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Encircled by mountains and charmingly situated at the meeting of the Mekong and Khan rivers, the ‘Jewel of the Mekong’ conveys an atmosphere of remote serenity and informal splendour.

The heart of a thriving kingdom for more than a thousand years, it is today a sleepy mixture of ancient temples, cobbled lanes, interesting back streets, French-Indochinese architecture and ochre-coloured colonial buildings. Trees line the streets above the banks of the river where children swim and play, while farmers carefully tend to their tiny, irregular riverside plots of agricultural land. In the mists of dawn, throngs of barefoot orange-robed monks silently make their way from the monasteries to the streets, where locals wait to gain spiritual merit by filling their wooden alms bowls with rice, before disappearing once again into their places of refuge and meditation. Unhurried people drift past stalls of spicy papaya salad, noodles, omelettes and fruit drinks. This is the real Lao, a town with a distinctly village-like feel, but endowed with a historical legacy so rich that it has been designated a World Heritage site.

The main attractions are its historic temple complexes, with about half of the original wats, or temples, built before the French arrived, still standing. The most magnificent is Wat Xieng Thong (Golden City Temple). Nearby is the Royal Palace with its golden-spired stupa, now a museum, and Wat Wisunalat, the oldest continually operating temple in the town. Across the river is Mount Phu Si with several temples on its slopes and a monastery on top, a popular spot for its dazzling views of the gilded spires in the town below at sunset.

A popular excursion is a scenic boat trip past waterfront villages to the nearby Pak Ou caves, filled with Buddha images. Also worth visiting is the picturesque Kuang Si Falls, a beautiful multi-tiered waterfall tumbling over limestone formations with clear turquoise pools below.