for vinegary taste then for that priceless Instagrammable shot!

MAY / JUNE 2020

30

TRAVEL

MEKONG

KINGDOMS

Cruising Laos in style.

TEXT BY CLAIRE BOOBBYER PHOTOGRAPHS BY MEKONG KINGDOMS MORE INFO For more info or bookings visit mekongkingdoms.com GETTING THERE Lao Airlines has daily flights to Luang Prabang from Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Hanoi, Vientiane, and Siem Reap.

M

ist wreathed the mountain tops like candy floss beards as we pulled away from the riverbank below the Royal Palace in Luang Prabang one late-year morning. The Monsoon, one of an elegant couple of boats from Mekong Kingdoms’ flotilla, nosed out into the Mekong flow as we headed on our downstream journey.

We settled into the ample day beds, all taupe bases with lime green dividers and cushions colored in pops of tangerine, rose pink, and sunflower yellow. At

35 meters long, she’s a lean beauty, and fitted with huge, deep rectangular window frames for panoramic views and watching life on the river.

Looking back to the ancient former royal capital we spied the crowded glossy greenery which provides cover for temples and monks and shophouses and dreamy hotels but caught glimpses of raised roofs and stupas as our distance from the city grew. The golden glint of the stupa on Mount Phousi flashed in the morning sunlight like a lighthouse emitting signals to the faithful.

As the Luang Prabang peninsula disappeared from sight, and evidence of the taming of land and jungle for human life vanished, the river grew wider and its banks grew wilder. Towering chiseled limestone

31

karst, flanked by rampant forest, created a funnel. The air chilled. We zipped from side to side, in the wide chocolatey flow, and reached for pretty patterned blankets.

Coffee and banana chips were served to keep us warm.

Deeper into our journey the shaggy trees of emerald, lime, and celadon green flecked with a mustard hue took on a more disheveled look and tangled vines appeared like a huge spider’s web. Then tiny slopes of riverbank and banana plant fronds appeared, evidence of locals managing to manicure slithers of ancient forest. It was a sign we were close to our landing point where a bulbous buffalo was sunk deep at the water’s edge, checking out his reflection in the water.

We were met by a tuk-tuk driver who drove us through villages festooned with poinsettia and past plots of paddy fields nourishing rice. We’d arrived at Laos’ famous Kouang Si Waterfalls before many of the crowds. Wandering past the informative exhibits at the Bear Rescue Sanctuary from Free the Bears we, like so many others before us, were completely startled by the bright blue water which lies at the base of the area’s many pools. Get there at the right time of day, and it still feels like discovering a secret Lost World. Snow white water falls over tiered rocks dressed in lush foliage. It’s all supremely picturesque and draws swimmers, photographers, hikers, and families on picnics who

1

left: The Nomad boat glides on the Mekong 1. Canapes and champagne make for a perfect cruise in the cozy Nomad boat 2. Guests relaxing on the Monsoon boat 3. The Monsoon boat heading out to catch the sunset

can’t get enough of the blue hue of the cascading pools – said to be due to a magical combination of sunlight reflecting off water in the terraces layered with calcium carbonate.

After a hike to the top of the main falls and down the other side we were hungry for lunch.

It was prepared for us on board the Monsoon: a salad of quail eggs on a baguette was followed by piles of bright mango, pink dragonfruit, and melon. After our fill, we returned to the day beds, which held greater appeal on the return journey.

We found ourselves lulled into a snooze by the movement of the boat, the warmth of the sun, the memory of the falls, and the small pirogues puttering about midstream.

2

3

MAY / JUNE 2020

32

TRAVEL

1

1. The swanky Play boat is perfect for working and playing 2. Champagne from Play's full bar 3. A bar with a view on the Play boat 4. The rear lounge on Play is glassed in and air-conditioned 5. The relaxing colorful feel of the Monsoon boat

2

3 4

5

湄公河王国

流行的老挝游轮 翻译 : 航 图片：湄公河王国

季风号是来自湄公河王国船队的几对优雅船只之一，我们团队乘游轮从琅 勃拉邦出发，沿湄公河向下游游览。我们在船上五颜六色的躺椅上放松休 息。该船长35米，可欣赏到河上的广阔全景。

回首古老的前首都，我们看到了郁郁葱葱的绿色，以及其覆盖下的寺

庙，僧侣，商店和酒店。船只渐行渐远，只能瞥见高架的屋顶和佛塔。清晨，阳 光笼罩下的普西山佛塔闪着金光，像一座灯塔正在向他的忠实信徒发出信 号。

随着琅勃拉邦半岛在视野里消失，人类生命的迹象仿佛也随之蒸发了，

然而夹在高耸的凿岩山之间的河流和河岸都仿佛变得越来越宽。空气变凉 了。我们盖上漂亮毯子，喝着咖啡，吃着炸香蕉片，暖和多了。

随着旅程的深入，我们看到河岸上有许多树木，而缠结的藤蔓就像是

巨大的蜘蛛网。河岸边出现斜坡和香蕉树园。水牛泡在水里观察者自己的倒 影。这表明我们接近着陆点了。

一辆嘟嘟车司机接上我们驶过村庄和稻田。我们到达了老挝著名的光

西瀑布。像我们前面的许多人一样，我们穿过 以“给小熊以自由”为主题的小

熊避难所，参观了信息丰富的关于解救当地小熊的展览。随后，展现在我们 面前的蓝湖把我们惊呆了。到达那里，感觉就像是发现了一个秘密的迷失世

界。湛蓝的水流洒落在茂密的树叶覆盖的分层岩石上。风景如画，吸引了游 泳者，摄影师，远足者和野餐的家庭。

徒步爬过主瀑布的顶部到达另一侧之后，我们有些饿了。季凤号游览船

上已经为我们准备好了午餐：法式长棍面包，鹌鹑蛋沙拉，新鲜芒果，粉红色

的火龙果和甜瓜。吃饱之后，我们回到了躺椅上，返程时感觉更加舒适。小船 轻轻在水流中晃动，阳光暖暖的洒在身上，秋天的记忆时而被穿梭在河中的 渔船“闯入”，我们甜甜的睡着了。

有关更多信息或预订，请访问：mekongkingdoms.com 到达：老挝航空每天都有从清迈，曼谷，河内，万象和暹粒市到琅勃拉邦的航班。

34

STYLE

BRING IN THE LAOS, BRING IN THE FUNK Bangkok’s most stylish Lao restaurant leaving tongues wagging.

