Houaphanh Province

Houaphanh province (Laotian: ແຂວງ ຫົວພັນ [kʰwɛ̌ːŋ hwǎː pʰán]) is a province of eastern Laos. As of 2004 it had a population of 322,220 people. Its capital lies at Sam Neua.

Geography

Houaphanh Province, one of the provinces of Laos, covers an area of 16,500 square kilometers (6,400 sq mi). The province is bordered by Vietnam to the north, east and southeast, Xiangkhouang Province to the south and southwest, and Luang Prabang Province to the west. The terrain is rugged, with dense mountainous forest forming much of the province, particularly on the western side. Notable settlements in the province include Sam Neua, Muong U, Houamuang, Chomsan, Muang Pan, Muang Hom, Muang Peu, Muang Xon, Ban Muang-Et, Ban Nampang, Muong Vene, Xamtai, Muang Na, and Poungthak. The main road running through the province is Route 6. The principal rivers are the Song Ma, which flows from and into Vietnam, passing the village of Ban Muang-Et, and the Nam Sam, which the town of Sam Neua lies on.

The province is the home to the Viengxay caves, an extensive network of caves used by the Pathet Lao, and the Hintang Archaeological Park, one of the most important pre-historic sites in northern Laos, dotted with standing megaliths. Houaphanh is one of the poorest areas of Laos, but has dramatic scenery and fine textile traditions.

History

The province was home of the Bồn Man Kingdom (Muang Phuan Kingdom) since the 14th century. Following a Vietnamese invasion in 1478 led by Vietnamese King Lê Thánh Tông, it became Trấn Ninh Territory of the Đại Việt Kingdom with the capital at Sam Chau (present-day Sam Neua). The area was known as Hua Phan Tang Ha Tang Hok, "the fifth and the sixth province", and listed by Auguste Pavie as "Hua Panh, Tang-Ha and Tang-Hoc."

It remained a Vietnamese outpost territory until 1893 when ownership was switched by French colonial authorities back to Laos during the French Colonial period. Under the French spelling of the province was usually Hua Phan.

The province is the home to the Viengxay caves, an extensive network of caves used by the Pathet Lao. Numerous caves in the province served as hideouts for important figures in the Laos in the 1950s and 1960s. Tham Than Souphanouvong Cave was the hideout of the revolutionary leader and later the President, Souphanouvong, who built a base there in 1964. Revolutionary leader and later the President Kaysone Phomvihane hid out in Tham Than Kaysone Cave from 1964, and later President Khamtay Siphandone hid out at Tham Than Khamtay Cave from 1964 and he established a base there, with meeting rooms, reception rooms and a research room.

Houphanh Province was noted for its "samana" ("reeducation") camps. The Lao Royal Family was believed to have been taken to one such camp near Sop Hao in 1977. Crown Prince Say Vong Savang allegedly died at the camp in May 1978, followed by his father King Savang Vatthana from starvation, 11 days later.

Religious minorities often face persecution in the province, and at the end of 1999 numerous minorities were arrested.

Protected areas

Areas of Houaphanh Province are within of the Nam Et-Phou Louey National Biodiversity Conservation Area (NBCA) and the Nam Xam National Biodiversity Conservation Area. There is also some Important Bird Areas (IBA).

The Nam Neun IBA area of Nam Et is adjacent to the NBCA. Nam Neun is 85,450 ha in size, and is situated at an altitude of 800–1,500 meters (2,600–4,900 ft) above sea level. The habitat is characterized as mixed deciduous forest, as well as dry evergreen forest, with stands of bamboo, and occasional conifers; cleared areas have been replaced by areas of secondary grassland. Key avifauna includes great hornbill (Buceros bicornis) and Blyth's kingfisher (Alcedo hercules).

The Phou Louey Massif IBA is within the Nam Et-Phou Louey NBCA and adjacent to the Nam Neun IBA.The Phou Louey IBA stretches beyond Houaphanh Province, into Luang Prabang Province. It is 60,070 ha in size, and is situated at an altitude of 700–1,800 meters (2,300–5,900 ft) above sea level. The habitat is characterized as mixed deciduous forest, semi-evergreen forest, lower montane evergreen forest, upper montane evergreen forest, and secondary grassland. Key avifauna include beautiful nuthatch (Sitta formosa), rufous-necked hornbill (Aceros nipalensis), Blyth's kingfisher (Alcedo hercules), and yellow-vented warbler (Phylloscopus cantator). There are four confirmed species of turtles and two confirmed species of ungulate (hoofed mammal)

The 69,000 hectare Nam Xam IBA is within the 70,000 ha Nam Xam National Biodiversity Conservation Area (NBCA). The IBA's altitude varies between 300–1,800 meters (980–5,910 ft) above sea level. The topography is characterized by hills and low mountains. The habitat includes dry evergreen forest, Fokienia forest, mixed deciduous forest, as well as stunted, mossy upper montane forest. Notable avifauna includes beautiful nuthatch (Sitta formosa), brown hornbill (Anorrhinus tickelli), great hornbill (Buceros bicornis), red-collared woodpecker (Picus rabieri), and rufous-necked hornbill (Aceros nipalensis), which is also thought to provide habitat for wild elephant, various gibbons, gaur, banteng, tiger, clouded leopard, Asiatic black bear and Malayan sun bear.

