VIENTIANE, June 13 (Vientiane Times/ANN): Luang Prabang provincial officials plan to improve services, management, and visitor facilities at the popular Tham Ting cave, to improve the way visitors access and explore the cave.
The cave is a well-known visitor attraction and contains several thousand Buddha statues, which have been venerated by devotees for centuries.
The changes in the way the cave is managed were discussed at a meeting last week, chaired by the Director of Luang Prabang province’s Information, Culture and Tourism Department, Dr Soudaphone Khomthavong.
The government will be the direct administrator and manager and appoint staff to be stationed at the cave, while also allowing greater participation by local residents.
A concession to operate tourism activities at the cave will be awarded to a private company.
More activities will be provided for visitors, including exploration of rivers and forests, hiking, and visits to villages in the vicinity of the cave.
Management of these activities must be written up as a project document and agreed to by the public sector, a Luang Prabang provincial official said.
Some 31 programmes are planned for the administration, management and development of tourist attractions in the area around Tham Ting cave.
These include building and improving internal amenities, protecting and restoring the cave, improving tourist transport services between Pak-Ou village and the cave, protecting the environment and biodiversity, improving the skills of the personnel involved, and doing more to advertise tourism activities in the area surrounding the cave.
The upgrade of these services and facilities is aimed at bringing more visitors to the cave, which is located on the Mekong River, just a short distance from Luang Prabang city.
The number of Buddha images in the cave is steadily increasing as local people often add more when they visit.
The cave can be reached either by boat to the point where the Nam Ou River converges with the Mekong River or by road as far as Xanghai village, where you can also see villagers making ‘Lao lao’ (fermented rice liquor). Visitors can sample the drink and purchase locally made handicrafts.
Luang Prabang is one of the most well-known provinces in Laos and is a top tourist draw because of its old temples, colourful festivals, and scenic beauty.
Luang Prabang city’s old quarter was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1995 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), which determined that its architecture was culturally significant and worthy of protection by the United Nations.
Other popular attractions in and around the provincial capital include the Phu Si stupa, Xieng Thong temple, Sae waterfall, Kuangxi waterfall, and the night market. - Vientiane Times/ANN
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