Robsons-Adventures_Laos Outline

Laos is a country which few tourists have yet discovered and up until recently it has been mainly backpackers who have experienced this beautiful country, but this is slowly changing as more and more travel companies are heading to experience this land locked country. So where is Laos? well if you look at a map of SE Asia, spot Thailand and then go north. It is sandwiched between Thailand, Burma (Myanmar),Vietnam and Cambodia and China to its northern border. The country is shaped a little like Italy. It maybe doesn't have a coast, but it does have the mighty Mekong River running through the country and this has always been the main route for traveling across the country.

Modern History - Through a succession of Siamese - French treaties between 1893 and 1907, the French ruled the country, which acted as a buffer between British occupied Burma and British influenced Thailand. To this day there is still quite a French influence across the country, mainly in the style of buildings and the lovely bread. From 1964 to 1973 the war in Indochina intensified and with the Americans fighting the war in Vietnam, trying to stop the arms coming in from China down the Ho Chi Minh Trail, this when things got nasty for Laos and the Secret War started. Laos became the most bombed country in the history of warfare, yet America never owned up to ever being in the country. Read the story about the Ravens here, the name given to the covert Americans.

The capital is Vientiane which has the reputation as the most relaxed capital city on earth, but with so much investment going on these days, this will change, the population is just over 200,000. To be honest there is not a vast amount to see in Vientiane, but it is worth visiting the Pha That Lung, the most important national monument in Laos, Wat Si Saket, the oldest surviving temple and Haw Pha Kaew once a royal temple, then there is the Patuxai monument reminiscent of the Arc de Triumph in Paris. Having said that there is not a great deal to see, I still love the city as nothing beats a walk along the riverside and a papaya salad. Most tourists head to the old capital of Luang Prabang and quite rightly so as it is beautiful. The town is now a UNESCO World Heritage Centre and has a population of just 26,000, swelling April for the Pi Mai Lao festival (Lao New Year). The old town in surrounded by the Mekong River and the Nam Khan and you get great views of the surrounding area and mountains from Mount Phousi in the middle. There are so many beautiful and interesting places to visit and I have only just started, with my next trips heading further south in the country and perhaps up to the NW near the Burma border.

The roads are improving all the time around the country but travel times can be long as it is very mountainous, but Lao Airlines is an improving airline and even Luang Prabang has international flights, so you can fly in direct from Bangkok for example. You will require a visa to enter the country, but this can be purchased for $30-$35 at the port of entry - just be prepared for a queue! This is probably my favourite country in SE Asia, try it out and see what you think.