Planning Laos

Few capital cities manage to keep up the uncluttered sight like Vientiane. Low colonial buildings, and wide shaded avenues, provide the perfect setup for one of the most charming cities in Asia.

The main attractions of southern Laos, are the Four Thousand Islands area, where the Mekong River gives home to Irrawady Dolphins, the Bolaven Plateau where some of the best coffee in the world grows, and the charming towns of Saravan, Savannakhet, and Pakse.

Phonsavan in eastern Laos, and Xam Nua in the northeast, are the best places to learn the results of past wars. Xam Nua is across the Annamite Mountain Range and thus is closer to Vietnam than to Laos.
The north has much to offer, from Luang Pabang, the former capital of the northern principality, with its obvious past splendor, to Luang Nam Tha and Muang Sing, which are popular sites for treks to the hill tribes. Udom Xai is the main travel hub of the area and the connection point to China and Huay Xai looks like a Thai town placed by mistake in Laos—this provides a comfortable connection to Chiang Rai in Thailand.

Quick Tips:

Thailand is the best entry point to the country. There is an open cross in the deep south, where the only land cross between the countries in Chong Mek leads to Pakse. Mukdahan, in Thailand, has a ferry that crosses Mekong River; the Friendship Bridge connects Nong Khai with Vientiane, and the town of Huay Xai has a ferry connecting it to northern Thailand, a couple of hours away from Chian Rai. Sometimes, Lao people use the better infrastructure of Thailand’s roads to advance faster, and so can you, especially to move from the far north of Laos to its central or southern parts. The Lao food is a glorious variation of the Thai one; the best place to taste it is in the local markets. The food there is always clean and safe to eat. In the morning they serve the famous Lao coffee, see details in my journal about Vientiane. Traveling within Laos takes time, and the sights more than compensate for the effort; thus, a significant amount of time should be kept for this country, at least a month. It is easy to break the trip and to issue new visas through friendly Thailand.

Best Way To Get Around:

The French plural in its name hints to the diversity of this country. This diversity, and the country’s shape, transform the planning of a trip there into a difficult task. More complex than the other countries of the area, it is possible to use those to access remote areas of Laos. Vietnam provides easy access to the east of the country, see my Planning Vietnam journal for details. Cambodia offers a half-legal access to the Four Thousand Islands area in the south, see my Planning Cambodia journal. China’s backdoor is northern Laos, please see Chiang Roon and Planning China journals for details. Within the country, there is an unexpected network of good roads connecting most of the provinces’ capitals. Regular buses that are a bit slow, and somewhat old, connect those on a regular and reliable basis. The tickets are inexpensive, and the journeys provide unforgettable opportunities to contact the locals. In trips to remote areas, the buses load a gasoline barrel to their roof, and the driver sucks fuel through a plastic tube to fill the insatiable belly of the bus. The cities are small, and can easily be explored by foot; however, tuk-tuks are always there to relieve our feet.

The narrow, long strip of Southern Laos, reminds in its geometrical and geographical characteristics of Vietnam. The coast here is by the Mekong River and the mountains are in the eastern side, but otherwise the set is similar.

The south is the most accessible part of the country. The most overwhelming entry is from Cambodia, in a boat floating over the shallow Mekong; see details in my Planning Cambodia journal. Continuing north, along the string of cities in the way to the capital, would give a good overview of the area. Nakasong, Pakse and Savannakhet will appear in this order. To reach Saravan and Attapeu, it is better to take any of the buses departing to the east from Pakse.

Thailand's southernmost cross is through Chong Mek, or Ban Mai Sing Amphon as it is called in Laos, the only overland cross between the countries.

Chong Mek is about one hour from Ubon Ratchathani in Thailand, therefore it is a breeze to get there, and forty kilometers from the bridge over the Mekong and the city of Pakse in southern Laos; the triple border with Cambodia is nearby.

Here, it is possible to cross to Laos without a passport by paying five baht at the Thai side, but only if you stay in the village and return to Thailand in the same day. However, it is possible to get an exit stamp from Thailand and to make a visa on arrival at Laos. The Laotian side is better developed and has a big market catering for Thai shoppers; I saw a young gray owl, unable to flight yet, at sale for a bit more than one dollar. Another option is to cross by ferry from Mukdahan to Savannakhet, or from Nakhon Phanom to Thakhek. From Vietnam there is a somewhat less accessible cross, see my Planning Vietnam journal for details.

