Laos is a fascinating country and offers visitors a
chance to step back in time or perhaps step into a
time never before dreamed of? Undeveloped and for the
most part, undiscovered, Laos is a treasure-trove of
experiences and sights awaiting your discovery. The
following information only touches on the discoveries
you, the visitor will make.
For those seeking more detailed information on the
more popular areas, please click on the following
links listed below:
Vientiane
Luang
Prabang
Vientiane
is the capital of Laos, located on the banks of the
Mekong river. Tree-lined boulevards, French historical dwellings
and Buddhists temples dominate the scene of central
Vientiane and impart a unique character of
timelessness.
Vientiane's
That Luang Stupa
is the most impressive and biggest stupa in Laos,
featured on the Lao insignia and was constructed in
1566 by King Setthathirat. The Siamese damaged it
badly during their invasion in 1828, but it was
restored in the 1936s. In mid-November, religious
rites as well as a fair are held here during the
That Luang Festival.
Wat Phra Keo
was also constructed by King Setthathirat. It was
rebuilt after the Siamese razed it during the
Siamese-Lao war of 1828. The building had housed the
Emerald Buddha until it was taken to Bangkok following
a skirmish with the Lao in 1778. Wat Phra Keo still
displays some of the finest Buddha sculptures found in
the country.
The Patousay
on Lane Xang Avenue is a large monument reminiscent of
the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Its architecture
incorporates typical Lao motifs. From the top one can
have a panoramic view of the entire city.
Wat Sisaket is the oldest
temple of Vientiane which has survived in its original
form. Inside the main hall and along the walls of the
courtyard surrounding it, a total of 6840 Buddha
images rest in small niches or on shelves. Another
interesting stop is at
Wat Ong Teu where the Buddhist
Institute is located and where monks can study their
religion under the guidance of senior instructors.
Vientiane Province
on the whole offers impressive scenery. At
Vangvieng, 160 km north of Vientiane
municipality, breathtaking limestone formations nestle
along the Song River. The rocks are honeycombed with
numerous caves, the most famous of which is Tham
Jang. Many of these caves can be reached by
foot from Vangvieng.
Located 90 km north of
Vientiane
municipality is the Nam Ngum Reservoir,
a huge artificial lake created as part of a
hydroelectric scheme. The lake is dotted with hundreds
of picturesque islands, which can be explored by
cruising around
in
small boats. It is also interesting to watch the
locals felling underwater teak trees which were
submerged when the
Nam
Ngum Lake area was inundated with water. Near the
lake, at Vangsang, primitive Buddha
images, dating from the 11th century, are carved into
a rock cliff which makes for some interesting
contemplation.
Phongsaly
situated in the most Northern tip of
Laos is enclosed on three sides by China and Vietnam
and cut off to overland travel from Oudomsay (details
see further down the page) to the South. It consists
of six districts: Phongsaly, Muangmai, Muangkhua,
Samphan, Sombounxay and Yot Ou. More than
twenty ethnic tribes make up the
province's population, among them Iko, Loma, Akha,
Pusang, Thai Dam, Thai Deng, Yao, Thai Lu, Khamou,
Phai, Solo and Lao Hoy. All retain distinct cultures,
languages and religious beliefs, though their most
obvious difference is the dress of the women of each
tribe. Handicraft skills, notably in weaving,
embroidery and making silver jewellery are also well
developed and worth purchasing if visiting the area.
Phongsaly can be reached by road and river, from
Oudomsay it is possible to travel by road as far as
Muangkhua in Southern Phongsaly then continue from
Muangkhua by boat. From Luangnamtha it is possible to
travel by road via Muangla (Yunnan
province, China). From Luangprabang it is possible via
the Nam Ou River north into the hearth of Phongsaly.
Another way, you can get here is by Lao Aviation which
provides two flights per week.
Huaphanh Province,
a mysterious, beautiful and abundant land, is situated
in the north-east of Laos, bordered by Xieng Khuang
and
Luang
Prabang to the west and Vietnam to the
east.
