Khmu Culture Revealed, Vang Vieng

A visit to a local village which goes beyond the natural aesthetics of the Vang Vieng and delves into local culture. 

This trip out of the main town is in collaboration with the Khmu people, an ethnic group who still live a traditional life in Laos. Your guide for the day is a young person from a neighbouring village who will explain the nuances of rural life and Khmu culture. 

Expect a warm welcome (and maybe even a sip of rice wine) before you take a stroll through the village, meeting people as you go. You’ll have the chance to learn how local crafts such as knife-smithing are still taught and practiced, as well as explore the village’s rice paddies to see how farming is still the lifeblood of many rural communities in Laos. After a morning of getting acquainted with the Khmu way of life, you’ll have the chance to share lunch with a local family at their home. Lunch is often served picnic style in a shady courtyard and will be a selection of homecooked specialities prepared by your host. 

Expect a degree of spontaneity throughout the day as village life will be going on as normal. Your hosts will be happy to show you some local caves or take you for a swim, or just sit and chat with you if that’s what you’d prefer. However you spend your day, this trip is a great way to see the countryside and get to know a local community.