If entering from Cambodia, the Four Thousand Islands or Si Phan Don area is the first sight. It is famous for its Irrawaddy Dolphins; however, the town of Kratie in Cambodia is a better place for a close encounter with them. There, the Mekong is narrower and deeper and the dolphins concentrate in a better-defined area. Nonetheless, the Laotian side is perfect to see the classical Lao-Thai riverside villages. The long way to the area and its slow pace invite for a significant stay of a week or so. Nakasong is the southernmost town in the area, and the village of Voem Kham is divided between Laos and Cambodia.

At the confluence of the Mekong and Xe Don rivers, and halfway between the Thai border and the Bolaven Plateau, the town of Pakse is the far south's biggest city. The terminal is some eight kilometers south of the town; if the bus drops you at the old northern terminal, then you have a similar distance to the town. The backpackers' zone is east from the bridge. Champasak, the ruined capital of the southern principality is close enough to the city to explore it in a daytrip. East from the town's center, on route 13 is the Champasak Provincial Museum (Mon-Fri 8-11.30am & 2-4pm; 1000K), which houses pre-Angkorian sandstone lintels. Eight kilometers southwest of Champasak, are the ruins of Wat Phou (daily 8.30am-4.30pm; 5000K), a series of ruined Khmer shrines dating from the sixth to the twelfth centuries. The way to Saravan splits 7.5kms north of the town; hence, if planning to visit it, the best option is to do it as a stop between Pakse and Savannakhet. Since the bus returns through the same route, is a time-consuming detour.

Saravan is the closest town to the Bolaven Plateau and beyond a visit to the growing area of one of the best coffees in the world there are very few reasons to visit it. As with most Laotian provinces, the capital is the only town in it and it serves as an administrative center and as a huge market, which occupies the town's center.

From Pakse or Saravan, there are trucks to Pakxong, the main settlement on the Bolaven Plateau. The circular plateau has an altitude of around 600m and therefore is cooler than the rest of the south. It is a good place to visit hill tribes; Lawae, Katu, Alak, Ta-oy, Suay and Mon-Khmer groups inhabit the area.

Savannakhet is one of the busiest cities in Laos due to its location along the trade line between Thailand and Vietnam. Despite being a port, it lacks many of the maladies of those, its small center is clean and offers a look into a utopian, semi-industrialized Laos. In the afternoons there is usually a problem to get fresh water; hence it is better to shower in the morning. Unless you're planning to head north and skip the south, or to go south and exit immediately to Cambodia, it is an error to enter Laos here. The "only one way to each town" characteristic of the Laotian roads will cause you to travel several times along the same route if you plan to begin an exploration of the south from this town. Route Nine leads from here to the Lao Bao crossing into Vietnam and crosses the Ho Chi Minh Trail. If you do not plan to leave the country from there, then it is better to see the trail from Phonsavan in the northeast.

Halfway between Savannakhet and Vientiane is the town of Thakhek. All Laotian towns are relaxed; hence, Thakhek cannot add much on the topic, beyond being seldom visited by tourists. However, it is a good place from where to explore the Khammouane Biodiversity Park and the Mahaxai Caves. It is in front of Nakhon Phanom in Thailand, but entering or exiting from here is not recommended due to the same reasons as in Savannakhet.

Northern Laos is better approached in a one-way trip. It is possible to enter from Thailand to Huay Xai and then to continue to Vientiane through the main attractions or to do the way in the opposite direction. However, if this is your first trip to Laos, entering from the north may be too much of a shock. A trip beginning from Vientiane, leads gradually into the wilderness and allows to visit on the way the northeastern part of the country before leaving it from the north.

Short trips to the north, mainly to Vang Vieng, Kasi and Luang Prabang are available from the bus terminal next to the Morning Market in Vientiane. Long distance lines depart from the northern terminal, in the northern outskirts of the town.

Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang was the former capital of the northern principality and the center from where this nation was born; however, it feels as a cobblestoned village. The town sits at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers and is 1km long and 0.25km wide. Its streets are much narrower here than those in Vientiane and the distance between the houses is smaller; hence, the place imparts a sense of compactness that the capital, as other cities in the country, lacks. It was the capital of the last king; hence, it specializes on souvenirs from the royal era.

The main attractions are the historic temples, mainly the Royal Palace Museum, Wat Xieng Thong and Wat Wisunlat, and the gorgeous scenery encircled by mountains. Along the Mekong River are the Buddha images filled Pak Ou caves, and the striking Kuang Si waterfalls. Seen from far away, at the town's center is the steep Phou Si ("Holy Hill"), with a Buddhist stupa at its top. Crossing the Mekong to Xiang Men, allows seeing amazing views of the city at sunset. Other attractions are the markets, which sell silver ornaments, royalist regalia and hill tribes clothes.

