Legend has it that the Buddha smiled when he rested at the site where the city of Luang Prabang now stands and told his disciple Ananda that a rich and powerful capital would one day thrive there.
The City was in fact the capital of the Kingdom of a Thousand Elephonts until 1560. Set atop a hill, bordered by the Mekong River and one of its tributaries, this serene and delightful city has succeeded in preserving the traditions of Laos whilst turning the exuberant forces of nature into its natural protection.