Hidden ruins nestled deep in green jungles, cascading waterfalls pouring over mighty precipices, and lively towns and markets where you can explore the local culture — Laos truly has it all.
But with so many options it can be difficult to know where to start. While Laos is jam-packed with options for adventure it is not huge, and only has a handful of major cities when compared to a country like China. This article highlights possible activities in the two major cities: Luang Prabang and Vientiane.
The second half of the article discusses Northern Laos and South/Central Laos due to the low concentration of urban areas in these regions. These areas are home to many natural and cultural sights, like waterfalls, ancient ruins, and battlefield relics.
Highlights
- Stop by Luang Prabang Old Town to explore Laotian culture at street level.
- After the Old Town, get out of town to Mount Phou Si, Wat Xieng Thong, or the Tat Kuang Waterfalls.
- Visit Wat Muang and Wat Saket after taking in the colonial beauty of Vientiane.
- Northern Laos is home to the mysterious fields of stone jars, known as the Plain of Jars, as well as mountain peaks and quiet villages.
- Head down to central and southern Laos to explore Thakhek, Pakse, or Champasak.
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My husband and I are planning a 3 week…
Alisa was a great listener to all the things we wanted to incorporate into our trip. We discussed everything throughly, and when I had questions, she had answers the next day. I really appreciate her responsiveness and detail with me. I feel like we are in the best hands with Alisa and Asia Highlights. More
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Very great experience our driver D was…
Very great experience our driver D was never late and always had waters and a cold towel for us and our tour guide Som was very informative and had amazing English I recommend them both highly for anyone else traveling More
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Excellent guide in Siem Reap
Our recent time spent in Siem Reap was made even more memorable by our expert guide, Som Piseth. Som was knowledgeable, attentive, flexible and super helpful - we learnt so much about Siem Reap and Cambodia in our 3 days with him. His English was excellent and his knowledge of, and pride in, his country was outstanding. We would highly recommend Som for anyone wanting an excellent guide in Siem Reap! More
Sharon Townshend, Feb 2024
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Asia Highlights trip to Thailand
Our first tour guide in Bangkok, Marie, was great to tour around with. She was extremely friendly and knowledgeable and spoke wonderful English. Our next stop in Chang Mai we were greeted by our new tour guide, Rafael. He too was extremely friendly and knowledgeable and spoke wonderful English. He made it feel as if we were traveling around with a long time friend. Every time we arrived at a new destination, we were greeted at the airport by someone with a sign with our name making our travels easy. I would definitely recommend Asia Highlights to anyone looking for a well planned trip of a lifetime! More
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Amazing Thailand experience
The tour guides were all knowledgeable and accommodating, especially Mayuree in Bangkok- absolutely wonderful. We felt taken care of and every step of the way was catered to our needs. More
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Private tour perfect for our times
Asia highlights organized a private tour with our requests. Everything was perfect ?? the driver Tom and the guide Ying were always on time with a smile in their face. Always willing to help and make our trip perfect. Bangkok is a very hot city so we minimized the time outside. The driver always had cold towels for us in the van and cold beverages. More
Virginia, Feb 2024
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Thailand
We loved Chiang Mai and Susie did a great job showing us several temples, taking many pictures of us with the elephants at the sanctuary (a definite highlight of the entire trip!), and making sure we were well fed, which became a running joke between us.We had a very relaxing few days in Phuket enjoying the beautiful beaches. Kai was great, answering all of our questions and giving us a nice tour of the old town. The all-day speedboat tour of the Phi Phi islands started off a little shaky as the sea was quite rough so if you’re at all uncomfortable bouncing around in a speedboat, you might want to skip that tour. Things did calm down as the day went on and some of the areas they took us to for swimming, snorkeling, etc were really beautiful. A couple of the islands were too crowded with people. More
Andrea Roberts, Feb 2024
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What a Wonderful Trip
What a Wonderful Trip! We booked with Sharon and our trip was great - guides were waiting for us at each stop, and they were all very nice and helpful. I cannot stress how amazing the guides were - they made the trip. More
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Ask for Victor!
