Ban Xang Hai Village (the Whiskey Village)
The village is located on the banks of the Mekong River, upriver from Luang Prabang. Here you can see the process of making lao-Lao, the country’s beloved rice whiskey second only to BeerLao in popularity. It’s impressive how rudimentary and traditional the method is, still using an open fire and earthen jars. Lao-Lao is an integral part of Lao culture. It’s used in important blessing ceremonies and you will likely be offered a shot of the firewater (or a large glass!) in a village visit, no matter what time of day. Accepting a shot or even a sip is a sure way to make fast friends with the locals. It’s also a sure way of instantly growing chest hairs. source: www.travelfish.org
The village is located on the banks of the Mekong River, upriver from Luang Prabang. Here you can see the process of making lao-Lao, the country’s beloved rice whiskey second only to BeerLao in popularity. It’s impressive how rudimentary and traditional the method is, still using an open fire and earthen jars. Lao-Lao is an integral part of Lao culture. It’s used in important blessing ceremonies and you will likely be offered a shot of the firewater (or a large glass!) in a village visit, no matter what time of day. Accepting a shot or even a sip is a sure way to make fast friends with the locals. It’s also a sure way of instantly growing chest hairs. source: www.travelfish.org
Ban Xang Khong Village
specialised for many years in manufacturing and selling products made from silk and Saa Paper (paper made from the bark of the Mulberry Tree). There are also 3 magnificent pagodas to be seen (Wat Sang khong, Wat Nong Sai, Wat Xieng Lek), which are amongst the oldest in Luang Prabang and are made up of beautifully renovated buildings and a stupa (mound-like structure), which has been kept in its original state. In the last temple, lives one of the eldest and most venerable and persons of the town (he is nearly 70 years old, and has been a bonze since the age of 14). source: www.luangprabang-laos.com
specialised for many years in manufacturing and selling products made from silk and Saa Paper (paper made from the bark of the Mulberry Tree). There are also 3 magnificent pagodas to be seen (Wat Sang khong, Wat Nong Sai, Wat Xieng Lek), which are amongst the oldest in Luang Prabang and are made up of beautifully renovated buildings and a stupa (mound-like structure), which has been kept in its original state. In the last temple, lives one of the eldest and most venerable and persons of the town (he is nearly 70 years old, and has been a bonze since the age of 14). source: www.luangprabang-laos.com
Houayfay Village
Khmu Village
also commonly written as Khamu or Kammu – are thought to be the original inhabitants of Laos, having migrated from Indonesia hundreds of centuries ago. Today, the Khmu represent the largest ethnic minority group in Laos with over 600,000 people residing predominantly in the north. The practice of totemic ancestry (smta) differentiates the Khmu from other ethnic groups in Laos. Named after plants or animals, these totem symbols distinguish patrilineal family lines, which dictate social structure and family life. Spiritual beliefs. The Khmu believe in animism, the idea that objects and phenomena, such as the home and nature, have spirits. There are two kinds of spirits according to the Khmu: those that reside in the village and those that reside in nature. Much of life’s occurrences are believed to be the work of spirits – good health means spirits are watching over you; illness means spirits are working against you. To maintain the balance between the human and spiritual worlds, the Khmu perform rituals, or trnual. Even the cultivation of rice, an important staple in Khmu culture, depends on spirits. The process of harvesting rice is steered by rituals and ceremonies to rice spirits. more at: fairtrek.org/programs/7-villages
also commonly written as Khamu or Kammu – are thought to be the original inhabitants of Laos, having migrated from Indonesia hundreds of centuries ago. Today, the Khmu represent the largest ethnic minority group in Laos with over 600,000 people residing predominantly in the north. The practice of totemic ancestry (smta) differentiates the Khmu from other ethnic groups in Laos. Named after plants or animals, these totem symbols distinguish patrilineal family lines, which dictate social structure and family life. Spiritual beliefs. The Khmu believe in animism, the idea that objects and phenomena, such as the home and nature, have spirits. There are two kinds of spirits according to the Khmu: those that reside in the village and those that reside in nature. Much of life’s occurrences are believed to be the work of spirits – good health means spirits are watching over you; illness means spirits are working against you. To maintain the balance between the human and spiritual worlds, the Khmu perform rituals, or trnual. Even the cultivation of rice, an important staple in Khmu culture, depends on spirits. The process of harvesting rice is steered by rituals and ceremonies to rice spirits. more at: fairtrek.org/programs/7-villages