This was the base of the Lao People's Revolutionary
activities and the geographical heart of the
liberation struggle. The province’s population
consists of many ethnic groups, each with their own
life styles, costumes, folk-lore, festivals, folk
dances and songs.
Huaphan has six districts: Viengxay, Xamneua, Xamtai,
Viengthong, Xiengkho and Huamuang. The principal town
is Viengxay the former name being Nakay.
The province is famous for its limestone mountains and
caves, the latter of which more than one hundred
exist, such as Tham Than Souphanouvong,
also known as Tham Than Kaysone and Tham Yonesong
depending on who happened to be living in the cave at
the time. This is not the only ‘residential cave’ in
the area and some of the mre interesting ones are
devided into various chambers such as meeting rooms,
lounges, sleeping areas and the like.
Sayaboury
is situated in the north-west of
Laos; sharing borders with Vientiane and Luang Prabang
in the east and Thailand in the west.
The landscape of Sayaboury is magnificent and is
dominated by several peaks with altitudes of more than
1000m; the meadows and pastures lie alongside thick,
tangled virgin forests that secret numerous different
species of fauna and flora, some still undocumented
and begging discovery by those daring to brave the
dense jungles and raging rivers of this area.
The principal town is commonly called Muang Sayaboury,
where many impressive temples such as Wat Ban
Thin, Wat Ban Phapoun and
Wat Ban Natonoy are located.
The areas of Muang Phieng, such as Ban
Fainamtan, Ban Nakhem and Ban Nampoui are fertile and
when travelling through here it is quite normal to see
elephants pulling logs or assisting with other
laborious tasks that most other countries would use
machines for. Whatever you do, don’t forget your
camera.
Luang Prabang is the ancient capital city of the Lane Xang kingdom which
according to legend was first called Muang Swa and was
later known as Xieng Thong.
It is situated at the confluence of the Khan and
Mekong rivers and is surrounded by green hills and
impresses travellers with its gleaming temple roofs
and crumbling French architecture.
The town is dominated by the
Phou Si Hill with its many wats and
its 24-metre high stupa,
That Chomsi. The top of Phousi affords
astonishing views, especially during sunset or
sunrise.
Wat Xieng Thong, is another worthwhile attraction. Built in 1560, it
represents classic local temple architecture. Its sim
(chapel) is richly decorated and has a low sweeping
roof that goes to the ground. Other interesting
temples are Wat Wisunalat,
Wat Aham and
Wat That Luang.
The
Royal
Palace Museum
constructed 1904-1909 as King Sisavang Vong's palace,
houses the royal throne and some interesting royal
artefacts. The building itself features a mixture of
French art styles and traditional Lao motifs.
The spectacular Kuang Si
Waterfall is situated 29 km south of
Luang Prabang deep in the forest. The waters tumble
over multi-tiered limestone formations into several
cool, turquoise-green pools ideal for relaxation and
swimming that are a must do if you are visiting with
children.
Equally fascinating are the
Pak Ou Caves which can be reached by
a 2-hour boat trip upstream from Luang Prabang. They
are located within a steep cliff which rises
vertically from the waters of the Mekong river at the
point where it meets with the Nam Ou river. The lower
cave, called Tham Ting, and the upper cave, Tham
Prakachay, shelter numerous Buddha images of varying
styles, ages and sizes, which are yet another must see
activity in the area.
Xieng Khouang Province offers the awesome beauty of high green mountains
and rugged karst formations. The original capital
city, Muang Khun, was almost totally obliterated by US
bombing and consequently was moved to nearby
Phonsavanh. Of several Muang Khun Buddhist temples
built between the 16th and 19th century, only ruins
remain. Wat Pia Vat, however, survived
the bombing and makes for a worthwhile stop off.
The main attraction in Xieng Khouang province is the
Plain of Jars. Here stone jars of
different sizes, apparently carved out of solid
rock/s, are scattered all over the plateau. The
biggest one reaches a height of 3.25 metres. Different
theories as to the function of the stone jars, which
are estimated to be 2,500 to 3,000 years old, exist.
