Laos Journals

Planning Laos

Best of IgoUgo

A travel journal to Laos by SeenThat

Quote: From first sight, Laos seems different; it will take some glimpses to find its charms, and a long stay to understand them. And what about love? Each one is different, for some it takes one second, for others a month; regarding Laos, the only promise is that it will arrive.

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Planning Laos

Overview

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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. Read Less

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Southern Laos

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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; ...Read More

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Northern Laos

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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 n...Read More

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Northeastern Laos

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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 ...Read More

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Central Laos

Story/Tip

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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 an...Read More