Discover Laos

Despite being possibly the least well-known destination on the Southeast-Asian circuit, Laos stands out for its natural charm and incredibly laid back pace of life. Vientiane, the capital, hardly seems like a city when compared with Bangkok or Hanoi: it is far quieter, smaller and less built-up than its neighboring capitals, but that makes it all the more manageable and adds to its charm. And there are plenty of interesting places to visit in Laos to keep the avid sightseer busy: That Luang, a 45 m tall golden stupa surrounded by 30 smaller stupas, believed to enshrine a relic of the Buddha, is probably Laos’s most important national monument and an impressive sight to behold; then there is Patuxai, Laos’s answer to Paris’s Arc de Triomphe, on which the characters from local mythology, carved in a very European shape, stand testament to the fusion of Laotian traditions and French colonialism that has shaped much of the country’s history. The opportunity for a stroll through Buddha Park among the host of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures is not to be passed up either. However, many visitors to Laos head straight for the city of Luang Prabang, where there are beautiful temples and monasteries wherever you look, and which is more immediately striking. An added bonus is that, having been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, no buses or trucks are allowed in the city, increasing the sense of spiritual tranquility that pervades the streets as monks and nuns collect alms, washing them in colour. There are also plenty of places worth visiting in the surrounding area, such as the Kuang Si Falls, where you can watch the gentle cascading of the waterfall from the bottom or clamber up and have a swim in the pools of emerald water; or the Pak Ou Caves, where a 2-hour boat ride will take you to see the remarkable collection of Buddhist figures there. One town that has, slightly unfortunately, earned a reputation in recent years as a backpacker haven is VangVieng. But those who manage to keep away from the bars full of travelers watching American sitcoms and drinking ‘magic’ milkshakes will be justly rewarded by the amazing complex of caves just outside the town, and by the majestic limestone landscape that makes this Laos’s best climbing spot. And the advantage of the influx of tourism here is that there is a wide variety of accommodation and eateries to suit any taste and budget – making it an ideal base for cheap holidays in the area. Another of Laos’s gems is Si Phan Don, which translates as ‘4000 Islands’, and is the name of the archipelago on the Mekong River near the border with Cambodia. With trips to look for the endangered Irrawaddy river dolphins, a French colonialist narrow-gauge railway and the KhonPhapheng waterfalls, there are plenty of activities on offer – but stringing up a hammock and swinging gently over the water might be more in tune with the rhythm of life here. There are several islands offering a good range of tourist accommodation; Don Khong, Don Det and Don Khon are the most popular.