LUANG PRABANG INFORMATION
Luang Prabang, or Louangphrabang, is a city in Laos; it was formerly the capital of a kingdom of the same name. The city of Luang Prabang is located in north central Laos, on the Mekong River about 425 km north of Vientiane. It has a population of about 22,000
Until the communist takeover in 1975, it was the royal capital, the seat of the kingdom of Laos. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city is the capital of the Louangphrabang Province.
Muang Sua was the old name of Luang Prabang following its conquest in 698 A.D. by a Tai prince, Khun Lo, who seized his opportunity when Nan-chao was engaged elsewhere. Khun Lo had been awarded the town by his father, Khun Borom, who is associated with the Lao legend of the creation of the world, which the Lao share with the Shan and other peoples of the region. Khun Lo established a dynasty whose fifteen rulers reigned over an independent Muang Sua for the better part of a century. In the second half of the 8th century, Nan-chao intervened frequently in the affairs of the principalities of the middle Mekong Valley,
resulting in the occupation of Muang Sua in 709. Nan-chao princes or administrators replaced the aristocracy of Tai overlords. Dates of the occupation are not known, but it probably ended well before the northward expansion of the Khmer empire under Indravarman and extended as far as the territories of Sipsong Panna on the upper Mekong.
In the meantime, the Khmers founded an outpost at Xay Fong near Vientiane, and Champa expanded again in southern Laos, maintaining its presence on the banks of the Mekong until 1070.
In 1707, Lan Xang fell apart and Luang Prabang became the capital of the independent Luang Prabang kingdom. When France annexed Laos, the French recognized Luang Prabang as the royal residence of Laos. Eventually, the ruler of Luang Prabang became synonymous with the figurehead of the French Protectorate of Laos. When Laos achieved independence, the king of Luang Prabang, Sisavang Vong, became the head of state for the Kingdom of Laos.
Weather in Luang Prabang has several distinct seasons, with the rainy season running from May through to October, the cool dry season from October-February and the hot dry season from March-May. The cool dry season tends to be the most popular time for tourists and advance bookings of Luang Prabang hotels and tours is particularly recommended during this period.
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