http://www.villa-maly.com
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Villa Maly Hotel and Kamu Lodge, Luang Prabang- Laos, has just introduced new brochure featuring full information of the hotel and destination Luang Prabang.
2. The Destination
Unlike other alluring destinations in the milk coffee-colored Mekong River. naturalist-explorer Henri Mouhot knew
Southeast Asia, where legions of fellow Its wats, the architecture of its royal it, a World Heritage Site in 1995. The
travelers can overwhelm the integrity of palaces and its ubiquitous wooden town’s Buddhist aura emanates from a
the place itself, Luang Prabang still feels houses create a timeless ambiance that plethora of irresistible wats, or pagodas,
fresh. A town on the make. A city yet to almost feels forgotten though hardly and from a daily, early morning trudge
be discovered.Once the royal capital of woebegone.UNESCO declared this for alms through town by saffron-robed
2 Laos, Luang Prabang nestles up against “delightful little town” as the French monks.
3. In a single glance, the town can be beneath the flanks of dramatic ridges, to the sea, is a metaphor for the languid
embraced by summiting, via 355 steps, some cut with stairways that lead to yet appeal of the town itself. Listening to the
one of the Luang Prabang’s principal another temple. Teak trees flutter their rice grow feels like obligation here. As
attractions — Mt. Phou Si. From here, pale, skimpy foliage from the banks does a visit to one of the city’s many wats.
the buildings seem subsumed by coconut while the occasional elephant, led by an The city’s most renown wats - Mai, Pa
trees. Indeed, regulations prohibit new able mahout, wades into the water for a Huak – date to the 19th Century, though
buildings from rising higher than the bath.The languor of the Mekong, here in many claim older pedigrees and most
3 trees’ leafy bowers.The Mekong sweeps the midst of its 4,350-kilometer journey feel like relics.
4. The city itself claims an ancient pedigree, where the Lao kings lived until the Pathet Ou, a cave in a bluff on the river keeps a
emerging onto record sometime in the late Lao takeover in 1975.Today, the royal pantheon of small Buddhist statues.
7th Century. The French, who assumed palace is a museum, housing holy icons, UNESCO hailed Luang Prabang as the
protectorate status over the region in paintings and china. Another, more “the best preserved city in Asia” when the
the 19th Century, recognized Luang fantastic collection of relics lies upstream organization inscribed the destination in
Prabang as the capital of the Kingdom. along the Mekong in the Pak Ou Caves. 1995. Nothing has changed about that
4 In 1904, they helped build a royal palace At the Mekong’s confluence with the Nam since.
6. The Concept
The homelike ambiance of the Villa French decamped for Europe, leaving The anchoring villa at Villa Maly,
Maly has a royal pedigree. This is what Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam to fend Plumeria, was built in 1938 by His
we know. for themselves as independent nations. Royal Highness Khamtan Ounkham,
What endures in the former colonies a grandson of a Lao king, Kham Souk
In Southeast Asia, the great divide from before the 1950s is as captivating Zakarine, and the first of his seven wives,
between the colonial and modern eras as relics from another age. And so it is Queen Pheng. Khamtan Ounkham was
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opened in the 1950s after the colonial with Villa Maly. born in 1909.
7. Like many well-to-do Laotians of the pursued a career in government. The young prefect married his cousin,
day, Khamtan was sent by his father This was the ineluctable choice for Princess Khampieng, who was born in
to Hanoi, where the boy made his way a well-educated young man of royal 1911. Like her husband, Khampieng
through the colonial educational system pedigree. He served as prefect of the was schooled in the colonial system.
from the age of 7 to 20. His success as At 18, she was named an auxiliary
provinces of Vientiane, Luang Prabang
a student won him an appointment to instructor in the girls’ school of Luang
and Sayabouri. In a surviving photo, Prabang. She devoted her life to national
France where he continued his studies
Khamtan is a dapper administrator education and climbed through the ranks
for three more years.
whose fashion cues, from bow tie to sport until she became principal of the first
Upon his return to Laos, Khamtan jacket, he took from the Europeans. class in 1962.
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8. The Grounds
A wonderfully mature tropical garden mango, ginger, orchids, lilies, gardenias, linger, whether with a cup of coffee after
blooms all about the grounds of Villa Maly. mango trees and others. breakfast, or on a stroll after dinner.
Stepping stones meander purposefully It’s the sort of botanical garden that In the midst of Villa Maly is our singular
among the plantings, showing off a should have identifying placards, an pool, and an ample pool deck, perfect for
8 profusion of tropical life - frangipanis, aim we plan to satisfy. It is a place to sunbathing or a late afternoon apertif.
