Welcome to visit Laos
The mountainous, landlocked country of Laos is one of southeast Asia's greatest tourist destinations: an unassuming, friendly land full of natural beauty and interesting cultural sites. Although not as developed, nor as established on the global tourism scene as its neighbours Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, it is in fact in this relative obscurity that the true beauty of a holiday in Laos resides.
The sleepy, languid nature of Laos' capital Vientiane is symbolic of the easygoing, relaxed atmosphere that permeates the entire country. Beautifully situated on the banks of the Mekong River, Vientiane is a thoroughly atypical southeast Asian capital city, eschewing the modern trend of overdevelopment and westernisation in the name of tradition. Unmissable tourist sites in Vientiane include Pha That Luang, a gorgeous Buddhist temple, and Buddha Park, housing a bizarre collection of both Buddhist and Hindu religious edifices.
However, the number one tourist destination in Laos remains the UNESCO World Heritage city of Luang Prabang. A mixture of authentic culture and modern convenience, in Luang Prabang monks in orange robes stroll past a curious mixture of traditional wooden houses and French colonial architecture, while a bustling cafe culture plays out on the banks of the Mekong and Nam Khan Rivers.
Although Vientiane and Luang Prabang are the most popular destinations in Laos, the countryside is also well worth exploring for adventurous travellers. Especially in the south of the country, endless hiking trails explore dense forests and pristine waterfalls, and friendly villages make for perfect camp sites. There is a lot to see and do in Laos, and its laid-back atmosphere makes it a perfect destination for 'slow travel' enthusiasts.
Best time to visit Laos
Laos has a tropical climate, characterised by high temperatures all year round. The Monsoon Season (May to October) is slightly cooler, but very wet. The best time to visit Laos is between November and March, although this is high tourist season and so accommodation prices may be higher than they are at other times of the year. Between March and May Laos experiences a very hot season, with day-time temperatures often reaching 104F (40C). Read more on Laos' Climate and Weather.
Top things to see in Laos
-Vientiane's beautiful temple of Pha That Luang is Laos' national symbol.
-The deeply mysterious Plain of Jars (Phonsavan), a field scattered with hundreds of huge stone jars, is a fascinating day-trip from Luang Prabang.
-Buddha Park is an interesting open-air museum showcasing Buddhist and Hindu temples and statues.
-The Golden City Temple (Wat Xieng Thong) is one of the most impressive monasteries in Laos. Read more about Laos Attractions.
Top things to do in Laos
-Take part in the Morning Alms Ceremony in Luang Prabang, where monks in saffron-coloured robes walk down the main street of the village collecting alms for their daily consumption.
-Shop for bargains at the Morning Market (Talat Sao) in Vientiane.
-Strike out from Luang Prabang to the gorgeous Kuang Si Falls.
-Visit the charming town of Vang Vieng and the impressive limestone cave complexes in the nearby hills.
Getting to Laos
Cheap flights to Laos are easy to find from the US and UK, though direct flights aren't as plentiful; most flights to Vientiane's Wattay International Airport are indirect flights. Get more information on Laos Airports.
Read
The Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill
Watch
Sabaidee Luang Prabang (2008)
Eat
Try the national dish known as laap, a mixture of minced meat, herbs, spices, lime juice and chilli; as well as tam maak hung, a spicy green papaya salad dressed with fermented crab and a strong fish sauce called pa daek.
Drink
Beer Lao, which is made from Laotian jasmine rice and is one of Laos' few beverage exports, and lao-lao, a cheap (and effective) rice spirit. Laotian coffee (kaafeh) is very good.
What to buy
The best souvenirs from Laos are silk garments and traditional Laotian cloth, which can be tailored to make dresses and shirts very cheaply.
What to pack
Lightweight clothing, effective insect repellent and plenty of sunscreen for a holiday in Laos. Make sure you have a small backpack to carry with you on day excursions, containing a rain-slicker and bottled water.
What's on in Laos
Buddha's Birthday (Visakha Busa) takes place on the first full moon in May, and is celebrated in towns and villages across the country. Lao New Year (known as Bpee Mai or Songkan) is held in April, just before the Monsoon Season, and is the most exuberant celebration of the year. Laos National Day (2 December) celebrates the proletariat's victory over the monarchy in 1975, and is commemorated by banners, parades and processions through the streets of Vientiane. More information on Laos Events.
Did you know?
-There are more Laotians living outside of Laos than inside the country.
-Most of the stone jars found in Laos' mysterious Plain of Jars are large enough to hold a person.
-The Khone Waterfall, on the border of Laos and Cambodia, has the greatest volume of water of any waterfall on earth.
A final word
A quiet land, refreshingly bereft of modern bells and whistles, Laos is a wonderful destination for adventurous travellers looking to take a slow, rewarding trip through the best of what Southeast Asia has to offer.Read more: roducing Laos
Good morning how are you?
ReplyDeleteMy name is Emilio, I am a Spanish boy and I live in a town near to Madrid. I am a very interested person in knowing things so different as the culture, the way of life of the inhabitants of our planet, the fauna, the flora, and the landscapes of all the countries of the world etc. in summary, I am a person that enjoys traveling, learning and respecting people's diversity from all over the world.
I would love to travel and meet in person all the aspects above mentioned, but unfortunately as this is very expensive and my purchasing power is quite small, so I devised a way to travel with the imagination in every corner of our planet. A few years ago I started a collection of used stamps because trough them, you can see pictures about fauna, flora, monuments, landscapes etc. from all the countries. As every day is more and more difficult to get stamps, some years ago I started a new collection in order to get traditional letters addressed to me in which my goal was to get at least 1 letter from each country in the world. This modest goal is feasible to reach in the most part of countries, but unfortunately it’s impossible to achieve in other various territories for several reasons, either because they are countries at war, either because they are countries with extreme poverty or because for whatever reason the postal system is not functioning properly.
For all this I would ask you one small favour:
Would you be so kind as to send me a letter by traditional mail from Laos? I understand perfectly that you think that your blog is not the appropriate place to ask this, and even, is very probably that you ignore my letter, but I would call your attention to the difficulty involved in getting a letter from that country, and also I don’t know anyone neither where to write in Laos in order to increase my collection. a letter for me is like a little souvenir, like if I have had visited that territory with my imagination and at same time, the arrival of the letters from a country is a sign of peace and normality and an original way to promote a country in the world. My postal address is the following one:
Emilio Fernandez Esteban
Avenida Juan de la Cierva, 44
28902 Getafe (Madrid)
Spain
If you wish, you can visit my blog www.cartasenmibuzon.blogspot.com where you can see the pictures of all the letters that I have received from whole World.
Finally I would like to thank the attention given to this letter, and whether you can help me or not, I send my best wishes for peace, health and happiness for you, your family and all your dear beings.
Yours Sincerely
Emilio Fernandez