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Laos
Laos is a beautiful country. Filled with warm welcoming people, delicious food and a deep rich culture. There is plenty to see and do, from trekking in the mountains to visit hill tribes, exploring huge temples, amazing motorbike trips & some crazy river activities
Vientiane Pha That Luang, Vientiane. Laos
The sleepy Lao capitol, nestled alongside the mighty Mekong, Nice place, Beautiful Temples to explore crammed with cafes and good food.
The first place we found decent bread after many months in Asia! The town is small enough, you can walk to most of the sights, Things to Check out are
If you are heading onwards to Vietnam you can get your visa here. If you are coming overland from Thailand, get yourself to Nong Khai, a nice small town on the Thai side of the Mekong, and you can just cross the friendship bridge across the river. Vientiane is about 20min drive from there |
Overview of getting visa's as you go
Laos gets very wet mid April...Its Songkran Time!! find out more!
Huge Bomb Crater near Phonsavan
Recovered Bomb Shells used as supports for village houses
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Vang Vien
A Riverside town in Laos, and it probably has the biggest night life scene in Laos too. The place is infamously popular for its Tubing, which involves you floating down the river, past various drinking holes, sailing in for a few beer Lao then bob off down the river for a few more, & more again. There are bars showing non stop tv reruns, and offer a chance to meet other travellers. There is not much around other than the amazing mountain scenery and rock formations. If getting drunk and partying is not your scene maybe not the place for you..
A Riverside town in Laos, and it probably has the biggest night life scene in Laos too. The place is infamously popular for its Tubing, which involves you floating down the river, past various drinking holes, sailing in for a few beer Lao then bob off down the river for a few more, & more again. There are bars showing non stop tv reruns, and offer a chance to meet other travellers. There is not much around other than the amazing mountain scenery and rock formations. If getting drunk and partying is not your scene maybe not the place for you..
Luang Prabang
The former capitol city and the first UNESCO listed site in Laos. There are some beautiful temples,waterfalls, caves, night markets & great eats for foodies. If you happen to be here for the South East Asian New Year or Water Festival as it has become know to the western world, the place goes nuts. A four day long water fight breaks out soaking anybody and anything, there is no holding back and everyone is a target. Cars and Tuk Tuks whizz by soaking people, as shop owners spray hoses back, alongside kids with water guns and monks with buckets. You will not be dry long.
The town is small and has not been hit by mass tourism, so still retains its charm. There are many places for cheap eats along the banks of the Mekong.
Check out
The town is small and has not been hit by mass tourism, so still retains its charm. There are many places for cheap eats along the banks of the Mekong.
Check out
- Alms Cermony Each morning at 6am the local Monks will go out to collect donations of rice from locals, & Tourists. If you are going remember to dress respectfully.
- Haw Kham The Formar Royal Palace thats now a museum.
- Kuang Si Falls. About 30km from the town are the Kuang Si Falls. Large cascading falls reachable by many tours/ Tuks tuks etc or by renting motorbike and taking yourself there!
Wet and wild...Songkran in Luang Prabang.
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Temple scenes, Luang Prabang
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Phonsavan
Home to the Plain Of Jars.
Mysterious large pieces of rock carved into huge pots scattered over a massive area. Still to this day, people are unsure as to there significance, but most think thery are likely from burial practices, cremations, similar to an Urn, associated to royalty
(wiki)
There are various other sights to see around the area, the
impressive overgrown temple stupa Wat Pia Wat, andthe magnificent ruin of Wat Si Phum.
Check out the work being done by MAG, (mines advisory group) they have a visitors center along the main street which definitely worth a look.
All around Phonsavan you will see bits of bombs, and other military gear, often used as flower pots, BBQs, bomb casings used as stilts on village houses. UXBs (unexploded bombs) still claim this lives of people here, particularly farmers and also poor people trying to retrieve the bomb's
valuable metal from the earth so sell.
Be careful when out and about exploring and stay within the cleared areas, which are well marked. This is the case around the plain of jars, and some rural villages. Some of the huge bomb craters just outside the town are still littered with cluster bombs. If you are heading on to Hanoi from here, the bus pulls in around 2am ish, costs around $30 taking about 20hrs to get there. If they ask you to sleep under the chairs, in the luggage rack, obviously say no and ask wheres your seat?!! This happens often!
Mysterious large pieces of rock carved into huge pots scattered over a massive area. Still to this day, people are unsure as to there significance, but most think thery are likely from burial practices, cremations, similar to an Urn, associated to royalty
(wiki)
There are various other sights to see around the area, the
impressive overgrown temple stupa Wat Pia Wat, andthe magnificent ruin of Wat Si Phum.
Check out the work being done by MAG, (mines advisory group) they have a visitors center along the main street which definitely worth a look.
All around Phonsavan you will see bits of bombs, and other military gear, often used as flower pots, BBQs, bomb casings used as stilts on village houses. UXBs (unexploded bombs) still claim this lives of people here, particularly farmers and also poor people trying to retrieve the bomb's
valuable metal from the earth so sell.
Be careful when out and about exploring and stay within the cleared areas, which are well marked. This is the case around the plain of jars, and some rural villages. Some of the huge bomb craters just outside the town are still littered with cluster bombs. If you are heading on to Hanoi from here, the bus pulls in around 2am ish, costs around $30 taking about 20hrs to get there. If they ask you to sleep under the chairs, in the luggage rack, obviously say no and ask wheres your seat?!! This happens often!
Wat Pia Wat, just out side Phonsavan
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The ruins of Wat Si Phum,
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