Wisit prabang biography

At Khiri, we’re all about Tourism for Good and using travel to benefit local communities, and the best thing tourists can do now for places like Luang Prabang is to go there and spend some money. Everybody in the town is suffering – I estimated that, along the town’s main drag, probably 75% of businesses (hotels, spas, bars, restaurants, travel agents et al) were shuttered, many never to reopen. One local I spoke to told me that business owners usually sign long leases and pay for them up front with bank loans, so the disappearance of tourists has been an absolute disaster for them.

My business certainly felt a lot more appreciated by hoteliers, restaurateurs, night market stallholders etc than on previous visits, and I had a genuine sense that I was playing a part, albeit a fairly small one (I’m not one of the world’s biggest spenders!) in helping Luang Prabang get back on its feet.

What to Expect:

Start the day with a visit to the heritage information centre, Heuan Chan, a former residence of Lao royal families, followed by a visit to Vat Siphouthabat and Luang Prabang’s National Museum, formerly the Royal Palace, where a collection of personal artefacts of the former Laotian Royal Family is on display. Nearby Wat Mai displays a five-tiered roof that epitomizes the graceful Luang Prabang architectural style. Stop for lunch at a local restaurant in town before heading to visit Wat Xieng Thong – often said to be Luang Prabang’s most beautiful temple. Journey to Kuang Si Falls and enjoy a refreshing dip in the cool turquoise pools. Make a quick stop at the nearby Bear Rescue Centre where they conserve the black bears in the northern part of Laos. Embark on a riverboat trip along the mighty Mekong to visit the famous and sacred Pak Ou Buddha Caves, stopping along the way at Xanghai village where locals produce Lao rice

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