Angkor wat is the remnants of a once prosperous metropolis and has attracted the young and the old because of religious pilgrimages or to admire its great beauty. It is a perfect example of the classical style of Khmer architecture and has impressed many to be compared to the likes of ancient Greece and Rome. That is why many around the world still constantly visit Angkor wat. Also, 37 years after King Suryavaram II’s death, the new King decided on converting the empire’s religion from Hindu to Buddhist. Due to the political corruption present then, the conversion went on without a hitch. Hence, Angkor wat was converted to Theravada Buddhist use and till this date, the faithful still pay their respects there occasionally.

Another temple you can visit would be the Pha That Luang (Great Stupa in Lao), a Buddhist stupa in Vientiane, Laos. The architecture of the building includes many references to Lao culture and identity, and it also represents many aspects of Buddhist scriptures.

Confucius temple is what made Confucianism so weighty. Do you know that in the past to be "educated" meant to be learned in the Confucian classics”? The social relations of imperial Vietnam (emperor and subject, father and son, etc.) were greatly shaped by Confucius education. The five cardinal virtues of Confucianism (humanity, loyalty, civility, wisdom and justice) were promoted in the society. Interestingly, different from western mode, the bureaucracy was recruited from graduates of the Confucian examination system in the past.

However, the old system is not suitable in the modern world. As the French arrived, they replace Confucius educational system with civilized western educational system. Confucianism declined. Fortunately, Some Confucius temple still remained and functioning today and still play an important role in Vietnam.

So now, hurry up and catch this opportunity and join us at French Indochina to visit and experience the Eastern culture! See how it is different from our church school and how it influences people’s life in French Indochina!

These temples so great that it has stood the test of time, war and colonial rule. Having been present since ancient time, continuity is present in French Indochina main tourist attraction physically as preservation works have recently. True to its original purpose, faithful Buddhists often go and pay respects to deities. But those who go for the sights and sounds account for more than half of the visitors annually.

Traces of continuity could be found in Luang Prabang through the Royal Palace, which was built by the French for King Sisavangvong between 1904 and 1909 to replace the former royal palace, which had been burned down in 1887. The building was intended to improve Franco-Lao relations and thus features a blend of French and Lao architectural styles.


Who would miss a chance to visit such a historic site and view the work of talent ages ahead of their time?

ECONOMIC CONTINUITY

In French Indochina some area was not as developed as its neighbours for example Laos, because the French colonial government in Laos had little money for infrastructural development such as advanced transportation.


Changes brought into Laos were the changes in the agricultural systems. Because of the French economic goals of trading and exporting, instead of subsistence farming, peasants in Laos were assigned to plant crops for trade and export. However, the crops remained the same, and one could experience the agriculture in Laos by visiting the wet rice fields, as well as tobacco fields, which were cash crops being traded during the colonial era.

SOCIAL-
NOTRE-DAME BASILICA.

Vietnam, being colonized by the French during the colonial period, has benefited in one way or another by adapting some of the buildings from the French colony!

One of them is the famous Notre-Dame Basilica, which is located the downtown of Saigon, Vietnam. It is a huge red-bricked cathedral, which was established by French colonists. The cathedral was constructed between 1863 and 1880, and has two bell towers, reaching up to a height of 58 meters!

This Roman Catholic Church constituted a community and served as religious purposes, such as church services for French colonialists.

The earliest established religions in Vietnam were Confucianism, Buddhism and Daoism. Other more minor religions included Islam, Hinduism, Cao Dai, Hao Hao and Roman Catholicism. Roman Catholicism is currently being greatly strengthened due to the increasing amount of influence the French colony is having on Vietnam. The French encourages the spread of the religion as they think that it has helped to balance Buddhism, it being a major traditional religion, and also supported Western culture.

With all these magnificent French architectures in sight, who wouldn’t want to come and visit Ho Chinh Minh! So hurry go book your tickets to visit Vietnam now!

The first major French building to be constructed in the city was the Résidence supérieure (1900), a mansion built for the résident supérieur strategically sited within the former royal palace compound.

A résident supérieur is a French title which means "Superior" (i.e. senior) President. This suggests that he may have many junior Residents under him.

Why it’s worth visiting?

This mansion lets you have a feel of how the French governors lived during the colonial rule. When the territory of French Indochina including Laos was under French protection, it was administered directly by a résident supérieur in Vientiane. The latter had direct authority over the provincial résidents, who were on an equal footing with the Lao chao khoueng (provincial governors). The résident supérieur also acted as the representative of the French state to the king of Louangphrabang and supervised the administration of the kingdom through provincial commissioners. The affairs of the kingdom were conducted by a four-member council headed by the viceroy. The résident supérieur also coordinated the activities of the public services of the Indochinese Federation, which operated in both the north and the south, and employed French, Vietnamese, and Lao civil servants.

After the building of the Résidence supérieure, the nearby headquarters of the Service des travaux publics (1907) was built. The staff of which subsequently set to work on a Plan d'alignement to straighten the existing roads in the capital and make them run perpendicular or parallel to the Mekong River. As part of this plan a new main road called l'avenue de France was opened up.

ECONOMIC-
RAILWAY SYSTEM IN CAMBODIA.

Previously, Cambodia’s economy was self-sufficient and consisted of mainly rubber and corn plantations.

Then while under colonial rule, the Resident General there took good care of Cambodia and invested a lot on improving the transportation system in Cambodia with roads and railways. The line that connected Phnom Penh to the Thai border through Battambang was one of their greatest feats. Battambang, already known for its rubber and corn plantations, later became one of Indochina’s rice bowls for the latter. A simple but efficient transportation network was created and greatly decreased traveling time and cost.

After colonization, change was evident. Indochina now had a great demand for rubber, for its cheap cost and being waterproof and corn for being tasty. Being a source of both of natural resources, Cambodia’s economy was booming. Transportation had been greatly improved and since Cambodia’s main sources of income, rubber and corn plantations were so easily accessible, economy’s efficiency was increased tremendously thanks to the railroads. Other than visible networks that are now present, commercial ones that arose during Cambodia’s colonial days remained. China merchants and bankers in Cambodia developed commercial networks that extended throughout Indochina to China as well. These networks further increased Cambodia’s market, demand and subsequently economy.
During your tour to French Indochina, you will take a train and spot the differences it brought here.

When the French were colonizing Indo-china, many kinds of French food were introduced to the locals.

One of the most popular French foods you see around the streets of Vietnam is the baguette, a type of French bread.

However, you can still taste the traditional foods in Indo-china, such as the popular Pho Bo in Vietnam. Pho is also known as beef noodles.

You can also try sticky rice, which is a traditional staple food of the people of Laos.

Traditional costumes.

The traditional Ao Dai as shown in the photo above remains the dress of choice for many Vietnamese young ladies till today.

Before the Ao Dai, Frenchindochina had the ao tu than, which translates as the four-flapped dress.

Handmade items such as traditional jewelry are also popular purchases among tourists. If you're willing to take a little time to look, you are destined to find that special item in the markets of Frenchindochina.