TEXT BY VANIDA PHIMPHRACHANH & JASON ROLAN PHOTOGRAPHS BY FUNKY LAM / CAMILLA DAVIDSSON

F

above: For the wine list, Veronica Saurus created an illustration based on a Lao record from the 1960s. Inside there is even a real vinyl record. right: Traditional Lao food served with a modern twist

unky Lam Kitchen is an inspiring modern-retro Lao pop-up restaurant in Bangkok’s Thonglor district launched by Sanya Souvanna Phouma and Saya Na Champasak and is leading the way in the city’s culinary scene. Growing up in Laos, they inherited the rich cooking tradition of the country, which they have gone on to develop, enhance, and reinvent – with a dash of funk and fun, like electrified twangs of popular molam music. Patrons, often familiar with food from Thailand’s northeastern Isan region, do not always realize that staples such as fiery papaya salad, herb-infused mincemeat laap, and sticky rice actually entered the area from Laos.

The space is decorated by Philippe Bramaz of Pagoda & Co, a furniture design outfit, and Veronica Guarino, an illustrator known as Veronosaurus.

Veronica handpainted bamboo curtains imported from Laos with illustrations of vintage shop signs of a hairdresser, a dentist, and a record shop inspired from signs that once hung in the streets of Vientiane and Luang Prabang in the 1950s and 1960s. Veronica explains that “before printing technology was widespread and accessible, people used to hire artists to paint signs over their shops with literal depictions of what they sold or what service they offered.” She also painted the 8-meter crocodile seen across the window shades, which was inspired by Lao folklore beliefs that they are guardian spirits of the lakes and waterways.

35

MAY / JUNE 2020

37

1

In blending the old and new in unique ways, at Funky Lam Kitchen you can find the iconic Pou Nyeu and Nya Nyeu ancestor spirits of Luang Prabang around a ping kai grilled chicken served with a padaek fermented fish sauce guacamole. The mini cleavers often used in cooking are here to cut the chicken before serving so that the Lao meal is easy to share with the table. Here, as in traditional Lao cuisine, the fingers are used to ball up sticky rice and grab, dip, and spread, along with khai phen, deepfried Mekong river weed.

3 2 left: An 8-meter crocodile from Lao legend across the restaurant's bamboo blinds 1. A replica of a Lao tailor shop sign from an bygone era 2. The red neon sign brings a retro feel 3. Luang Prabang ancestor spirits decorating the table (Photo 2 & 3 by Camilla Davidsson camilladavidsson.com)

MAY / JUNE 2020

38

STYLE

1

Funky Lam pops up nightly inside Luka Moto cafe from 18:00–23:00. Enjoy the creative visual references to Laos, from the curly font of the red neon Funky Lam sign and chair covers sporting Lao characters. For Sanya, the reasoning to fit a modern-retro Lao restaurant inside of a vintage motorbike cafe, he just quotes Anthony Bourdain “Motorbike: the only way to see this part of the world. The thick, unmoving air. The smell past rice paddies. Water buffalo. What feels like another century. Laos is the kind of place that can easily capture your heart and not let you go.”

1. A full spread at Funky Lam 2. Chairs adorned with letters from the Lao alphabet

MORE INFO Funky Lam Kitchen is located on Thonglor Soi 11 in Bangkok funkylamkitchen.com

Other inspiring places curated

by Sanya: Maggie Choo, Sing Sing, Cactus, and Siri House.

Saya has launched the first Thai food delivery service in Paris, Thai At Home

2

The perfect encounter between primitive and pure

SNAPSHOT

THE

ROCK VIEWPOINT

AT

PHOU PHA MARN PHOTOGRAPHS BY PHOONSAB THEVONGSA TEXT BY JASON ROLAN

P

reviously only a quick stopover and photo op on Khammouane’s famous loop, Phou Pha Marn has now been sustainably revamped by Green Discovery to allow visitors the opportunity to get closer to these unique limestone crags. Now rebranded as The Rock Viewpoint at Phou Pha Marn, and sporting a breezy modern branch of the famous Khop Chai Deu restaurant, the area is now becoming very well known for the easy zipline and via ferrata course set among the karsts.

44

SNAPSHOT

1

3

2

1. Ziplines are hung between limestone cliffs. Here a tourist glides along the zipline, taking in the spectacular aerial views.

2. Moving from base to base, visitors are suspended several hundred meters above the valley floor.

3. Several suspension bridges are also used to traverse between the mountains, offering unparalleled views of limestone landscapes.

4. Safety is a top priority at The Rock Viewpoint at Phou Pha Marn, so guests must wear a helmet, gloves, and also remain clipped to a support wire.

4

MAY / JUNE 2020

Unique to Laos is The Rock Viewpoint’s spectacular spider web bridge

MAY / JUNE 2020

48

SNAPSHOT

1. This area is a National Protected Area with unique flora to enjoy. In the early mornings, there is even a chance to spot dusky langurs moving about the rocks.

2. An aerial photo of the final base of the course offers a good view of the spider web bridge, as well.

3. The Rock Viewpoint at Phou Pha Marn has a sunset option for late afternoon visits when the golden rays of sunshine offer even more spectacular photos of the area.

49

2

1

3

MAY / JUNE 2020

50

AGRIBUSINESS

RHUM

DEAL

A new entrant on the Lao beverage scene is truly top shelf.

TEXT BY MELODY KEMP PHOTOGRAPHS BY PHOONSAB THEVONGSA avove: Wooden casks give flavor to the rhum 1. Crushed sugarcane stalks are used to power other parts of the factory 2. Sugarcane growing near the factory 3. The range of LAODI products 4. Distilling equipment at LAODI

A

group of cows came trotting up the road towards us. They all looked remarkably sober, so I surmised we were still short of our target: the LAODI distillery, makers of rhum. I was right. We had another half hour’s travel ahead.

