Laos Travel GuideActively Exploring Hidden Lands...Feeling the REAL LAOS- July 2, 2008 A lot of travelers come looking for the real Laos, but few know exactly what that is. For about 80% of the population the real Laos is village life, and the best way to really get a feel for how the Lao live is to spend a night or two in a home stay. A home ...http://www.activetravellaos.com/country/?p=67 The National Psyche- July 2, 2008 It&8217;s hard to think of any other country with a population as laid back as Laos. Baw pen nyng (no problem) could be the national motto. On the surface at least, nothing seems to faze the Lao and, especially if you&8217;re arriving from neighbouring China or Vietnam, the national psyche is both enchanting and beguiling. ...http://www.activetravellaos.com/country/?p=63 Lifestyle- July 2, 2008 Maybe it&8217;s because everything closes early, even in the capital, that just about everyone in Laos gets up before 6am. Their day might begin with a quick breakfast, at home or from a local noodle seller, before work. In Lao Loum (lowland Lao ) and other Buddhist areas, the morning also see monk collecting alms, ...http://www.activetravellaos.com/country/?p=68 Politics & The Economy- July 2, 2008 At first glance the politics and economy of Laos seem simple enough: a one- party system is controlled by ageing revolutionaries that themselves have me a new elite, who have the power to control the exploitation of the country&8217;s natural resources, can squash any dissent and cooperate enough with foreign donors to keep the aid ...http://www.activetravellaos.com/country/?p=62 Ethnic Groups- July 2, 2008 Laos is often described as less a nation state than a conglomeration of tribes and languages. And depending on who you talk with, that conglomeration consists of between 49 and 134 different ethnic groups. (The lower figure ii that now used by the government.) While the tribal groups are many and varied, the Lao traditionally divide ...http://www.activetravellaos.com/country/?p=85 Population- July 2, 2008 Laos has one of the lowest population densities in Asia, but the total population has more than doubled in the last 30 years, and continues to grow My. A third of Laos&8217;s 5,622,000 inhabitants live in cities in the Mekong River valley, chiefly Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Savannakhet and Pakse. Another third live along other major ...http://www.activetravellaos.com/country/?p=70 Women in Laos- July 2, 2008 For the women of Laos roles and status vary significantly depending on their ethnicity, but it&8217;s fair to say that whatever group they come from they are seen as secondary to men. As you travel around Laos the evidence is overwhelming. While men&8217;s work is undoubtedly hard, women always seem to be working harder, for ...http://www.activetravellaos.com/country/?p=66 Religion- July 2, 2008 Buddhism About 60% of the people of Laos - mostly in lowland, with sprinklings of tribal Thais - are Theravada Buddhists. Theravada Buddhism was apparently introduced to Luang Prabang (then known as Muang Sawa) in the late 13th or early 14th centuries, though there may have been contact Mahayana Buddhism during the 8th to 10th centuries ...http://www.activetravellaos.com/country/?p=71 Arts- July 1, 2008 The focus of most traditional art in Lao culture has been religious, specifically Buddhist. Yet, unlike the visual arts of Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia, lever encompassed a broad range of styles and periods, mainly become has a much more modest history in terms of power and because existed as a political entity for a short ...http://www.activetravellaos.com/country/?p=84 Sports- July 1, 2008 Like most poor countries, you won&8217;t read much about Laos when the Olympic circus sets up its tent. Laos has never won an Olympic medal or much else in the international sporting arena, but that doesn&8217;t mean its a complete sporting black hole. Lao has a few traditional sports sand these are as often an excuse ...http://www.activetravellaos.com/country/?p=74 |