Economy

Houaphanh Province is one of the poorest areas of Laos. In 1998, three quarters of the population were classified as poor, and in 2002 GDP per capita was $50–204, compared to the national average of $350. Numerous socio-economic problems plague the province, with an infant mortality rate and access to safe water and medical facilities far worse than the national average. Bamboo is important in rural parts of the province and used as a principal building material. Women play a key role in the collecting of bamboo shoots. In Viengxay district there are two bamboo processing factories which produce items such as floormats, fences, chopsticks and toothpicks for the Vietnamese market. Overall though, the bamboo industry is undeveloped, and many find it difficult to find profitable markets for their goods.

Sam Neua, the provincial centre is the most important market centre for regional trade. Many villagers in the province come here to sell their goods, especially handicrafts and textiles which the people of the province are famed for. Saleu and Nasala villages in Xiengkhor District along Route 6 are noted for their skills at weaving and handicrafts. Sam Tai is noted for its textiles. Rice farming is widely practiced in the province, although agriculture employs less than livestock farming. Principal cash crops include corn, sesame, soybean, and medicinal plants such as man on ling, duk duea, and kalamong, paper mulberry, styrax, cardamon and cinnamon. Up to 15% are involved in opium cultivation, and up to 10% involved in making handicrafts. Attempts to control poppy cultivation have been made through the Narcotics Crop Control Project and the Houaphanh Project Agreement. A tourism development plan has been created for the province, capitalizing on the caves as tourist attractions, providing information and services at the sites.

Asian Development Bank  also launched a project in 2006 specifically covering 31 villages of Xamneua and Xamtai districts of the province to wean people away from shifting cultivation practices and also to eliminate opium addiction; as of 2006, opium was still grown in the province in an area of about 30 ha. The project covers programs to increase income, conserve forest resources, opium eradication and experimenting with pilot projects to enhance livelihood sources.

Demography

The population of the province, as of March 2005, is 280,898. The capital of the province is Xam Neua.

Landmarks

Viengxay is known as a "Hidden Cave City", the heart of the Pathet Lao Liberation Movement between 1964–75 where 20,000 people lived in the caves with all facilities such as offices, hospital, temples, markets, school, and entertainment centre. Historical attractions here are: Kaysone Phomvihane's House where in the President Kaysone's garden people narrate the history of how Viengxay became the center for liberation and suffered air attacks in the beginning; the Kaysone Phomvihane's Cave Office the largest cave here where gifts a statue of Lenin and collection of books could be seen; Politburo Meeting Room in the cave the leaders of freedom movement deliberated on policies and important decisions; Nouhak Phoumsavan's House (Pathet Lao's founding father); Nouhak Phoumsavan's Cave, Prince Souphanouvong's (who was known as "Red Prince") House & Garden; a Stupa erected during the war time to bury Souphanouvong's son, Ariya Thammasin to avoid detection during the war; Prince Souphanouvong's Cave used as a protection bunker during bombing by US forces known as "Ravens"; Cave of Phoumi Vongvichid's who established a schooling curriculum in the cave; Cave of Sithone Kommadane, a valiant fighter during early years of war; a small Hospital Cave; House of General Khamtay Siphandone, supreme military commander who motivated people to take to arms and Khamtay Siphandone's Cave where he established and operated the communication system with his forces; Cave Barracks of ex soldiers; Artillery Cave where heavy anti-aircraft batteries were operated; and the Xanglot Cave where weddings and traditional festivals were held during the war.

The hidden City of Viengxay
You can visit the leaders’ caves every day Buy your ticket from the Cave Office in Viengxay. A short walk from the central market/bus stop A local guide will accompany you to the sites; which are spread around the town and nearby countryside, and introduce you to the history of the area, You could spend two days or more in Viengxay exploring the cave sites; of which the largest is the Hospital Cave at Xieng luang on the road to the Viet Nam border.

Wat Pho Xai or Wat Pho Xaysanalam is located on the outskirts of Sam Neua. Hintang Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the most important pre-historic sites in northern Laos, dotted with about 2,000 years old menhirs (standing stones) or megaliths, which were unearthed in 1931. Locals refer to it as Sao Hin Tang, meaning "Standing Stone Pillars". It is also known as the Stonehenge of Laos, with many 2 meter high stones. Apart from these finds, funerary burial sites with artifacts of ancient trinkets, standing rock slabs and stone disks were also found. These archaeological finds are older than the Plain of Jars and are seen along a 12-km mountain ridge in the southern part of the province. Local animists believe that the stone discs at the site once sat atop the megaliths and fed Jahn Han, the sky spirit. 11 kilometers (6.8 mi) from Sam Neua is the Ban Tham Buddha Cave.

Tat Saloei (Phonesai) Waterfall lies off the road to Nam Noen, about 35 kilometers (22 mi) south of Sam Neua.

The Nameuang Hot Springs is another landmark in the province located amidst the valley of paddy fields on the way to Xamneua, where there is also a Houaiyad waterfall close. The springs are the source of a small river. In the Houaiyad Village, crashed aircraft parts and cans of war relics are recycled into belts.

Getting there

There are two bus stations just outside of Sam Neua: one intra-provincial for Vieng Xai and other nearby destinations and one inter-provincial (for Luang Prabang, Phonsavan, Vietnam, etc).

Tourism Office

There is a provincial Tourist Information Centre in the town, open Monday-Friday. hp_pto@yahoo.com. Phone: 064-312567.

Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houaphanh_Province

https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Sam_Neua