phongsaly district

Here you will feel, see and hear part of the ethnic diversity composing the province.

Old Town 

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  Unless many other cities in Laos, Phongsaly town has not been destroyed by bombing during in the American war. It features a remaining old quarter with Yunnanese wooden architecture now rare to find in Yunnan itself. Most of the people living here belong to the Hor ethnic group, speaking Chinese. Until the 1970s there has been a Chinese consulate in Phongsaly town, now the ‘Phu Fa Hotel’.

 

Ethnic Museum

The Museum of Phongsaly Ethnic Groups’ newly-designed exhibition has been inaugurated in January 2013. It presents the province and its people, their origin and way of life. It also includes information and exhibits about different aspects of their daily life: clothes, music, agriculture, housing, social organization, their rituals and ceremonies, as well as about Buddhism. Don’t miss it, it is one of the best museum in Laos and you will not find this information anywhere else! You will need at least 1 hour to visit the exhibition.

The museum is located in the centre of Phongsaly town, next to the Agriculture Promotion Bank and Lao Telecom, close to the post office. It opens Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 11:30 and 13:30 to 16:30. Entry fee: 10’000 kip (5000 kip for Lao people).

Phufa Mountain 

The Phu Fa Hill, with its 1625m, dominates Phongsaly town. The 45 min hike up to its stupa and Buddha statue on top offers spectacular views of the town and the mountains in far distance.

 

 

 

400 Years Old Tea Plantation

The famous 400-year-old tea plantation is located about 18 kilometers away in the Phunoy village of Ban Komaen, which according to some tea experts has some of the oldest tea trees in the world. The large root system of the old trees extends deep into the mineral-rich soil and gives ‘Phongsaly Tea’ its specific aroma and taste. The oldest trees stand 6 m high with a stem up to 30 cm in diameter.
The Tea Pavilion’s exhibition provides a peek into the world of tea, from its legendary beginnings to its production and consumption, and explains how the famous 400-year-old tea is picked and processed by the villagers into “tea cigars”. From there, you can take a 1 hour stroll through the ancient plantation: just follow the Tea Trail signs!  The trail will lead you to the top of the tea mountain to enjoy the stunning view of Phongsaly and then to the village temple and its unique big-eared Buddha statue.