LUANG PRABANG - “Here. This is an example of why the town of Luang Prabang was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site: a sublime juxtaposition of Laotian traditional architecture with a Western touch from the colonial era,” said Seo Jeong-seog, a veteran tour guide who has lived in Laos for 10 years. He pointed at the exterior facade of Wat Xieng Thong, or the Temple of the Golden City, one of the largest and most magnificent Buddhist temples in the region.