Lone Rider
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Kouvieng - the "Lost City" in Laos
While searching for info for my posts on provincial highlights for "Laos Things to See and Do" I stumbled across a video about "The Laos Lost City Motorbike Tour". I had a quick look what it was all about and found out that all this happened around 2001 when Highway 3 in Laos was still a dirt road and lo and behold, quite a few Chiangmai bikers are appearing in it. I have been looking for additional info on the "Lost City" but there is very little to be found (at least by me). The website Tourismlaos.org in its section about Luang Namtha mentions Wat Mahaphot and other abandoned temples in Vieng Poukha with the temples surrounded by ramparts called "Kou Vieng" in Lao and I assume that, what the people on the tour found, was one of these ramparts which once surrounded a temple
Wat Mahaphot and an ancient city are located on hilltop just south of the main town. This and other abandoned Wats in Vieng Phoukha are believed to date to the 16th-17th centuries. Surrounding this abandoned temple is a series of ramparts called Kou Vieng in Lao. Many people believe that these ruins are protected by spirits and if you take anything from the ancient sites you will suffer sickness and perhaps death.
Source: Cultural Visit in Luang Namtha
and another reference:
Vieng Phoukha was also prospering by the 17th century, with the construction of dozens of Buddhist monasteries and pagodas in the Nam Jook and Nam Fa River valleys. Evidence of what must have been a large population in Vieng Phoukha can be seen just north of the district capital, where an extensive khou vieng (earthen rampart) surrounds the ruins of sprawling Vat Mahaphot and many smaller pagodas.
Source: Luangnamtha - Bike Holidays, Vietnam bike tours
Luckily I found a few accounts of the trip made by people who were on this particular tour which was organized by Reed Resnikof from Asian Bike Tour/Asian MC Adventures. These stories you can find here:
The Laos Lost City Motorcycle Tour - Asian Motorcycle Tours - Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam Motorcycle Tours
LAOS - 2001 (PART 1) and LAOS - 2001 (PART 2)
The video - actually a part of a TV serie on Destination Adventure - can be found here:
While searching for info for my posts on provincial highlights for "Laos Things to See and Do" I stumbled across a video about "The Laos Lost City Motorbike Tour". I had a quick look what it was all about and found out that all this happened around 2001 when Highway 3 in Laos was still a dirt road and lo and behold, quite a few Chiangmai bikers are appearing in it. I have been looking for additional info on the "Lost City" but there is very little to be found (at least by me). The website Tourismlaos.org in its section about Luang Namtha mentions Wat Mahaphot and other abandoned temples in Vieng Poukha with the temples surrounded by ramparts called "Kou Vieng" in Lao and I assume that, what the people on the tour found, was one of these ramparts which once surrounded a temple
Wat Mahaphot and an ancient city are located on hilltop just south of the main town. This and other abandoned Wats in Vieng Phoukha are believed to date to the 16th-17th centuries. Surrounding this abandoned temple is a series of ramparts called Kou Vieng in Lao. Many people believe that these ruins are protected by spirits and if you take anything from the ancient sites you will suffer sickness and perhaps death.
Source: Cultural Visit in Luang Namtha
and another reference:
Vieng Phoukha was also prospering by the 17th century, with the construction of dozens of Buddhist monasteries and pagodas in the Nam Jook and Nam Fa River valleys. Evidence of what must have been a large population in Vieng Phoukha can be seen just north of the district capital, where an extensive khou vieng (earthen rampart) surrounds the ruins of sprawling Vat Mahaphot and many smaller pagodas.
Source: Luangnamtha - Bike Holidays, Vietnam bike tours
Luckily I found a few accounts of the trip made by people who were on this particular tour which was organized by Reed Resnikof from Asian Bike Tour/Asian MC Adventures. These stories you can find here:
The Laos Lost City Motorcycle Tour - Asian Motorcycle Tours - Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam Motorcycle Tours
LAOS - 2001 (PART 1) and LAOS - 2001 (PART 2)
The video - actually a part of a TV serie on Destination Adventure - can be found here:
