LAOS: SOUTHEAST ASIA’S UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY
Laos is often described as what Thailand was like thirty years ago. There’s some truth to that. The package tourism and resort hotel industry has yet to fully take over, and much of the country still retains a boutique-and-backpacker atmosphere: equal parts high-end hideaway and budget hostel.
That gives Laos a tremendous amount of charm, but it also makes the country more challenging to navigate. Outside the Luang Prabang–Vientiane corridor, roads are not always in the best condition, and arranging transport or accommodation can require a little more patience and flexibility.
The stretch between Luang Prabang and Vientiane, linked by the Mekong River, remains the most accessible part of the country for travelers. The completion of the China–Laos high-speed railway has only reinforced that, even if the stations are inexplicably located miles outside the towns they serve.
None of that should discourage anyone from visiting. In fact, it only makes us more eager to return and spend proper time exploring Laos. After the warm welcome we received in the delightful town of Luang Prabang, how could we do otherwise?
LAOS AND LAOS-THAI BORDER TRIPS
A few of our visits to Laos proper, as well as trips to the stunning Thai-Laos Border
Vang Vieng: Limestone Peaks, Blue Lagoons, and One Very Bad Hike
Vang Vieng: Climbing the Karst to the Nam Xay Viewpoint
Chasing Phu Chi Fa’s Epic Sunrise on the Thai-Laos Border