9. Sweet Dreams
“With the rooms at the Villa Maly, we’ve
tried to evoke the ambiance of a space
remembered by a great writer, by a
Marguerite Duras or a Noel Coward. And
oh, this was where I stayed during my
time in Indochine…”Eric Verschelden,
designer of the Villa Maly
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10. Deluxe Rooms
Pool view - 4, Garden view - 1 All of the deluxe rooms occupy space in the The furnishings in each of the rooms
home at the heart of Villa Maly, now known was specially designed for Villa Maly and
With king beds, wonderfully subdued as Plumeria but once the residence of crafted by artisans in Saigon. The desks, the
colors and ample natural light, the deluxe Princess Khampieng and Prince Khamtan bedsteads, wardrobes and tables each add
rooms rank as the Villa’s most exquisite and their children. to the singular ambiance of Villa Maly.
10 accommodation.
11. Superior Rooms
Pool view - 13, Garden view - 15 The rooms do share similarities in Some superior rooms boast a king sized
hardwood floors, vibrant colors, slate- bed; others offer a pair of beds. All promise
Each of the superior rooms at Villa Maly walled bathrooms, flat screen televisions a very individualized experience.
can lay claim to its own distinct appeal, and views of the gardens or pool.
featuring custom arrangements and
11 distinguished artwork.
12. The Dining
At Villa Maly, our menu dabbles in the
culinary traditions of the East and West,
with a scattering of French standards and
a little bit of Lao adventure.
While you may be lured for a dinner or
two beyond the confines of Villa Maly,
we do urge you to experience the set
menu at Le Vetiver one evening. This
is real Lao cuisine by an exceptional
Lao chef.
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13. Nava Mekong
Dining on the mighty Mekong is to 5:30 pm and motors downstream to traditional Lao river boat also embarks
being in Luang Prabang what walking moor near a traditional village where every morning at 10:30 am for a four-
over the Brooklyn Bridge is to being traditional Lao dancers perform age- hour lunch cruise. During this cruise,
in New York. Essential. To ensure you old sets that include interpretations the Nava stops at the Pak Ou Caves for
don’t ‘miss the boat’, we’ve launched of the royal ballet, rural life, folk adventuring among the 4,000 sacred
the Nava Mekong, the foremost regular tales and legends. The boat returns Buddhist statues and images scattered
dinner cruise opportunity in the royal at 9 pm.Widened at the beam to about the two limestone grottoes.
13 capital. The cruise embarks daily at accommodate 10 four-top tables, the
15. Le Vetiver
Villa May’s own culinary options are a We do soups, salads and sandwiches
good base for exploration. The hotel’s as well. Though our menu is not
kitchen serves a mix of Western and extensive, what we do we do well.
Eastern dishes, from Italian favorites, Likewise, our wine list. It’s short but
local fish to green curry, fried glass vibrant, with excellent vintages from
noodles prepared Lao style and Europe to Australia.
15 Chinese fried rice.
16. Sindad
On a balmy Luang Prabang evening, At our Sindad, our servers will whet We’ll fire up the grill and leave you to
what could be better than a poolside your appetite as they parade tantalizing cook selections to your liking. Meanwhile,
barbecue and hotpot in the midst of cuts of well-marinated tenderloin, we’ll leave a steaming hotpot to simmer its
Villa Maly. ribs, pork, shrimp and fresh seafood delights. Our wine list complements both
16 to your table. the grill and the hotpot.
17. Henri Mouhot’s Bar
On the ground floor of Plumeria at Villa
Maly, there is Mouhot’s.
A bar, yes. But it’s more than that. It’s an
out-of-the way watering hole for those who
want a quiet drink, and those inclined to lift
a glass in the memory of the bar’s namesake,
Henri Mouhot.
After the French naturalist Mouhot
rediscovered Angkor, he traveled through
Luang Prabang and fell prey to malaria.
But rest assured, there is plenty of quinine
(tonic water) behind our bar!
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18. The Spa
As we are a boutique hotel, so too we With Marelli fans, vibrant, tropical We’re ideally suited for one guest at a
offer a boutique spa experience. In colors and hardwood floors, our spa time but couples can be accommodated,
our two-table, poolside venue, our two trades on the same charming aesthetic and the four-hand massage is an option.
therapists practice time-honored spa at large in our rooms. We do recommend pre-booking.
18 techniques.
19. Please contact us for more information:
c/o BP 78, Luang Prabang , LAO PDR
Tel: (856) 71 253 902 /903/904
Fax: (856) 71 254 912
julien@appletree-asia.com
www.appletree-asia.com
21. The Concept
In the heart of the Lao jungle, on the However swift-moving the flow beneath Thoreau, if only for a day or two, fronting
banks of the Mekong, Kamu Lodge our bluffs, the Lodge is an eddy in the the essential facts of the natural world.
strikes a delicate balance between rushing currents of our age. Beyond the confines of a compound
tourism and the maintenance of the A place to slow down. Disengage. An made up of mosquito-free safari tents and
21 region’s cultural and ethnic heritage. opportunity to live as deliberately as stilted, thatched pavilions, Lao beckons.