We arrived just before our host, Ms. Anna Sichanthavong, an engaging woman who took obvious delight in showing us how their elixir is made. A Filipino family had accompanied her. They revealed they were collectors, and the patriarch was realizing his long-held ambition of having a set of LAODI bottles, I assume along with their contents.

“I have over 4000 bottles,” he announced. “So who dusts them?” I asked.

“Me, I don’t trust anyone else,” he replied.

Is rhum the same as rum? It’s a special variety. Normal rum is made from fermenting molasses, while rhum is produced from sugar cane juice, yielding a lighter flavor.

The distillery itself is quite diminutive for a place that churns out so much really excellent rhum, and in this age of environmental awareness, they are proud of the fact that the whole process is eco-friendly.

No agricultural chemicals are used and the bagasse, or residue of the crushing, is dried and used to fire the machinery, reducing the need for fossil fuels. Water from the nearby Mekong River ensures that the sugar crop is not contaminated with salt.

Enter Ikozu Inoue, with his wonderfully wizened laughter and exacting enthusiasm for the products of the distillery. In 2016 after being inspired by the local Lao hooch, Inoue saw the possibilities of using

51

the tradition and skills used in producing lao lao or lao khao. But being a man who enjoys challenges, he saw the desirability of taking that process a few steps further.

His first product was the classic white rhum which takes six to twelve months to mature. Later by changing and balancing the ingredients, LAODI now produces a range of rich multi-layered rhums with quintessentially Asian flavors, such as coconut, passionfruit, and coffee.

After a few experiments, LAODI rhum came to fruition but not finalization. Inoue is not yet finished. The innovation goes on.

Inoue established LAODI as the materialization of his many dreams of brewing.

The company continues to be innovative.

Some of those works in progress were available to taste, while another sits simmering in a wooden barrel under close scrutiny.

Being sugar-based, I thought that the liquor would be too sweet for my taste.

After a few small glasses, I can attest to the fact that the balance is just right. The name suits. It is called LAODI (good Lao) as it is very tasty.

Lao tradition has not been entirely abandoned. A tour of the distillery reveals signature lines of clay jars sealed with cotton fabric used to mature the traditional Lao drink. They have not eschewed that tradition, but are instead refining it.

He maintains his role as a part-time teacher at Japan’s Fukuyama University while establishing a Brewing Training

1 2

3

GETTING THERE The Distillery is a 1.5 hour trip out of Vientiane through farm and industrial landscapes and rural markets. A tour lasts about an hour and is free, at the moment.

MORE INFO You can organize a visit through their Facebook page: facebook.com/rhumlaodi Or visit their sunset bar on Vientiane’s riverside near the Mekong River Commission: facebook.com/rumlaodi

4

Center at the LAODI distillery in Laos. The Lao staff assist in manufacturing, experimenting, managing, and monitoring. A set of thermometers nestling in a blue velvet lined box indicated the necessity of controlling the process all the way through.

As with wine, the flavor is enhanced by its period of rest in a wooden barrel. The barrel room was redolent with the smell of the old wood, bringing with them memories of bourbon, pinot noir, and cabernets, while a solitary barrel sat bathed in soft blue light as a tribute perhaps to Bacchus.

Of course, no tour is complete without a tasting. Anna was pleased to offer us some samples.

We tried the experimental brews served from a counter that displayed the many prizes already won by this remarkable young enterprise. Then we retired to the garden to taste the well-established styles. Wow! I came away with three bottles to sip as the sun sinks into the Mekong.

All sales go towards expanding and sustaining this company and continuing to employ local people.

MAY / JUNE 2020

52

AGRIBUSINESS

53

Available @ Flagship Store (Behind WatOngTeu-VTE) @ Settha Palace (VTE) @ toineinbangkok (SO Sofitel BKK) @ Café Mademoiselle (Alliance Française-BKK)

Artisan Designer

18k Gold Jewelry

Vientiane, Lao PDR

Flagship Store in Vientiane

Photo © Mary Jane

54

INSIGHTS

GROWING RELATIONSHIPS Sometimes the best things are found where you least expect them.

A

BY FRANCIS SAVANKHAM

fter the discovery of the Americas, many products were transferred between the old and new worlds. One of the goods with the longest-lasting legacy is tobacco. Making their way to Southeast Asia on trade ships, the plant took root and became a popular cash crop in areas with ideal soil and rainfall, conditions which were embodied by the Mekong river basin of central Laos.

At the forefront of this legacy, stands Deputy Managing Director of Lao Tobacco Limited, Khamphoumy Keophengsy. Mr. Khamphoumy studied economics in Russia in the 1980s and has been working with Lao Tobacco Company, originally as a leaf technician and now as Deputy Managing Director of HR and Leaf Growing, tells us of the industry’s history.

Throughout its history in Laos, smallholder farms had been growing the plants for personal use and in rituals. The smoke also proved to be an enormously effective repellent against insects, which greatly aided farmers as they worked in the fields, especially during the monsoon season.

Commercial farming of tobacco was introduced in the 1950s by the French, which helped build it into an export commodity.

Soon after, the country’s first tobacco company, Bolisat Yasoub Lao , was established by a Chinese businessman in 1958. This remained the only tobacco company through the war years. In 1981,

the company was rebranded as Lao Tobacco Company. It was at this time that it began experimenting with different mixtures of locally grown and imported tobacco, creating several trademarked varieties of products.

A great leap forward was achieved in 2001, when the company became a joint venture between the Lao Government and Coralma International (France) and S3T (Singapore), with the primary focus being to lift rural farmers out of poverty by growing successful cash crops.

Mr. Khamphoumy tells us that twenty years ago, there were approximately 300 families producing 600 tonnes of tobacco per year. Today, country’s entire output has grown fivefold with Lao Tobacco on track to purchasing 1700 tons alone, supporting many local farming famlies in the process.

“We have built very supportive and strong relationships with the best farmers in Laos across eight different provinces,” Mr. Khamphoumy continues.

