LUANG PRABANG, Laos — Located between the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Luang Prabang is a picturesque destination that combines natural beauty and charming Lao-French architecture. Here you’ll find monks in blazing orange robes passing by the town’s whitewashed colonnades, while longtail boats putter along waters between hills of tropical hardwood.
Yet beneath the town’s easy-going, old-world vibes is a growing sense of alarm among locals and conservationists. A recent UNESCO report has flagged several areas of concern that, if not addressed, may see Luang Prabang lose its World Heritage status, joining the likes of Dresden and Liverpool in attaining that dubious distinction.
