Laos

Southeast Asia's best-kept secret: golden temples, serene Mekong and a pace of life that time forgot

Laos is the Southeast Asia that Thailand and Vietnam were 30 years ago: quiet, authentic, unhurried. A country where monks still collect alms at dawn, where the Mekong sets life's rhythm and where tourism hasn't yet changed the soul of the place.

Laos is Southeast Asia's unhurried country. A landlocked nation wedged between giants (Thailand, Vietnam, China) that has maintained a unique character precisely because of its isolation. Here time seems to move more slowly. Luang Prabang is the jewel: former royal capital, World Heritage Site, where 33 golden temples mix with French colonial architecture and monks walk every dawn collecting alms. It is one of the most beautiful and peaceful cities in the world. But Laos is also the Mekong winding through limestone mountains, the 4,000 islands of the south where Irrawaddy dolphins survive, the turquoise Kuang Si waterfalls, Pak Ou caves filled with Buddhas, and a mountainous interior where ethnic groups maintain their traditions. A country for those seeking authenticity.

Luang Prabang

World Heritage Site: 33 golden temples, colonial architecture, monk procession at dawn, night market. The most beautiful city in Southeast Asia.

Vientiane

Asia's most peaceful capital: Pha That Luang (golden stupa), Patuxai, temples, colonial cafes and the Mekong as border with Thailand.

4,000 Islands (Si Phan Don)

Archipelago in the Mekong, near the Cambodian border: peaceful islands, hammocks, Irrawaddy dolphins, Li Phi and Khone Phapheng waterfalls.

Mountainous North

Nong Khiaw, Muang Ngoi: remote villages among karst mountains, trekking to ethnic villages, Nam Ou River. The most authentic Laos.

Luang Prabang at dawn

Every morning, hundreds of monks in saffron robes walk the streets collecting alms. A ritual that has been repeated for centuries and defines the soul of Laos.

Experiences

Laos offers experiences ranging from watching monks at dawn to swimming in turquoise waterfalls, from slow cruises on the Mekong to hammocks on remote islands.

Alms ceremony

Watching (or respectfully participating in) the monks' alms collection at dawn in Luang Prabang. A moment of pure spirituality.

Kuang Si waterfalls

Swimming in the natural pools of these turquoise falls, 30 km from Luang Prabang. Water falls through jungle creating perfect pools.

Mekong cruise

Sailing slowly on the sacred river: watching life on the banks, stopping at remote villages, reaching Pak Ou caves filled with Buddhas.

4,000 Islands in hammock

Setting up on a Mekong island with just a hammock, a book and the sound of the river. The most absolute relaxation in Southeast Asia.

The Mekong: artery of life

Southeast Asia's great river crosses Laos from north to south. Fishermen, villagers and water buffalo live on its banks. Sailing the Mekong is understanding Laos.

Laos has developed charming boutiques especially in Luang Prabang: restored colonial houses, traditional Lao architecture and eco-lodges in rural areas.

Amantaka

Sofitel Luang Prabang

Satri House

Nong Khiaw Riverside

Sala Done Khone

Rosewood Luang Prabang

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