“They now produce the best tobacco here, so we no longer have to import it from elsewhere.”

55

MAY / JUNE 2020

56

CONNECTIONS

THE

LAO FOOD FOUNDATION Reconnecting through food.

TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHS BY MICK SHIPPEN

above: Participants from America and Laos at gathered for the first Lao Food Foundation event in Luang Prabang 1. Chef Seng Luangrath, flying the flag for Lao cuisine in America 2. Noi Kaewduangdy and Chef Deth Khaiaphone buying food in Luang Prabang’s morning market

T

he shared experience of preparing food and eating together binds us like no other. It is an essential part of our most joyous celebrations, and when friends and family are reunited.

Relationships begin over candlelit dinners; the spurned placate themselves with indulgent sweet treats. Food is also the touchstone of comfort and culture for migrants finding their place in new lands. Many, of course, open restaurants, introducing us to exciting new ingredients, vibrant flavors, and ways of eating.

Interestingly, the wave of migrants that left Laos for America in the late 70s and early 80s kept their kitchen secrets to themselves. At the time, little was known about landlocked Laos, let alone its cuisine, so those with a talent for cooking opened Thai restaurants in their new homeland.

Fast-forward a few decades and it’s true to say there has been a culinary and cultural

awakening within America’s Lao community. As a popular hashtag declares, they are #laoandproud and determined to spread the word about the country’s distinctive and delicious food.

One of the first to emerge was Chef Seng Luangrath. Seng always had a passion for cooking, a skill she learned at a tender age in a refugee camp at Nakhon Phanom, Thailand. However, it wasn’t until 2010, encouraged by friends and family, that she opened the Thai restaurant Bangkok Golden in Washington DC. Despite its success, Seng hungered to shine the spotlight on her own cuisine. She felt that the time was right. People were more well-traveled and open to new food experiences. What’s more, an emerging generation of Lao-Americans was striving to assert their identity. And what better way than through food?

Seng started the Lao Food Movement with the aim of educating Americans who want to learn more about the country and its cuisine. Using social media as its window to the world, it now has more than 17,000 followers on Instagram. More importantly for Seng personally, however,

57

was the decision to reinvent her restaurant from “Bangkok Golden” to “Padaek” and introduce a menu of Lao food.

Another key moment came last year when Seng met up with Channapha Khamvongsa, an inspirational figure who founded Legacies of War, a Washington D.C.-based non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to raising awareness about the history and ongoing effects of the Vietnam War-era bombings in Laos through the use of art, culture, education, and advocacy.

Channapha was looking for a new challenge and seized the opportunity of a growing community of passionate, knowledgeable people in Laos and abroad to organize this retreat. Seng and Channapha wanted participants to exchange ideas about the valuable role of Lao food in the lives, culture, and economy of Laotian people everywhere.

In February 2020, chefs and leading figures committed to promoting and preserving Lao cuisine gathered in Luang Prabang for the inaugural event, the Lao Food Foundation Retreat. Over seven days, Lao-Americans and locals joined lively discussions, made field trips to farm and food producers, and cooked and dined in restaurants.

Key members of the foundation include Dr. Phitsamay Sychitkokhong Uy, associate professor at the College of Education and co-director of the Center for Asian American Studies at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. She is also the co-founding director of the Southeast Asian Digital Archive and a research fellow at the Asian American and Pacific Islander

1

2

Research Coalition (ARC). Also on the academic side is Dr. Liza Cariaga-Lo, one of the Lao Food Foundation retreat sponsors and the CEO and Founder of The LCLO Group, which is seeding initiatives in SE Asia focused on the future of work, including Laos. Liza, who is currently completing work on a book about the identity development of Asian Americans, said of the retreat, “Our aim is to support and document the leadership and scholarship in the nascent field of Lao foodways – the how, who, where, why, and when Lao food is prepared.”

Of course, a food retreat would be nothing without chefs. The line-up included Chef Soulayphet ‘Phet’ Schwader, the chef/owner of the critically-acclaimed Khe-Yo in TriBeCa, New York, a restaurant renowned for showcasing modern Lao cuisine, Chef Ann Ahmed, chef/owner of the MAY / JUNE 2020

58

CONNECTIONS

award-winning Lat14 and Lemongrass restaurants in Minnesota, and Chef Deth Khaiaphone who was born in Savannakhet but grew up in San Diego, California. Deth, a consultant for a high-caliber restaurant group in Washington, DC, says "I feel privileged to have grown up influenced by mom and dad, my first cooking teachers, and learn the ethos of lieng, to offer nourishment. Today, I seek to honor the traditions of Lao cuisine while still incorporating modern influences.” Itsara Ounnarath, a retired US Army veteran who established White Tiger Distillery in Forest Hill, Maryland, the only distillery making Lao-style whiskey in the United States, brought his enthusiasm and a bottle of his award-winning whiskey for everyone to try. There were also younger names from Instagram and Youtube channels including Ava Bruin from ‘Cooking Out Lao’ and Saeng Douangdara of ‘I Am Saeng’, both from Los Angeles, with a combined 30,000 social media followers.

On the home front, was Ponpailin ‘Noi’ Kaewduangdy, the owner and chef at Doi Ka Noi restaurant in Vientiane, and her key team member Teh Kaewsuwan. She grew up in a rural subsistence farming community in Khammouane province and inherited her incredible culinary repertoire and knowledge from her grandmother. Noi expanded the visitors’ understanding of Lao cuisine with a fascinating slide show and talk about the numerous foraged and unusual ingredients she uses at her restaurant. Other key participants included the chefs and owners from Vanvisa at the Falls, Kualao, Lao Derm, Le Padaek, Bamboo Tree, Tamarind, Ock Pop Tok, and Panyanivej Organic Farm.

