Laos Overview

Laos is a landlocked country steeped in nature, food, history, and Buddhism.

Laos is wrapped in a mountainous landscape, making it one of the most beautiful countries in Southeast Asia, even if it lacks the beaches of other countries. Adventure travel is big here. You can go zip-lining, kayaking, hiking, and cave tubing all in one day.

Visitors will enjoy traveling and exploring Laos on a leisurely pace, from the Plain of Jars in the north to beautiful mountains surrounding Pakse in the south. Vientiane, the capital is also the largest city nestled along the banks of Mekong; a great place to enjoy Lao food, sticky rice, a Beer Lao, and watch the sunset.

Most visitors will spend a day or two in the capital and longer in Luang Prabang, the UNESCO World Heritage site, before heading off to the northern part of the country. Visit the temples and take a river cruise on one of the many speed boats available for rent. The beauty of the Mekong River is captivating, but so are the many caves along the way. The most interesting is the Pak Ou Caves, also known as Buddha caves, full of statues dedicated to the god. In Xieng Khouang province, just south of Luang Prabang, find the intriguing Plain of Jars – which remains a mystery as to their use and origin.

The country is changing fast, but pockets remain well off-the-beaten-track, ready to be explored by the adventurous few who are willing to forego the usual tourist luxuries. Those who want to experience a real taste of rural Southeast Asian life will be delighted.