According to local legend, in the 6th century King
Khun Chuang had the jars constructed in order to store
wine for the celebration of his conquest of Xieng
Khouang. Alternatively, some researchers have
suggested the jars were crafted as sarcophagi. This
theory is supported by the discovery of human bones
and daily utensils nearby. To date, the exact use of
the jars remains a mystery.
Approximately 52 km north of Phonsavanh, a hot spring
will appeal to travellers in search of relaxation. The
waters of both, Baw Noi (Little Spring)
and Baw Yai (Big Spring),
reach a temperature of around 60 C.
Bokeo
located along the three-border intersection of
Laos, Myanmar and Thailand, (part of the Golden
Triangle) is home to a large number of ethnic
minorities, each with their own lifestyles and
customs. The most lucrative occupation in Bokeo is
gold panning and digging for precious stones.
Oudomxay
the mountainous
northern province, is wedged between Luang Prabang in
the east, Phongsaly in the north east, Sayaboury in
the south and
China.
Most of the population is a mixture of ethnic groups
such as Hmong, Iko, khamu, lamet etc, each with it own
distinct culture, religion, language and colourful
style of dress. They are hospitable and welcome
visitors to their singular cultures which are mostly
untouched by the 21st century.
The capital, Muang Say, lies between two strings of
Hmong villages. Near Muang Say
Lak Sip-Et Waterfall,
attracts visitors, as do the
hot springs
near Muang La. Muang Say is connected by road to
Pakbeng, a rustic town stretching along the Mekong.
From there one can continue to
Luang Prabang by
boat, passing stone cliffs, undulating mountains and
little fishing villages.
Luang Namtha, bordering
China and Myanmar, is an ethnically diverse and
colourful province in northern Laos. Thirty nine
ethnic groups coexist in the area, and at the daily
market in Muang Sing Thai Lu, Thai Neua, Yunnanese,
Shan, Hmong and Mien can be seen.
This province is picturesque with mountains and many
old temples. Although many have been destroyed during
the war, they remain one of the major attractions and
are noticeably different from other classical temples.
Borikhamsay located in the central
Laos in the narrow "neck" with moderately high
mountains sloping south west into the Mekong River
valley is another picturesque area.
Vientiane
and Xieng Khouang province lie to the north,
Khammouane province to the south. Here one can see the
'footprint of Buddha' shrine at Wat Phra Bat
which is an important pilgrimage site.
At Ban Nahin, Poupha Mane, a stone forest
featuring thousands of rock pinnacles, can be found.
Due to its proximity to Lak Xao, the
latter is within easy reach for tourists crossing to
Vietnam. South of Lak Xao, the still pristine forests
of Nam Thuen protect areas with numerous varieties of
wild life that are worth exploring.
Khammouane
situated in the central part of Lao PDR with an area of
moderately high mountains sloping down to the Mekong
valley is well suited to plantations of rice, cabbage,
sugar cane bananas etc. The population is made up of
Lao groups such as Phuan, Tahoy, Kri and Katang among
others.
Thakhek is the provincial capital and is well known to
day-tripping Thais from Nakhon Phanom, just across the
Mekong
river. It also has many well-preserved French colonial
architectural buildings similar to that found in
Vientiane.
About 8 km to the south of the town is the That
Sikhotabong (or Sikhotabong stupa) constructed
around 9th to 10th century by King Nanthasen and
restored in the 1950s. Khammouane is rich with many
caves, such as Tham Xieng Lieup, Tham Nang An,
Tham Phanam and Tham Phaya In,
all of which will make any spelunker happy.
Savannakhet
Khanthabouly is the provincial capital of Savannakhet and
is a busy market place for trade with nearby
Thailand. Numerous examples of French architecture
tell of the town's importance during the colonial era
and the main attractions are its noteworthy temples
such as the beautiful Wat Saya Phoum and
That Inghang. The latter is the holiest
edifice in southern Laos, housing a hollow chamber
with a distinguished collection of Buddha images.