There were many highlights at the Luang Prabang retreat but those that stand out most include a visit to a riverside village to see khai phen river weed being harvested, processed and made into sheets, a fantastic lunch at Luang Prabang

1

1. Traditional northern Lao dishes served at Vanvisa at the Falls 2. Dr. Phitsamay Sychitkokhong Uy interviewing Teh Kaewsuwan from Doi Ka Noi about Lao food and culture 3. Sheets of khai phen river weed drying in the sun 4. Chef ‘Phet’ Schwader from Khe-Yo, New York

MORE INFO The Lao Food Foundation: Instagram: @laofoodfoundation Lao Food Movement: Instagram: @laofoodmovement Luang Prabang Bio Bamboo: luangprabang-biobamboo.com Doi Ka Noi restaurant: Facebook: DoiKaNoi / Instagram: @doikanoi Khe-Yo restaurant: kheyo.com / Instagram: @khe-yo on Cooking Out Lao: Instagram: @cookingoutlao Saeng Douangdara: Instagram: @iamsaeng White Tiger Distillery: wtigerd.com The Lao Food Retreats outstanding itinerary was organized by Volun Tour Laos: voluntourlaos.com

2

NINGXIA JIUBO 3D Technology Co.,Ltd. A research and development company specializing in 3D modeling, 3D printing, panoramic photography, and aviation real scene modeling.

3

Product: Building Information Modeling (BIM) Introduction: An intelligent 3D model-based process to efďŹ ciently plan, design, construct, and manage buildings and infrastructure.

Bio Bamboo that included 14 distinctly different dishes made from bamboo, and a dinner of Doi Ka Noi's fresh, seasonal cuisine cooked by Noi with the assistance of visiting chefs for attendees and invited guests including Mr. Peter Haymond, the new US ambassador to Laos and his wife, Dusadee.

In all, more than 20 attendees at Lao Food Foundation had fun, informative, and inspirational experiences in Luang Prabang. Connections were made, friendships were formed, and everyone was left hungry for more.

Product: 3D Modeling (including 3D printing) Introduction: A digital modeling of real or imagined characters or objects, which can be manipulated in any way.

+8613259589060 (Li Yuanpeng) 1084965690@qq.com 4

60

CONNECTIONS

61

MAY / JUNE 2020

THE SECRET LIVES OF ISLANDS TEXT BY ROSEMARY MURPHY & BOUN SAIYAVONG PHOTOGRAPHS BY SWISSCONTACT / BART VERWEIJ

Photo: Sommith Punyathone

63

T

Cycling along the Mekong on Don Det with Don Khone bungalows visible across the river

ropical islands are curious places, symbolizing for many the ultimate escape – abandoning everyday life for lush, sun-drenched, exotic surreality. For a landlocked country, Laos is surprisingly rich in islands. In the south, the Mekong swells to 14km wide, revealing a riverine archipelago, the Si Phan Don, or 4000 Islands. Only a few are inhabited, and 4000 may not be entirely accurate.

But from my riverside table in Paradise, a restaurant on Don Det serving a spicy fish soup, fragrant with lemongrass and fresh pineapple, I count 8, ranging from the minute, essentially just big rocks, to those large enough to host several villages.

I’ve visited Don Khone and Don Det, the most popular tourist destinations, several times now and keep returning. I love the ease of getting here, enjoying entire days outdoors, and becoming a regular at my favorite cafés (try Chez Fred and Lea and Somphamit Guesthouse). And I love cycling the breezy trails tracing the islands’ perimeters. The narrow, well-worn routes are like a portal back to childhood, exploring pine-needled paths in the woods of Nova Scotia. In Si Phan Don, the sandy paths are bordered by palm trees, and fragrant with tropical flowers, mango, jackfruit, and tamarind trees, but the feeling is the same; an easy, almost blissful state, marveling at each little wonder encountered en route.

Helpful cycling maps, posted on the islands and easily downloaded, illustrate the available routes, marking guesthouses, restaurants, and attractions – where to catch the boat to see endangered Irrawaddy dolphins, the best views, swimming spots, and which paths are shaded or not – crucial information when the sun hits full strength. There is always a spot nearby to rehydrate with a fresh coconut and should you encounter bike trouble, someone is always happy to help.

My advice? Test out a few different bicycles – there are many on offer for as little as 10,000 kip per day.

Rent your bike for several days at a time, avoiding the hassle of returning it each night or hustling to claim it again the next morning. Hop on and relax, following well-worn laneways through sleepy villages of stilted houses and tidy kitchen gardens, past the rice fields, and through dense jungle with leaves bigger than your head and vines like boa constrictors. You’ll encounter chickens, cows, buffalo, dogs, tuk-tuks and motorbikes, perhaps a mobile Lao party blasting traditional music; but no cars, no ATMs. Too hot? Head for the shade huts at Li Phi Falls. Stretch out on colorful mats, sip a fruit shake, grab a bite, and dart down to the gold-flecked sandy beach for a dip. Settle yourself somewhere lovely for sunset.

MAY / JUNE 2020

64

SOUTHERN LAOS

1

The sky explodes in color: fiery oranges, pinks, and mauves mirrored in the water where children splash and bathe as their parents wash clothes in the river.

The Mekong is the lifeblood of the archipelago; the source of food and livelihoods, the means of transportation and connection, but it also defines the island’s limits.

Island life is a closed loop – the ultimate microcosm – one becomes keenly aware of self-sufficiency, and its opposite. Just as anything not produced on the island must be brought in by boat, anything that can’t be consumed or reused must be shipped out again. Where potable water doesn’t flow from taps, plastic bottles are ubiquitous, so it’s heartening to see free water bottle refill stations popping up. So far, 14 hotels and restaurants have set up stations as part of Southern Laos’ Refill Not Landfill campaign. Here’s hoping they inspire everyone to carry reusable bottles and help preserve the 4000 Island’s Arcadian charm.

If you wish to delve deeper into everyday life on a real tropical island, I highly recommend the half-day River Life Experience tour ($50/person). Weaving our way upriver between islands, 40-minutes fly by as our guide, Mr. Jay, describes life on Don Loppardi, our destination. We disembark at Nakhone Noi, one of the island’s main villages, greeted by colorful stupas and energetic children. Mr. Jay leads us through the tranquil temple grounds explaining tasks assigned to novices like the saffron-bundled

GETTING THERE Lao Airlines has regular flights to Pakse from Vientiane, Luang Prabang, and Bangkok.

Nakasong is located 144km south of Pakse.

