Laos; Simply Beautiful
A
lthough Laos is not a popular travel destination in comparison with its neighbouring countries, Thailand and Vietnam, it is truly a stunningly beautiful, friendly and exciting country to be on top of every traveler’s list.
The beauty of Laos lies in the nature with dramatic limestone and karst mountains, hidden caves, lush jungles and terraced rice paddies, with lovely hill tribe people living in rural villages far off the beaten track. Here are some reasons why Laos is a great place to visit!
Friendly Locals
The people of Laos are warm and hospitable with a pretty laid-back vibe. Southeast Asia’s most sparsely populated country has fewer than seven million residents.
While the full name of the country is “Laos People’s Democratic Republic” or “Laos PDR”, many smiling locals will tell you that ‘PDR’ actually stands for ‘Please Don’t Rush’.
Natural Untouched Scenery
History and cities aside, Laos is also well-known for wild and largely untouched scenery. Despite severe forest degradation in the past decades, Laos is still mostly covered in jungles and forests, which have been largely unexplored. In the mountainous Northern Laos, it is possible to take the “100 Waterfall trek” to explore some of these hidden locales, while renting a motorbike to discover the Bolaven Plateau in Southern Laos is also an amazing way to experience the landscape.
Amazing Waterfalls
Laos has impressive waterfalls, like the aquamarine multi-tiered Kuang Si falls in Luang Prabang, and the raging Khone Phapheng Falls near 4000 Islands, on the Cambodia border. Swim in the basins, hike through the jungles and bask in the beauty of these natural wonders.
Splendid Caves
Laos has some of the most magnificent caves in Asia. Some are major tourist attractions, with restaurants and bamboo bungalows outside and laser lights and concrete walkways inside. Others are pitch black and filled with water. Visitors sit in a tube or ride in a boat through caves illuminated with headlamps. Some caves are pilgrimage locations and are filled with Buddhist statues and offerings.
Vibrant and Diverse Heritage
Besides the distinctive Lao temple architecture of wats and stupas, visitors will notice several other distinct styles. Rural homes are typically made of wood and sit on stilts which keeps the air circulating and the living space cool in the hot season, while keeping the home from flooding in the rainy season. French-style colonial architecture can be seen in shophouses, government buildings and tree-lined boulevards in Laos’ bigger cities.
From the glittering golden roofs of Buddhist temples in Luang Prabang to the little French cafes in antique colonial buildings in Vientiane, from the glass-tile mosaics on monastery walls to the red Chinese lanterns hung outside houses for luck and prosperity, Laos possesses some of the most stunning examples of heritage and history in what was previously known as the French Colony of Indochine.
Adventure Sports
Looking to add in some adventure in your holiday? Laos offers a variety of adventure-fuelled experiences. Want to zip-line between tree houses in the rainforest? Kayak in the Mekong River? How about go rock climbing in the limestone karst mountains? Laos has all that and more including tubing, trekking, and cycling. There are tons of caves to explore, dirt bike tracks to ride and waterfalls to swim in. It’s an outdoor lover’s paradise.
Intrigued to visit Laos and experience for yourself? Check out our Laos Tour Packages:
- - 8D7N Explore Mysterious Laos from $1,368
- - 5D4N Vientiane City & Stunning Vang Vieng from $1,038
- - 5D4N Tour Heritage City from $968
For more info, please call us at +65 6532 5686 or [email protected]