If you are traveling to Bangkhok you need to request Victor. He made our trip amazing! My family completed bucket list items with his guidance. He knew exactly how to get us places, kept us on time, made us feel safe, educated us on history, spoke excellent English and was genuinely a nice man! Everyone we encountered was awesome- but Victor is the reason for my 5 star review! More
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Thank you Alisa for helping us plan a…
Thank you Alisa for helping us plan a wonderful trip to Thailand. We had a great time. The tour guides were wonderful as were the hotels you booked for us. We will definitely contact you to plan our next trip More
Carol Yeung, Jan 2024
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Ying was the best
Ying was the best. She was really knowledgeable and kind. Thank you Ying for wonderful experience in Thailand! More
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Very well organized
Very well organized. Our tour guide, Ying, was amazing! She had full knowledge of every location we visited and made sure our itinerary was fulfilled as expected. She was extremely helpful for our airport experiences, and made sure we arrived at an appropriate time. More
David M. Kang, Jan 2024
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Family trip to Thailand
We were lucky to be greeted by Marie and her driver.In Marie, we have made a friend for life. She is incredibly smart and knowledgeable about her home country. From the vast number of temples to safely traversing Chinatown.She helped give us tips on our free days, locate left behind lost clothing and arrange for pickup. She even helped check us in for our flight to Chiang Mai.She prepared us ahead of time for every event we had scheduled and bonded with our kids, 3x 13 year olds. More
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Thailand with and amazing tour guide Ying
I highly recommend Ying as a tour guide in Thailand. Her expertise in Thai culture, combined with her passion for food and genuine love for her country, made the tour an exceptional experience. If you're looking for a guide who will not only show you the sights but also immerse you in the local culture and help you discover delicious Thai cuisine, Ying is the perfect choice. More
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Asia Highlights Thailand trip
Asia Highlights provided us with a great travel trip. They made it very easy to navigate through Thailand with everything going very smoothly. From the easy transportation to the great day itinerary everything was awesome. Will definitely look to use this agency again in the future. More
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Perfect 2 WK Thailand Trip for a Solo Female Traveler
Bank was our guide in Bangkok and he showed us around the city with ease and we were able to see and try things I never would have planned on my own. After Bangkok, our small group flew to Chiang Mai for Yi Peng lantern festival and that was a breathtaking experience that I will never forget! Pop was our guide in this city and she was knowledgeable, kind and caring which made our experience even more memorable. More
Tia, Dec 2023
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We recently have just returned from Thailand
We recently have just returned one from a 5 week trip to Thailand through Asia Highlights. We had a wonderful time and Asia Highlights went beyond our expectations. They truly tried their best to make sure everything went smoothly and we were taken care of! Everyone was amazing and we would definitely use them in the future!! Many thanks to everyone that helped to make this an incredible once in a lifetime experience!! More
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Indochina Experience
On our 5th day of our trip with Asiahighlights. We felt well taken care of before and it hasn’t changed since we started from Bangkok to Hanoi (guide Kim was verrry knowledgeable!) to Halong Bay (spectacular scenery) to Hoi An (guide Nhieu Tran, giving great local (shopping) tips and insights). More
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1. Luang Prabang
Nestled at the comfortable confluence of two mighty rivers, Luang Prabang is the northern emerald gem of Laos. Although it is cozy enough for you to navigate its leafy lanes on your own two feet, there is still plenty to see and do.
Luang Prabang Old Town
In Luang Prabang Old Town, the French colonists left behind a lively café culture. The quiet winding streets filled with colonial houses can be explored for days. The Old Town is filled with ancient traditions and customs for you to experience.
The Town is dissected rather cleanly by Sisavang Vong Road. From 1904 to 1946, Sisavang Vong was King of Luang Prabang and then from 1946 to 1959, king of Laos. As you walk down the road and admire the French architecture mixed with local styles you are, in a way, walking ON history.
Still need more exercise? Climb about 115 meters (360 feet) to the top of Mount Phou Si for a bird's-eye view of the city and surrounding area. The hill is a convenient landmark and is especially beautiful around sunset.
If it is rainy or you feel the need for mental rather than physical stimulation, then try the National Museum, where you can relive the highs and lows of the nation's long and turbulent history.
Another option is the Traditional Art and Ethnology Center. Each of the museum's exhibits showcases, protects, or educates about one of Laos's many minority groups. The country is extremely diverse, and this center has done an excellent job of capturing the diversity in an accessible way.
Luang Prabang City Highlights
In addition to these relaxing options around the Old Town, below are a few of the city highlights.
Wat Xieng Thong is a Buddhist monastery popular among locals and tourists because of its sweeping roof and brightly painted exterior. The eves of the roof seem to curve almost to the ground and visitors can get right up next to the monastery to appreciate the detailed carvings on the building walls.
Wat Xieng Mouane is the oldest temple in the city and its exterior is richly decorated in carvings, stenciling, and etchings. There are numerous statues and statuettes as well, making it a one-stop Wat in terms of admirable artwork.
Are you in the mood to get outdoors? Visit Tat Kuang Si Waterfalls to find out why the local ex-pats have dubbed this destination, "turquoise falls". The waterfalls cascade into several swimmable pools, creating one of Laos's top swimming destinations.
2. Vientiane
Vientiane may be the busiest city in Laos, but when compared to the capitals of its Asian neighbors the city seems almost quiet and relaxed. It is a remarkable blend of French colonial architecture and soaring gilded temples and monasteries.
Vientiane is an important city in Laotian history and has been the de facto capital since 1560.
