A new day dawns with the rhythmic shuffling of bare feet on the ground.
Like an apparition from centuries past, a procession of several hundred shaven-headed monks emerges through the dawn mist, winding its way through the narrow, sleepy streets. Buddhist locals line the route to make their daily offerings of rice and fruit while monks parade with their alms bowls. Then, as silently as they appeared, the monks disappear within the walls of their temple, their saffron robes billowing gently behind them.
This dawn ritual in Luang Prabang is just one aspect of life that gives the small town its ethereal, forgotten air. Located in the country of Laos, 370 kilometers (229 miles) northwest of the capital Vientiane, Luang Prabang lies in a beautiful valley at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers.
The fact that, for parts of the 20th century, Laos' borders were closed to foreigners, combined with its glittering temples and ancient religious aura, has ensured that the city remains one of the most cloistered and pristine places on the planet.
