Laos: Places to Explore

This picturesque river village sits on the eastern side of the Nam Ou River, which descends from Phong Saly Province in the north to meet the Mekong River opposite the famous Pak Ou Caves. The village... Read more

In the early 18th century the kingdom of Laos was partitioned into three realms: Luang Prabang, Vientiane, and Champasak. During the 18th and 19th centuries this small village on the west bank of the Mekong... Read more

The capital of Laos's northernmost province, Luang Nam Tha is the headquarters of the groundbreaking Nam Ha Ecotourism. The program, a model for Southeast Asia, actively encourages the involvement of local... Read more

This is Laos's religious and artistic capital, and its combination of impressive natural surroundings, historic architecture, and friendly inhabitants make it one of the region's most pleasant towns. The... Read more

In the late 19th century this mountain-ringed town on the Sing Mountain River was the seat of a Tai Lue prince, Chao Fa Silino; Muang Sing lost its regional prominence, however, when French-colonial forces... Read more

Pakse is a former French-colonial stronghold, linked now with neighboring Thailand by a bridge 40 km (25 mi) away. It plays a central role in an ambitious regional plan to create an "Emerald Triangle"—a... Read more

If you're looking for off-the-beaten-track "soft" adventure, head for the provincial capital Phongsaly, in the far north of Laos. It's a hill station and market town nearly 5,000 feet above sea level in... Read more

If you've made it as far south as Champasak, then a visit to the Si Phan Don area—celebrated for its 4,000 Mekong River islands and freshwater dolphins—is a must. Don means island, and two of... Read more

Highway 13 out of Vientiane penetrates as far as the deep south of Laos and the Cambodian border, a distance of 835 km (518 mi). It's paved all the way. The section between Vientiane and Pakse is not noted... Read more

The town of Vang Vieng was discovered in the mid-1990s by backpackers traveling between Vientiane and Luang Prabang on Highway 13. It's not only a convenient stopover, but also a town bordered by an attractive... Read more

Vientiane is the quietest Southeast Asian capital, with a pace as slow as the Mekong River, which flows along the edge of town. It doesn't have the kind of imposing sights you find in Bangkok, but neither... Read more