Laos
Slow rivers, saffron robes and the calm of Luang Prabang.
Landlocked and unhurried, Laos rewards travellers who slow down. Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage town of gilded temples and French-colonial shuttered houses, is the cultural heart. The Mekong winds south past the river islands of Si Phan Don, while the rugged north offers trekking among minority villages. This is travel at the pace of a slow boat.
Best time to visit
November to February is cool and dry, the most comfortable time to visit. March and April are hot and hazy; May to October is the green, lush rainy season.
Suggested length of stay
7 to 10 days, often combined with Thailand, Vietnam or Cambodia.
Getting around
Slow boats and speedboats travel the Mekong. Domestic flights connect Luang Prabang, Vientiane and Pakse. Roads are improving but journeys take time — embrace the slower pace.
Where to stay
- · Peninsula & Old Town, Luang Prabang
- · Riverside, Vientiane
- · Town centre, Vang Vieng
Popular destinations
Things to do
- ·Take the two-day slow boat down the Mekong to Luang Prabang
- ·Join the dawn alms-giving ceremony and visit Kuang Si Falls
- ·Explore the riverside karst scenery around Vang Vieng
- ·Discover the mysterious Plain of Jars
- ·Relax among the 4,000 Islands of Si Phan Don
Travel advice
An e-visa is available for many nationalities. Travel is safe and genuinely welcoming, but infrastructure is basic outside main towns. Carry cash, allow extra time for journeys, and check seasonal road conditions.
Related guides
Discover Laos by Slow Boat
A two-day journey down the Mekong from the Thai border to Luang Prabang, the most romantic way to arrive in Laos.
Read guideThree Days in Luang Prabang
Dawn alms, waterfall swims and the slow rhythm of a UNESCO-listed river town.
Read guide