Buses depart daily from Pakse to Nakasong.

Taxis are available through many travel companies in Pakse.

In Nakasong, boat taxis depart for Don Det and Don Khone and tickets can be purchased at the pier.

boy napping in the shade. We continue our way through the village, encountering several unique characters in the colorful, close-knit community.

The village chief plays electric piano outside a shop offering everything from construction materials to buffalo skin jerky. Mr. Air explains the alchemical trick of turning sticky rice into potent but surprisingly smooth Lao Lao whiskey with samples given! Mama Bounmee, deftly weaves complex and colorful sticky rice baskets, while conversing and directing activity, rarely glancing at the bamboo strips in her expert hands.

She slows down so I can attempt weaving a few bands too. And I finally learn how to cook sticky rice, tossing the glutinous grains in their elegant steamer basket.

We return to water’s edge to try traditional fishing techniques; tossing handmade gill nets weighted with chains and cleaned to near-invisible with fermented tamarind shells. We even catch a baby pufferfish! Digestion primed with a few shots of Lao Lao whiskey, we feast on barbecued fish, including a few tiny ones we’d plucked from the river, the sticky rice we made, and spicy papaya salad. I asked Mr. Jay, whose thoughtful interpretation added so much to our experience, what was most meaningful to him about island life, he responded immediately, “number one for me, seeing the way of living of the local people.

They make so many things for themselves from nature, their skill is amazing.” Heading back downriver, I feel exceptionally lucky to have had such genuine and illuminating encounters with the very real people living their everyday lives on the islands of our tropical fantasies.

Photo: Rosemary Murphy

MORE INFO Find Southern Laos’ refill sites at refilltheworld.com or get the RefillMyBottle app Download 4000 Island’s cycling maps at southern-laos.com The River Life Experience directly compensates the villagers for their time and expertise, and can be booked by contacting Green Paradise (with Mr. Jay), at greenparadisetours99@gmail.com, phone: (856-31) 214 842, mobile: (856-20) 9953 3939, or Wonderful Tours at (+856 (0) 20 9759 8666).

Scan the qr code for more info

2

Photo: Sommith Punyathone

3

P

ho to :

Ro sem ary Murphy

4

1. The French Bridge linking Don Det and Don Khone 2. Hammocks overlooking the Mekong at Don Det tourist bungalows 3. Mama Bounmee demonstrates how to cook sticky rice, Don Loppardi 4. Mr Jay, tour guide, and Mr. Serm, boat man with Green Paradise 5. Mekong Puffer Fish, aka Pignose Pufferfish or Arrowhead Pufferfish 6. Cyclists surveying the cycling map at Don Khone

6

Photo: Sommith Punyathone

5

66

SOUTHERN LAOS

小岛上的秘密生活

湄公河是群岛的命脉，实物和供给的来源，交通和联系的渠

道，同时，它也定义了岛屿的的范围。

翻译 : 航 图片来源：SWISSCONTACT / BART VERWEIJ

热带岛屿是神奇的地方，这里象征着逃亡的终点。对于一

更多信息：

达14公里，展现出一条岛屿裙带--西潘敦群岛，也有人称

找到老挝南部的蓄水站，也可以下载

个内陆国家，老挝拥有众多岛屿。 在南部，湄公河宽度可 之为四千美岛。 岛屿上鲜有人居住，4000 也不是一个准 确的数字。但是从我坐在唐德岛（Don Det）岛河边，数到

了8座小岛，有的小几乎看不出岛，也有的大到可以容纳 几座村庄。

最受欢迎的Don Khone和Don Det岛，我去了几

次，并且总心之向往。我喜欢那里的轻松环境，在户外享

受一整天，去我最爱的咖啡馆。而且，我喜欢沿着小岛蜿

蜒的小径骑行。在Si Phan Don，沙质小径以棕榈树为边

界，空气中飘着热带花卉，芒果，波罗蜜和酸角树的芬芳， 愉悦至极。

骑行地图张贴在岛屿的各处，也可以在网上下载。地

访问www.refilltheworld.com，可以 上找到RefillMyBottle APP

在www.southern-laos.com下载 4000美岛的自行车地图

“河流生活体验”套餐的收益会

直接补偿给村民。 可以通过Green

人乐意为您提供帮助。

我的建议？ 试一下不同的自行车—自行车的租赁费

大概在10000基普每天。 一次可以租用几天的自行车，避免 了每天晚上归还自行车或第二天早晨再去租车的麻烦。沿 着破旧的巷道，穿过昏昏欲睡的小房子和整洁的菜园，穿

过稻田，穿过茂密的丛林， 随处放松。太热？去Li Phi 瀑布 乘凉吧，在色彩缤纷的垫子上舒展身体，吸一大口水果奶

昔，然后去金色的沙滩玩耍，游泳。 日落的时候，随处停下

欣赏，天空的颜色好像大爆炸： 火红的橙色，粉红色和淡紫

色映在水面上，孩子们在水里嬉闹着，父母在河边洗衣服。

产任何东西，都必须用船运进来一样，任何无法消耗或重复使用的

东西都必须再次运出。 在没有饮用水的地方，塑料瓶无处不在，因 此很高兴的看到免费的蓄水站已经开始在岛屿上出现。 到目前为

止，作为老挝南部的“再利用，不填埋垃圾”活动的一部分，已有14 家酒店和餐馆设立了蓄水站。 希望他们能激发大家携带可重复使 用的瓶子，并帮助保护4000岛的自然魅力。

如果您想深入了解一个真正的热带岛屿上的日常生活，我强

烈建议您参加半天的河上生活体验之旅（每人50美元）。杰伊先生，

gmail.com，电话： （856-31）214 842

们沿着岛屿之间的向上游游览，40分钟转瞬即逝。我们在该岛的

子邮件为greenparadisetours99@ 手机： （856 -20）9953 3939，或致电

（+856（0）20 9759 8666）。扫描二 维码以获取更多信息。

我们的向导，想我们介绍我们的目的地Don Loppardi的生活，我 主要村庄之一Nakhone Noi下船，那里色彩缤纷的佛塔和欢闹的 孩子们在等待着我们。杰伊先生带领我们穿过宁静的寺庙，向新手 们讲解寺庙礼仪。我们继续穿过村庄，在村里遇到了几个有意思的

