Feature -4
From Infrastructure to Capacity Building
Ever Heard of Viengxay, Laos? … Part 4
2025.05.05
In January 2025, during our third visit to Viengxay, we were welcomed by blooming cherry blossoms. The chilly mornings and evenings reminded us we were truly in the mountains.
After more than a year of research and design work, major project milestones were complete: the walking map and signage system were finalized, and the visitor center renovation with new panel displays was done. As the second phase of tourism development concludes, the focus shifts toward human resource training and site management for sustainable operation.
During this fieldwork, participants tested half-day model tours previously simulated in workshops. Guided by local residents, groups followed “Textile” and “History” tours using the map and signage.
We also visited two nearby sites: a large tourism complex under construction and the area around Nam Nua Waterfall, where another half-day tour was conducted by car.
At the cherry park and visitor center, participants experienced guided sessions on the cherry blossom project and the region’s history. explored the concept of training community guides, in collaboration with Houaphanh Province.
One moment stood out: learning that “Viengxay” was the wartime code name of revolutionary leader Kaysone Phomvihane. The exhibit at the visitor center connected this insight with the surrounding caves, showing how well the region’s compact attractions tell a cohesive story.
2025 marks the 70th anniversary of Japan–Laos relations. Viengxay—a small village just 4km by 2.5km—is poised to emerge as a new destination, linking its unique heritage and natural beauty.
Cooperation: ADDP / Jumping Tour
Viengxay Village Information
Located east of Houa Vang Province, facing the Vietnam border. One hour by ferry from Vientiane, which operates daily. 40 minutes by car from Nong Khang Airport, scheduled for completion in 2023. A village of about 33,000 people, home to five ethnic groups: Lao, Thai-Deng, Yao, Hmong, and Kham. From 1964 to 1973, the Lao Patriotic Front headquarters and citizens took refuge in the more than 500 caves. In 1992, the Lao government registered the Vieng Xay Caves as a national heritage site.
*ADDP
The NPO "Association for Aid and Relief, Asia"Since 1992, this NPO has supported people with disabilities across Asia. In Laos, it promotes education, sports, and employment. In 2015, it launched a cherry blossom park and café project in Viengxay to support deaf workers, which evolved into a tourism initiative. In 2023, it began a new revitalization project using a PPT strategy with Houaphanh Province.
*Jumping Tour Co., Ltd.
A travel agency specializing in Laos. It serves as the representative office of the Lao Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism in Japan, and is a member of the Japan-Laos Association. The company produces and coordinates the regional revitalization project in Viengxay Village.