Near Muang Phin, on the route to Vietnam,
dinosaur remains are on display, discovered by
a French scientist in the 1930s. Not as old as these
prehistoric relics, but of no less significance, is
the northernmost example of Khmer art at Heuan
Hin (stone house). The buildings were
constructed between 553 AD and 700 AD. Today little
more than ruins remain.
Visitors interested in the latest period of Lao
history may want to visit the former Ho
Chi Minh Trail, whose outer edges are
next to Xepon, 170 km east of Khanthabouly. North and
south along the trail, remnants of downed US
helicopters, fighter planes and other war material can
be seen.
Champassack
lies in south-western part of
Laos. Its capital is Pakse which is located at the
confluence of the Mekong and the Sedon rivers. Here
lush, fertile land encourages rice cultivation and it
is one of the largest producers of rice in the
country.
Parts of the Bolaven Plateau which rests
on the border of Saravane and Champassack are used for
cultivation of coffee, cardamon, bananas and crops.
The rest offer pristine nature and mountains in the
central part constituting Dong Hua Sao,
a proposed protected area. Several waterfalls drop
over the escarpment. One of the most spectacular is
Tat Phan with a height of 120 metres.
46km south of Pakse, Wat Phou, one of
the most important sights in Laos, is located. Wat
Phou literally means mountain temple. The different
levels of the temple structure, built along the slope
of the adjacent mountain, date from the 6th century to
the
Angkor period of the 9th to 13th century. The upper platform of
the temple affords a wonderful view of the
Mekong plain. Energetic visitors may want to climb the
nearby Phu Passak, whose peak is shaped
like a lingam or Shiva phallus. Another Khmer
monument, Muang Tomo or Oum Moung, can
be visited on the opposite side of the Mekong. It is,
however, less accessible than Wat Phou.
At the most south-western tip of Laos, along the
Cambodian border, the
Mekong
river reaches its maximum breadth of 14 km (during the
rainy season). When the water level falls back again
in the dry season, thousands of small islands rise
from the river, giving the area the name Si Phan
Done (4000 islands). The biggest island is
Done Khong, a peaceful place for an overnight visit.
From here, South East Asia's biggest waterfalls,
Khone Pha Pheng, are within easy reach by
boat or by road.
Another interesting island in this area is Done
Khone, where the French built a 14 km long
railway to bypass the rapids. Visitors can follow the
old railway line, view an old locomotive, pass a
massive French-built bridge and watch a series of huge
river cascades called Tat Somphamit (or
the Li Phi falls). From the southern tip of Done Khone
a small island is accessible from which
Irrawaddy dolphins
can be seen during the dry season.
Saravane
is a south-eastern province situated on the Bolavens
Plateau and is offers idyllic scenery. A
prehistoric site exists not far from some
cascades where within a cavern huge stone caskets are
piled one on top of the other that makes for
interesting speculation. A tour of the area on
elephant back is an exotic attraction, or visitors can
explore the ethnic minority villages that are well
worthwhile.
Sekong situated in the heart of the south-eastern part of
Laos; has common borders with Saravane to the west,
Champassack and Attapeu to the south and Vietnam to
the east. The Sekong River Valley
is characterized by a landscape of a fertile plains
dotted with villages and small towns; such as Lanam,
Kaleum, Dakchung and Thateng, where the majority of
people follow the unchanging lifestyle of traditional
farming. Eco-Tourism is popular here
because of its tropical forests that are home to many
rare species of flora and fauna.
Attapeu
is the most south-eastern province in
Laos; sharing borders with Sekong in the north,
Champassack in the west, Vietnam in the east and
Cambodia in the south and consists of five districts:
Saysettha, Samakhixay, Sanamxay and Phouvong. The main
town is built in a large valley surrounded by
mountains opposite the confluence of the Sekong and
Sekhamane rivers. Most of the population in
Saravane, Sekong and Attapeu are up-lander minorities
comprising of nine major tribes: Alak, Katang, Kaleum,
Katou, Suay, Nge, Lave, Tahoy, Nyaheung.
Note: For
more information on what's to see and do in Laos
please take a look through our
Sport and Activity
pages, our Children's
Activity pages and our Top 10
Things to Do pages or
Contact Us.
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