New tourist attraction
Luang Prabang in Laos is ready to welcome more visitors.
HOIKHUA Waterfall in Luang Prabang, Laos, makes the most of the natural environment and combines various services and activities in one place, making it the ideal getaway for visitors with diverse interests.
The park – also known as the Green Jungle Park Hoikhua Waterfall – covers more than 20ha and includes a waterfall, a flower garden, a woodland area, and an organic vegetable garden.
Visitors can stroll through these different zones, have a picnic, and generally relax in the tranquil surroundings.
There is also a restaurant that serves up organically grown vegetables and other kinds of dishes, as well as a coffee bar and huts.
The entry fee is 20,000 kip (RM9.30) for adults and 10,000 kip (RM4.65) for children, but there are additional fees for the various activities on offer.
These include adventure activities such as ziplining, a rope walking course, and trekking, which can be done separately or combined.
This writer recently visited the park and found it was very large with interesting features. On entering, one is struck by the stunning natural environment, including tall trees, the waterfall, streams, and a flower garden.
The staff are from surrounding communities and are well trained, and they always give a warm and friendly welcome to visitors.
The waterfall is very high and is surrounded by huge trees. The flower garden too is very beautiful and has many species of flowers and plants from Laos and other countries. Visitors also enjoy taking photographs and selfies amid the flowers.
The park is located in Parklueng village in Chomphet district, about 17km from the town of Luang Prabang. Visitors can reach it by road or boat, or they can request a special pick-up car or boat by visiting the Lao Green Group website (laogreengroup.com).
The Green Jungle Park Hoikhua Waterfall is a new kind of attraction in Laos and aims to promote environmental protection while also providing jobs for local people.
It was opened in mid-2015 under a private concession and has since attracted a large number of visitors, both Lao and foreigners. It currently draws about 150 to 200 visitors daily.
In the future, the park will introduce more activities such as cultural shows by local ethnic groups, stalls selling local products, a children’s pool, a campsite, and elephant rides.
The concessionaire and owner of the park, Akhom Phommahanh, said the park focuses on conservation and encourages local people to be a part of the process, as well as supporting agricultural production.
“I decided to create this park because I saw the importance of using nature to attract tourists. I want to provide both local and foreign visitors with several attractions in one place so they don’t need to travel around to find things to do,” he said.
“I’m a believer in environmental conservation, so I was inspired to develop the park as a tourist attraction with a focus on nature and agriculture. I also wanted to get the local people involved.
“I wanted the park to be something unusual in Laos and I think visitors, especially local people, are looking for a place like this.
“In addition, I wanted to help boost domestic tourism and create jobs for local people so they can earn a decent income.
“If you come here, there are all sorts of things you can do and see. Not only are you watching something, doing activities and relaxing, but you can also learn about horticulture and organic farming at our nursery and farm.
“You can also buy flowers and saplings to take home. I would like to invite local and foreign tourists to experience this so that they understand that this place is special and different from other attractions,” he said. – Vientiane Times/ANN