Laos guide

Introdution: 

After years of war and isolation, Southeast Asia’s most pristine environment, intact cultures and quite possibly the most chilled-out people on earth mean destination Laos is fast earning cult status among travellers. It is developing quickly but still has much of the tradition that has sadly disappeared elsewhere in the region. Village life is refreshingly simple and even in Vientiane it’s hard to believe this sort of languid riverfront life exists in a national capital. Then, of course, there is the historic royal city of Luang Prabang, where watching as hundreds of saffron-robed monks move silently among centuries-old monasteries is as romantic a scene as you’ll experience

Overview

The Lao wilderness is drawing travellers looking for nature, adventure or both. Kayaking, rafting, rock-climbing and biking are all available, but it’s the community-based trekking that is most popular because it combines spectacular natural attractions with the chance to experience the ‘real Laos’ with a village homestay – while spending your money where it’s needed most.

There is undoubtedly a growing tourist trail in Laos, but that just means there’s plenty of roads off Rte 13 where you can make your own trail. After all, half the fun of travelling here is in the travel itself – the people you meet, chickens you share seats with, wrong turns you take and lào-láo you drink with the smiling family at the end of the road less travelled.

Culture

The Lao wilderness is drawing travellers looking for nature, adventure or both. Kayaking, rafting, rock-climbing and biking are all available, but it’s the community-based trekking that is most popular because it combines spectacular natural attractions with the chance to experience the ‘real Laos’ with a village homestay – while spending your money where it’s needed most.

There is undoubtedly a growing tourist trail in Laos, but that just means there’s plenty of roads off Rte 13 where you can make your own trail. After all, half the fun of travelling here is in the travel itself – the people you meet, chickens you share seats with, wrong turns you take and lào-láo you drink with the smiling family at the end of the road less travelled.

Transportation

There are flights from Vientiane's Wattay airport to Bangkok and Chiang Mai in Thailand, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in Vietnam, Phnom Penh in Cambodia, Yangon (Rangoon) in Myanmar (Burma) and Kunming in China.
 
It is now legal for non-Thai foreigners to cross the Mekong into Laos at the following points: Nong Khai (near Vientiane), Chong Mek (near Pakse), Nakhon Phanom (opposite Tha Khaek), Chiang Khong (opposite Huay Xai) and Mukdahan (opposite Savannakhet). Boarder crossings are open between 6am and 6pm. Use of the Friendship Bridge spanning the Mekong at Nong Khai is hampered by controls on foreign-registered vehicles, but individual travellers should experience nothing more harrassing than a slight delay. It's possible to cross to or from Vietnam via Lao Bao or Kuen Neua if you have a valid visa. It may also be possible to cross into Cambodia at the border town of Voen Kham, in Champasak Province. Entry to Laos is also possible from China's Yunnan Province at Boten.
 
It is now possible to travel to every province in Laos by some form of public road transport. Regular buses ply Rte 13 between Luang Prabang and Savannakhet. Other routes in the South, eg, Pakse to Sekong, typically use flat-bed trucks mounted with carriages and seats. The alternative mode of getting around is river transport. The main thoroughfares are the Mekong, Nam Ou, Nam Khan, Nam Tha, Nam Ngum and Se Don. With the increase in road travel, river passenger services are declining year by year, but you can still catch long-distance ferries (called heua duan, express boats, not to be confused with the extremely fast heua wai, speed boats) between Huay Xai and Vientiane. For shorter trips it's usually best to hire a river taxi or, in the upper Mekong, a speed boat.
 

There are a few taxis in the larger towns, plenty of three-wheeled motorcycles and, for shorter distances, pedicabs. Bargaining skills will be required. Small 100cc motorbikes can be rented in Vientiane, Luang Prabang and Savannakhet. Bicycles can be rented in Vientiane, Savannakhet, Don Khong and Luang Prabang.

Practical

Vientiane is the capital city of Laos and its seat of government. As a former French Indochinese state, Vientiane has a compelling history of colonial domination and internal conflicts that have ravaged the country in the past. Despite this, the pace of life in the capital is surprisingly slow and laid-back. Vientiane (pronounced ‘Wieng Chan’ by the locals) houses several interesting Buddhist monasteries as well as bustling markets.

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