All the sites below can be accessed for less than USD 1.
Wat Si Muang
Wat Si Muang, home to the city's founding pillar, is highly significant to the local people. The Wax Castle procession and many other festivals and parades are centered round this temple, but it is a lively and active place any time of year.
Haw Pha Kaew
Haw Pha Kaew is a temple-turned-museum. This stop is popular with tourists, as it gives an opportunity to observe and appreciate while learning more about the country's history and culture along the way.
There are a few small shops around the entrance so if your time is limited you can grab a few gifts to take home when you are there.
Wat Si Saket
If you are still hungry for Wats, then Wat Si Saket is sure to excite you. Located on the corner of Th Lan Xang and Th Setthathirat, it was built 200 years ago and has maintained its integrity with the help of government refurbishment activities.
Pha That Luang
PerhapsPha That Luang should have been higher on this list, as it is home to the Golden Buddhist statue. This large and impressive figure is said to be one of the most important symbols of Laos and is the pride of the city.
3. Northern Laos
Bordering Thailand, China, Myanmar, and Vietnam is the rugged and mountainous region of northern Laos. The area is famous for its outdoor activities like trekking and biking.
The northern region is full of history and mystery, and can be explored in many ways, ranging from staying with a local family to zip-lining across the treetops.
Vang Vieng
Vang Vieng is accessible from Vientiane by private car or bus. The town has a reputation for attracting youth and backpackers, though it does have different types of accommodation. Its setting is beautiful, but at night it may be noisy.
Young and active travelers like to dive in the Blue Lagoon or cycle around the countryside. During peak season, travelers from America and Europe explore all the beautiful and exciting things that the city has to offer.
Plain of Jars
If you want to admire the scenic beauty of northern Laos while visiting a site of enormous historical importance, then the Plain of Jars is the destination for you.
Dating back to 500 BC, these stone jars sit in clusters numbering from a few to a few hundred and there are over 90 recorded clusters. You can do the sums yourself.
These jars are thought to be part of traditional burial practices and have been found to contain pottery and human remains, adding to their importance and intrigue. To get to the most common viewing sites you will first need to head to the city of Phonsavan, where you can book a tour.
Luang Namtha
Luang Namtha is a small city located near the northwest border of Laos. The city itself has little to offer. People usually visit this area to go trekking in the Nam Ha National Protected Area.
Tour agencies in the city offer tours of Nam Ha, which may include trekking, drifting kayaking, and tribal village homestays. The tours take several different routes to minimize their effects on the natural environment.
Cruise the Mekong River
If you are on your way out of the country, you might consider taking a boat tour down the mighty Mekong River. The river winds through rolling hills and towering precipices, and the journey can take anywhere from one to eight days, depending on where you start and the speed of your boat.
Most tours will set off in Chiang Mai, Thailand or Luang Prabang and travel to the other city. Tours feature local foods, stops at landmarks along the way, and the opportunity to see three countries at one time!
4. Central and Southern Laos
Central and southern Laos are homes to many of the country's most ancient and exotic-looking temples and ruins. There is something unique about the way the green vegetation has grown amongst ruins that date back hundreds of years. Here are a few highlights.
Tha Khek
Tha Khek is a trekking hub and starting point relatively close to Vientiane. Hourly buses connect these two cities and many travelers choose Tha Khek as the starting point for a kayaking or trekking tour.
In Tha Khek you can rent bicycles and other outdoor gear at The Travel Lodge, which also serves as the local welcome center for foreign travelers.
Savannakhet
Savannakhet is located to the south of Thakhek. The region was the battlefield of the Second Indochina War, and remnants of the war can still be found there. The city is also a base from which to discover nearby forests and tribal villages. The Tourism Information Center provides free maps and trekking tours.
Pakse
In Pakse, you can rent a scooter and ride to the Bolaven Plateau, which is a fantastic place with picturesque waterfalls, villages, and coffee plantations. Some plantations offer the chance to taste the local coffee and also function as homestays.
Daoheuang Market is another fun stop in Pakse on the weekends. Locals rely on this market for many of their daily needs, but there are also souvenirs and other things to shop for.
Champasak
Champasak city in Champasak province lies close enough to Pakse and can be easily reached in a private car. There are also minibuses that connect the two cities, but these tend to be unreliable, especially during the monsoon season.
From Pakse Bus Station South, the ride takes about two and a half hours and only departs from 9-11 am. Avoid the motorbike drivers at the bus station entrance. They might offer you a cheaper ride, but it won't be a safe journey.
Once you reach this charming town you can also easily reach Wat Phu in under an hour, as well as Wat Nang Sida and the awe-inspiring Thao-Tao ruins. If you do not feel like leaving town, there is a satisfying range of restaurants featuring both Western and Laotian dishes, and several quiet spas.
Visit Laos with Asia Highlights
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