22. Primitives paths lead to remote villages.
Through a wonderland of flora and fauna.
Upriver and down, the allure of Lao
looms large, whether you’re checking in
at the Pak Ou Caves, where pilgrims have
placed thousands of Buddhist statues or
by some timeless village that looks much
the way it did when French explorers first
plied these waters in the 1860s.
Our full board package feature return
transfers from Luang Prabang to
Kamu Lodge.
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23. Sweet Dreams
Two of the world’s top-three hotels sun. However rustic the look and feel, lit. Every lodge features a white-washed
accommodate guests in safari tents... just Kamu’s mattresses guarantee a good stone annex, and the familiar trappings
like Kamu Lodge. Our 20 free-standing night’s sleep.In the spirit of sustainable of a traditional bath. Hot water flows
lodges are hybrids actually. Thick-walled lodging, solar panels fixed to the roofs from Kamu’s shower heads. And there’s
tents shut out the elements while a sturdy gather just enough juice to keep your ample space to maneuver about as you
23 thatch roof guards against rain and fan turning all night and your interior make your daily ablutions.
24. On the apron of every lodge, a thatch-
covered veranda and its rustic easy
chairs encourage passive enjoyment of
a timeless view over the slow-moving
Mekong. Our full board package feature
return transfers from Luang Prabang to
Kamu Lodge.
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25. The Dining
Perched on a bluff above the Mekong, of Lao.At dinner, feast on fish harvested the fruits you passed during your trek that
dining at Kamu Lodge is a cultural from the Mekong. On pork raised by local day.Likewise, lunch is a local affair. The
experience all its own. In this unique, farmers. On beef and buffalo and curry pork, beef and vegetable dishes vary with
stilted pavilion, guests dine as local Kamu flavored Kamu style. Most of the rice and the season, and availability. What doesn’t
villagers frequently do. In the open air. produce is grown within walking distance. vary is the local appeal. You’re eating what
25 Under thatch. On cuisine borne in the heart And the fruits you eat at dinner may be the locals are eating.
26. At breakfast, we deliver comfort foods
familiar to Western travelers. The
American breakfast is long on eggs and
bacon. The French breakfast favors
baguettes and jam.Beyond dining, the
bar at Kamu Lodge is a thirst quenching
experience whether your beverage of
choice is locally distilled or imported
from abroad. Our well-stocked bar rarely
fails to satisfy.
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27. The Location
Thirty kilometers upstream from In his book about a landmark journey scrubbed by slash-and-burn agriculture,
Luang Prabang, the Mekong channels from the river’s source to its delta, the wagon train of globalization had yet
between the dramatic flanks of Lao hills, modern explorer Edward Gargan to venture.”
scenery that very well may be unrivalled describes this stretch of the Mekong
in the river’s 4,350-kilometer journey this way: “Here, wrapped on both sides
27 to the sea. by jungle, sometimes dense, sometimes
28. The Community
Everybody loves the idea of low-impact doing what we can to empower the Kamu. life as the Kamu live it.Such a visit is vital
travel. But so few actually embrace its Our lodge neighbors Ban Nyoy Har, where and life-affirming. Walk about the village
tenets. At Kamu, we do. We’re all about a 63 families make a living in traditional on a Saturday morning when children
low-impact footprint. We work on a small Kamu fashion. They fish; they farm; they are everywhere at play, and everywhere
scale. We’re intimately involved in the harvest teak they’ve planted, after 15 or delighted by your visit. They’re learning
economic developments of neighboring 20 years. No visit to the Lodge is complete about you, and you’re learning about
28 villages. We’re educating our guests. And without a visit to Ban Nyoy Har. This is them. We’re building bridges.
29. A million things always seem to be in the
works here. A villager braiding strips of
bamboo into a cylinder for rice. Another
scooping harvested peanuts from a tarp
to a bamboo basket. And yet another
shaping a door frame. And everywhere,
dogs and pups, pigs and piglets,
chickens and chicks.Between the lodge
and the village, our rice field takes in two
hectares. The villagers work this field.
And our guests work this field, harvesting
what’s known in the region as white gold.
Our efforts, and your visit, help support
this traditional way of life, stimulating
sustainable economic development.
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30. Please contact us for more information:
44/3 Ban Wat Nong, Kham Kong Rd,
Luangprabang Lao P.D.R.
Tel & Fax: ( 856 71 ) 260 319
Mob: (856 30) 5 140 315
(856 20) 6 032 365
info@kamulodge.com
www.appletree-asia.com