Luang Prabang is the place for traveling decisions, you can continue to the north or to head northeast to Phonsavan and Xam Nua.

Udom Xai

Although it is a small town, it is the most important traveling center in the north of the country. From here it is possible to reach any one of the arms in the north of the Laotian territory. Phongsaly, Xam Nua, Luang Nam Tha are directly accessible. Muang Sing and Huay Xai can be reached passing through Luang Nam Tha. From the nearby Boten, there is an open border cross to China. Beyond its connectivity, the town has little to offer beyond a beautiful temple on a hill near the town's center; it provides a good look of the town and the green hills around it

Luang Nam Tha

Northwest of Udom Xai, Luang Nam Tha is the main trekking and rafting center in northern Laos. The Luang Nam Tha Provincial Museum (Mon-Fri 8.30am-noon & 1-3.30pm; 1000K) is worth a visit, but the main attractions are the Nam Tha NBCA and the nearby Hmong and Leten villages. A curious sight is the solar panels operated Internet shop.

Muang Sing

Sixty kilometers northwest of Luang Nam Tha, Muang Sing is a small town trying very hard to transform itself into a tourism center. It's a hill tribes trading center, an excellent place from where to book treks to the surrounding villages and a very friendly place to spend a couple of days. Trucks connect it hourly to Luang Nam Tha. A border cross with China is nearby, and can be visited with a rented bike, though cannot be crossed even if you have a visa to that country.

Huay Xai

Isolated from the rest of Laos, the town looks and feels more like a Thai one. Trucks from Luang Nam Tha arrive daily, but on the wet season, the travel is dangerous and can be delayed for days if fallen trees block the way. Slow boats connect it to the south, but they are overpriced and more expensive than flights within the country. However, the option to cross the river to Chiang Khong in Thailand creates an excellent opportunity to exit Laos and save extra trips. Chiang Khong is close to the Golden Triangle and has many buses to Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai.

Don Sao

This island-market in the Laotian part of the Golden Triangle is accessible from Ban Sop Ruak in Thailand and is not connected with roads to the rest of Laos. More details about how to reach it are in my journal about the Golden Triangle.

The northeast is the most remote area in the country. There are three points of interest: Phonsavan, Xam Nua and Phongsaly. It is possible to make a loop among the three or to approach the towns in the way from or to South Vietnam. For information regarding the last option, please see my journal Planning Vietnam.

Phonsavan

Phonsavan can be reached from Vientiane, Vang Vieng (the buses from Vientiane stop there) and from Luang Prabang. However, if entering Laos from the north and planning to continue to the northeast, then Udom Xai or Luang Prabang are the best connecting points.

The town of Phonsavan was devastated in the Second Indochina War; that is evident from the deforested areas and the several guesthouses with bomb-casing collections in their lobbies. The main attraction, beyond the Ho Chi Minh Trail, is the Plain of Jars, where hundreds of stone jars of different sizes are scattered. There are four main sites and the closest of them is almost ten kilometers away from the town. Since it is a tourists' site, traveling there from the town can cost as much as reaching Phonsavan. Better options are to rent a bike or to walk there.

The trucks to Xam Nua leave at 07:30 and the bus to Udom Xai at 09:50, both from the terminal. The long way to Vientiane is better split through Luang Prabang.

Xam Nua

From Phonsavan to Xam Nua is a relatively short way; see my Xam Nua journal for details. The town is the only Laotian one east of the Annamite Mountains; therefore, the way there climbs the mountains and then descends a steep road into a beautiful and narrow valley among green mountains.

Although there's little to see in the town itself, it serves as a comfortable base for the Viang Xai Caves, hill tribe villages, and trips along the Vietnamese frontier.

Traveling from here to Udom Xai is a bit complicated, because there isn't a direct connection. At 07:30 the bus to Luang Prabang and Vientiane leaves from the terminal. After a long torture, the bus arrives at Ban Pakmong after 23:00; this village is the place to catch any bus to Udom Xai. It is possible to wait at the tiny bus stop there, but it would be more sensible to sleep in one of the precarious guesthouses and continue the next morning. Another option is to continue south to Luang Prabang, the bus arrives there at around 04:00; if heading north, any bus will return to Ban Pakmong, but Luang Prabang offers much better facilities. For details about attractions along this way, see my Xam Nua journal.

