LAOS TRAVEL GUIDE

Laos is a beautifully green country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and China. The country, once a French colony, is one of the regions poorest, with the majority of the local people living in rural areas.

Laos is much less developed than surrounding countries, and that’s the beauty of it. Luang Prabang is probably my favourite town. Every morning the monks in their orange robes, line the street for the alms giving ceremony. They walk the street with bowls in which the local people place food into.

Luang Prabang also has some stunning temples, a fantastic night market and is close to Kuang Si falls- the most beautiful waterfall, set amongst the rainforest. Actually, Laos had many pretty waterfalls, including Tad Fane, Tad Fane and Tad Sae. I can’t even tell you how refreshing it is jumping not the water, especially in the humid wet season.

Laos also has mountains and caves to explore, as well as many adventure activities for tourists, like caving, hiking, tubing and ziplining. Vang Vieng is a town known for its tubing along the river and water slides, which has now thankfully stopped (in the most part) due to how dangerous it was. There’s plenty more to see though, from the blue lagoons, intricate temples, busy markets and beautiful caves.

The Capital is Vientiane, a very small and simple place for a capital but a good stop if you want to visit Buddha Park, which full of beautiful sculptures. It’s also nice to take a walk along the riverfront and enjoy the of the bars in the evening.

Take a slow boat down the Mekong river and see Laotian life from a different perspective. If you’re looking for a more authentic Southeast Asian experience or to get off the beaten track and bit, then head to Laos to enjoy a relaxed pace of travel.

Laos is a very safe country to travel solo in. The people can be quite shy at times but are very welcoming and friendly. As a woman travelling alone it’s unlikely you will find any harassment in Laos so I would definitely recommend it.

Travel around the country any is not as easy as neighbouring countries but there are many bus routes between the main towns. The roads can be quite long and winding, so take some motion sickness pills if you get car sick. Although journeys can take a while it does give you the change to see the beautiful Location countryside.

Dry season: October to April is the best time to go for warm and dry weather (March to June is the hottest time).

Wet season: May to October is wet season but the rains will only last for a short time. This can be a great time to see the lush scenery, cruise along the Mekong or swim in the waterfalls.