Laos, Simply Beautiful

By Livia Hengel | forbes.com

Laos 🇱🇦 may be a landlocked country without a tropical coastline, but it makes up for it with stunning mountain scenery, lush rice paddies and the mighty Mekong River which runs through its territory. Still wild and largely untouched, it offers a fascinating array of cultural attractions, outdoor experiences and timeless charm.

Luang Prabang

With its mix of Buddhist temples, colonial architecture and jungle fauna, Luang Prabang is one of the overlooked jewels of southeast Asia. First inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995, its heritage has been preserved in time and its traditions remain an enduring attraction. It’s still common to see locals give alms to monks each morning around 6am: sticky rice, crackers or cookies given as an act of charity to monks who rely on these expressions of good will. Cultural heritage is a recurring theme in Luang Prabang.

Mekong Kingdoms

The Main Street Bar and Grill offers all day dining in a bright, cheerful space overlooking the main thoroughfare in town. Taste revisited Laotian classics like turmeric tilapia in banana leaf or roasted duck curry with local vegetables and lychee. The town and the hotel can also arrange a number of experiences for guests, including day cruises through its partner Mekong Kingdom. Hop on a longboat to explore the emerald-colored Kuang Si Waterfall or sail towards the Pak Ou Cave, lined with Buddha statues. The Laos Buffalo Dairy, a sustainable farm aimed at improving the welfare and nutrition of Luang Prabang's rural population, is the perfect place to stop for a scoop of gelato to cool down after a day of adventures.

Vang Vieng

The new Lao-China Railway has made traveling through Laos much quicker than before. In just one hour, you can depart Luang Prabang and reach the little mountain town of Vang Vieng. Surrounded by limestone mountains, stalactite-lined caves and sparkling lagoons, the town feels otherworldly and offers a plethora of outdoor activities: hiking, kayaking and zip-lining are just a few. The town is somewhat notorious for its backpacker culture, but the railway promises to bring more investment to the town in the coming years. Needless to say, where you stay in Vang Vieng can make or break your visit, so be sure to book a room at the Riverside Boutique Resort for a relaxing escape immersed in nature.

Vientiane

It takes just one more hour to get from Vang Vieng to Vientiane on the same high-speed rail, and the two destinations couldn’t feel more different. Home to one million people, Vientiane is the capital of Laos and has a cosmopolitan feel. The city has hundreds of international restaurants and triumphant memorials like the Patuxai war monument, erected to mark its independence from France. Incidentally, it was inspired by the Arc de Triomphe.

A short drive from town, the gilded That Dam Stupa rises 150ft and is arguably the most important religious attraction in the country. It is worth a quick stop on the way to the Buddha Park, an hour drive east from the capital. Established by a shaman in the 1950s, the sculpture park features over 200 Hindu and Buddhist concrete statues nestled among lush trees and flowers. The 130 ft long reclining Buddha is a main attraction.

In town, Vientiane has many small galleries and social enterprises that promote local communities and traditions. The Laos Textile Museum has informative displays and loom demonstrations to explain how silk and other textiles are produced. T'Shop Lai Gallery, an art gallery and boutique, is a great place to pick up coffee scrubs, organic shampoos with butterfly pea flower and lemongrass-laced creams crafted by local communities. Vientiane is also a great value place to eat and drink.

Thiên Xuân Travel
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Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
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