人。村长在一家商店外面弹奏电子琴，商店内销售各种各样的东 西，有建筑材料，也有水牛皮。Air先生向我们讲解了怎样用糯米制

以看到濒临灭绝的伊洛瓦底海豚，观景点，游泳点以及哪

买到新鲜椰子的地方。如果您的自行车遇到问题，总会有

的人则恰恰相反的意识到在社会大熔炉里的重要性。岛上没有生

Paradise（杰伊先生）联系预订，电

图上清楚标记了路线，旅馆，饭店和景点‒在哪里乘船可 些路径比较阴凉，哪些路线阳光灼热。附近总能找到可以

岛屿生活是一个封闭的循

环--最终的缩影是有的人意识到自给自足的生活方式很必要，而有

作浓烈的老挝威士忌，还给我们品尝。Bounmee妈妈巧妙地编织 到达：老挝航空有从万象，琅勃拉邦 和曼谷到巴色的航班。Nakasong位

着五颜六色的糯米篮子。她放慢编制的动作，让我们也尝试编制了 几下。我们还学习了如何用蒸笼煮糯米。

我们回到水边尝试传统的捕鱼技术—将手工网扔到河里。我

于巴色以南144公里。每天都有巴士

天，我们竟然捉到了小河豚！ 又喝了几杯老挝威士忌，我们开始

过巴色的许多旅行社预定出租车。

糯米饭和凉拌青木瓜，酸辣可口。我问杰伊先生，因为他的详细讲

从巴色出发前往Nakasong。 可以通 在Nakasong，乘坐摆渡船前往Don

Det和Don Khone，可以在码头购买 门票。 有抵达巴色的航班。

上图：游客参加“湄公河体验”团

享受美味的烤鱼，包括几条我们自己从河里钓上来的小鱼，就这 解给我们的旅途增加了很有乐趣和知识，但我也很好奇，岛屿上 的生活中对他来说最重要的部分是什么。他立即回答： “ 对我来

说占第一位的事看到了当地人民的生活方式。 他们从自然界的

馈赠为自己创造了很多东西，他们的技能令人赞叹。” 回到路上， 我感到非常幸运，能够看到真正在热带岛屿上生活着的真真切切 人们。

Lao Airlines Updates

LAO AIRLINES NEWS | AIRLINE PARTNERS FLIGHT ROUTES | OFFICES

70

FLIGHT ROUTES

WIN INTERNATIONAL ROUTE / ເສັ້ນທາງລະຫວ�າງປະເທດ DAY

DEP.

ARR.

FLIGHT NO.

A/C

ຊຽງຮຸ�ງ

LUANGPRABANG > JINGHONG Th Su

10:30

-

12:30

QV811

07:40

-

Transit (VTE) Arr. 08:25

PAKSE

13:25

QV535

09:25

09:45

1

ບາງກອກ -

10:55

QV223

AT7

0

ໂຮຈີມິນ -

11:20

QV515

DOMESTIC AT7 0 ROUTES

ສຽມຣຽບ

> SIEMREAP

SAVANNAKHET

A320

DAY

D

ຊຽງຮຸ�ງ Th Su

1

ສິງກະໂປ W F Su

14

Transit (VTE) Arr

> HO CHI MINH T Th S

0

Dep. 09:30

> BANGKOK M W F S Su

AT7

ສິງກະໂປ

> SINGAPORE W F Su

S.

ບາງກອກ M W F S Su

11

ໂຮຈີມິນ T Th S

12

ສຽມຣຽບ

Daily

13:00

-

14:00

QV513

AT7

0

Daily

14

T Th

08:55

-

09:55

QV511

AT7

0

T Th

10

ບາງກອກ

> BANGKOK M W F S Su

08:25

-

Transit (PKZ) Arr. 08:55

10:55

QV223

AT7

1

Dep. 09:25

ບາງກອກ M W F S Su

1

Transit (PKZ) Arr

DOMESTIC ROUTE / ເສັ້ນທາງພາຍໃນປະເທດ DAY

VIENTIANE FLIGHT ROUTES

DEP.

ARR.

FLIGHT NO.

A/C

S.

ຫຼວງພະບາງ

> LUANGPRABANG

DAY

D

ຫຼວງພະບາງ

Daily

09:10

-

10:00

QV111

AT7

0

M T Th S

07

Daily

11:30

-

12:15

QV101

A320

0

W F Su

07

T W Th S Su 13:00

-

13:45

QV105

A320

0

Daily

13

T W Th S Su

14

M T Th S

17:00

-

17:45

QV103

A320

0

M W F Su

18

W F Su

17:00

-

17:45

QV536

A320

0

T Th S

18

> LUANGNAMTHA

ຫຼວງນ�້າທາ

ຫຼວງນ�້າທາ

LAO AIRLINES OFFICES

INTERNATIONAL OFFICES

DOMESTIC OFFICES

Bangkok

Vientiane (VTE)

Town Office 491/17 ground Fl, Silom Plaza, Silom Road, Bangkok 10500, Thailand Tel: (66-2) 236 9822 / (66-2) 236 9823 / (66-2) 237 8044 Fax: (66-2) 236 9821 Email: bkkrrqv@ksc.th.com Suvarnabhumi Airport 2nd Floor of AOB building, Room No. Z010 Tel: (66-2) 134 2006 to 2008 Fax: (66-2) 134 2009

Chiangmai

2/107 Ratchaphruek, Huaykaew Road, Amphoe Muang, Chiangmai 50300, Thailand Tel: (66-53) 223 401, Fax: (66-53) 223 400 Email: qvcnx@loxinfo.co.th

Hanoi

03 Lieu Giai Str, Hanoi, Vietnam Tel: (84-4) 394 25362, Fax: (84-4) 394 25363 Email: laoairlines.han@fpt.vn / qvhan@laoairlines.com

Hochiminh

11A Song Da, Dist Tan Binh, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Tel: (84) 912 070 045 Email: qvsgn@laoairlines.com