Pathet Lao caves and Viang Xai

The limestone karst formations in the valleys east of Xam Nua were the perfect hideouts for the Pathet Lao's parallel government, which occupied more than one hundred of them. Tours from Viang Xai take around two hours and allow an easy return to Xam Nua in the same day. Trucks from Xam Nua (30min; 5000K) leave every hour until mid-afternoon and stop in front of Viang Xai's market. The town was the Pathet Lao wartime headquarters, but not much was left behind once they moved to Vientiane. The Spartan facilities hint to explore the town and the caves while staying in a guesthouse in the nearby Xam Nua. To tour the caves, a fee should be paid at the tourist office.

Phongsaly is maybe the smallest and wildest province capital in the country. Its tourism infrastructure is not very well developed and its cross to China is not open to foreigners. To reach Phongsaly from Xam Nua, you must go through Udom Xai, from where you have a rough ride of a few hours in the back of a truck.

Vientiane, the Laotian capital, is by far the main attraction in the country. Few cities in the world manage to impart such a strong sense of being a capital, while keeping a sleepy and relaxed ambience. Wide, shaded avenues create a comfortable space between the monuments, ministries and markets. The town is small and can be explored in a couple of days, but it creates tons of empathy and few would be able to leave it in less than a week.

The main sights are the Pha That Luang, which is one of the biggest stupas in the world, Wat Si Saket, the oldest temple in the city and Wat Pha Kaew, a former royal temple. That Luang Festival takes place in November and offers unforgettable views of crowds walking around the stupa with lighted candles together with a huge market in its surroundings. The socialist-era Lao Revolutionary Museum is an interest place to visit; try to spot which events in the Laotian history are avoided there. Another interesting museum is the Haw Pha Kaew, the museum of Lao art.

Lao food is similar to the Thai, with the addition of bread and coffee. Excellent places to meet it are any of the night markets next to downtown. Coffee at the Morning Market can turn to be an addictive experience. Tam mak hung (spicy papaya salad), baguette sandwiches, fruit shakes and ping kai (grilled chicken) are other popular dishes. Western food of excellent quality and at budget prices is easier to find than in Bangkok or any other city in South East Asia. Read more about these topics in my journal about Vientiane.

Accommodation in Vientiane is quite expensive, much more than in most Thai cities, except for two dormitories, the Mixok and the Sabaidy; both are close to the Mixok Temple and to the promenade over the Mekong.

Buddha Park

Xiang Khouan or the "Buddha Park" (daily 8am-6pm; 2000K) was created by Luang Phu Boonlua Surirat and is twenty-five kilometers south from Vientiane, very close to the Friendship Bridge to Thailand. The concrete sculptures' garden is a kind of open encyclopedia to his Hindu-Buddhist beliefs. After the revolution, he fled across the Mekong to Nong Khai in Thailand, where he established a similar version at Sala Kaeo Kou, see my journal about Nong Khai for further information. Bus #14 from Vientiane's main bus station gets there.

Lao Pako

Lao Pako is a bungalows' resort on the Nam Ngum River, 50km northeast of Vientiane. Take the bus to Pakxap from Vientiane's Morning Market, get off at Somsamai, and take a boat downriver to the site. The resort offers pretty much the same activities and facilities as Vang Vieng, but at much higher prices. Moreover, getting there is a time-consuming detour from the main road spanning the country from north to south, while Vang Vieng sits on it.

Vang Vieng

The most popular resort in Central Laos, Vang Vieng is four hours north from the capital and can be reached by buses leaving from the terminal in front of the Morning Market. Beyond its natural beauty, the town offers water sports, trekking and caves exploring in a fashion similar to Luang Prabang in the north. Its tourism infrastructure is excellent, despite the guesthouses that work as a cartel and charge a bit too much. The now inactive runway, running parallel to the highway is a reminder to other, more dramatic times. From the bus stop next to the highway, you can catch all the buses leaving from Vientiane to the north.

The Special Area

Looking in a map of the country, it is possible to see the Special Zone just north of Vientiane. To reach it, is necessary to travel to a town called KM52, which is at that distance from Vientiane. Buses depart to there from the terminal in front of the Morning Market. KM52 has a single guesthouse at the main road, after sleeping there, take the 07:00 or the 08:00 bus leaving for the special area from the main road. Once in the special area main town, there is a single guesthouse renting rooms to foreigners. However, as soon as the police will spot you, you will be politely requested to return in the same way.