Ticketing and Reservation Office Tel: (856-21) 212051-54 or 1626 Email: vtersqv@laoairlines.com / vtessqv@laoairlines.com onlinebooking@laoairlines.com Airport Offices Tel: (856-21) 513032

Luang Prabang (LPQ)

Town Office Tel: (856-71) 212172, Fax: (856-71) 212406 Email: lpqssqv@laoairlines.com Airport Office Tel: (856-71) 212173, Fax: (856-71) 252264 Email: lpa@laoairlines.com

Xiengkhouang (XKH)

Town Office Tel: (856-61) 312027, Fax: (856-61) 312487 Email: xkh@laoairlines.com Airport Office Tel: (856-61) 312177

Luang Namtha (LXG)

Phnompenh

58 B Sihanouk Avenue, Phnompenh, Cambodia Tel: (855-23) 222956 / (855-23) 216 563, Fax: (855-23) 216 563 Email: laoairlines.qvpnh@online.com.kh

Town Office Luangnamtha rd., Nongbouavieng Village, Luangnamtha Province Tel: (856-86) 212072 / 212186, Fax: (856-86) 212073 Email: lxg@laoairlines.com Airport Office Tel: (856-86) 312180, 312053

Siem Reap

Oudomsay (ODY)

N.C10,C12, Angkor Shopping Acade National Road 6, Kruos Village, Svay Dangkum Commune, Siem Reap Province, Cambodia Tel: (855-63) 963169, Fax: (855-63) 963 283 | Skype ID: helpdesk_qvrep Email: qvreptkt@laoairlines.com

Kunming

No52 East Dong Feng Road, Kunming Yunnan, China Tel: (86-871) 63125748 / (86)-13987182913 Email: Kunming@laoairlines.com

Guangzhou

Room 1208,12 floor, Main tower, Guangdong International Building, 339 Huanshi Dong Road, Guangzhou, China P.C: 510098 Tel: (8620) 838 840 85, Fax: (8620) 838 840 95 Email: canqv@laoairlines.com

Jing Hong

Ground Floor King Land Hotel, 6 Jing De Road, Jing Hong Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China Tel: (86-692) 12199515 / (0086) 13988136962 Fax: (86-692) 12199515 Email: qvjhg@laoairlines.com

Seoul

Gwang Hwa Mun Centre Point Building 5F31SaeMunAn-Ro 5-gil (Doryum-dong 65) Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea Tel: (82-2) 6262-0808,0809,0810 / (82-2) 6262-0800,0811,0822 / (82-2) 6262-0819 Fax: (82-2) 6262-0844 Email: ticketing.sel@laoairlines.com

Tel: (856-81) 312047, 312146, Fax: (856-81) 212229 Email: ody@laoairlines.com

Savannakhet (ZVK)

Dongdamdouan Village, Khaysonephomvihane District, Savannakhet Province Tel: (856-41) 212140, 252198, Fax: (856-41) 251060 Email: zvk@laoairlines.com

Pakse (PKZ)

11 Road, Phatthana Lakmueng Village, Pakse District, Champasak Province Tel: (856-31) 212252, Fax: (856-31) 212751 Email: pkz@laoairlines.com

71

HOT LINE

74

LAO AIRLINES PARTNERS

WIN INTERNATIONAL ROUTE / ເສັ້ນທາງລະຫວ�າງປະເທດ DAY

DEP.

ARR.

FLIGHT NO.

A/C

ຊຽງຮຸ�ງ

LUANGPRABANG > JINGHONG Th Su

10:30

-

12:30

QV811

07:40

-

Transit (VTE) Arr. 08:25

PAKSE

13:25

QV535

09:25

09:45

1

ບາງກອກ -

10:55

QV223

AT7

0

ໂຮຈີມິນ -

11:20

QV515

AT7

0

ສຽມຣຽບ

> SIEMREAP

SAVANNAKHET

A320

DAY

D

ຊຽງຮຸ�ງ Th Su

1

ສິງກະໂປ W F Su

14

Transit (VTE) Arr

> HO CHI MINH T Th S

0

Dep. 09:30

> BANGKOK M W F S Su

AT7

ສິງກະໂປ

> SINGAPORE W F Su

S.

ບາງກອກ M W F S Su

11

ໂຮຈີມິນ T Th S

12

ສຽມຣຽບ

Daily

13:00

-

14:00

QV513

AT7

0

Daily

14

T Th

08:55

-

09:55

QV511

AT7

0

T Th

10

ບາງກອກ

> BANGKOK M W F S Su

08:25

-

Transit (PKZ) Arr. 08:55

10:55

QV223

AT7

1

Dep. 09:25

ບາງກອກ M W F S Su

1

Transit (PKZ) Arr

DOMESTIC ROUTE / ເສັ້ນທາງພາຍໃນປະເທດ DAY

VIENTIANE

DEP.

ARR.

FLIGHT NO.

A/C

S.

ຫຼວງພະບາງ

> LUANGPRABANG

DAY

D

ຫຼວງພະບາງ

Daily

09:10

-

10:00

QV111

AT7

0

M T Th S

07

Daily

11:30

-

12:15

QV101

A320

0

W F Su

07

T W Th S Su 13:00

-

13:45

QV105

A320

0

Daily

13

T W Th S Su

14

M T Th S

17:00

-

17:45

QV103

A320

0

M W F Su

18

W F Su

17:00

-

17:45

QV536

A320

0

T Th S

18

> LUANGNAMTHA

ຫຼວງນ�້າທາ

ຫຼວງນ�້າທາ

ຍງ່ິບນ ິ ຫາຼຍ, ຍງ່ິມສ ີ ດ ິ ທພ ິ ເິສດຫາຼຍ

*:

*

6

*

ຮ�ານອາຫານ ປູຄຳ

ສາລາ ສະປາ ແຄມນ້ຳ

Riversi de Sala Spa

Restaurant du Crabe d’Or

www.riversidevangvieng.com

Facebook.com/Riversidevangvieng

info@riversidevangvieng.com

T +856 (0) 23 511 726-8