Discover Laos
From the rolling mountains of the north to the river islands of the south, ours is a land of untouched wonder and rare beauty. Rich in history, traditions, diverse landscapes and cultures, Laos is sure to captivate your inner explorer.
Ancient Mysteries
Discover a land where archeologists and historians are still making fresh finds all the time. Where the region’s history is being rewritten as new evidence of ancient cultures comes to light. Traveling in Laos, you feel like a National Geographic explorer from a bygone era.
Vat Phou: The Vat Phou (or Wat Phou) temple complex is one of Southeast Asia’s best examples of both early and classic Khmer architecture dating from the 7th to 12th centuries.
This UNESCO World Heritage Site includes the ancient city of Shestrapura and many little known but interesting archeological sites along the banks of the Mekong River. There are also many fine examples of traditional Lao homes and buildings from the colonial period. If you are in Champasack during February, don’t miss the Vat Phou Festival.
Plain of Jars: Thousands of huge stone stone jars, carved from rock, scattered around a plain. How did they get there? What were they used for?
Local legends tell of a race of giants who created the jars for rice beer, while others believe they were created by caravan travelers to collect monsoon rainwater for along their journey. Archeologists postulate that they were used for burial.
Giant Wall / Kampaeng Yark: The Giant Wall is the site of a thousand – or million – year mystery. Is the wall a wonder of geology – or was it built by a past civilisation?
The massive sandstone wall runs for 15km near the east bank of the Mekong. Visit one part of the wall, just west of Route 13, 6km north of Thakhek, and decide for yourself. Here you will see a complete 75 metre section of the 16 metre high wall. This is also a special place because many years ago French missionaries built a Christian shrine beside the wall. Local communities held Catholic services in this ‘open air cathedral’ that you can visit today.
Buddhism & Belief
While about 60% of the people of Laos are Theravada Buddhists, many of us also believe in traditional spirits, known as pĕe or phi. Our exterior world of buildings, homes, festivals and daily rituals prominently reflects the rich significance of these inner beliefs.
Alms Giving: “Tak Bat” is an ancient daily Buddhist practice that involves devotees rising before dawn to cook sticky rice as a food offering to barefoot monks who walk in silence and meditation through the town.
The main intention is twofold: lay persons provide daily food for the monks and the monks in return bestow merit.
Festivals: We Lao people ensure we take the time to celebrate properly.
From the regular Buddhist and animist festivals usually determined by solar and lunar calendars, to political holidays and more modern beer- and music-fueled events, take your pick and join us at the temple, the party or the street fest.
Buddhist Architecture: With Theravada Buddhism so central to our way of life in Laos, the temple is central to every village and suburb – not merely as a place for religious ceremony, but as a gathering place for the community. (A fact not lost on the many stray cats and dogs that take up residence there too.)
There’s a place for everything and everyone within the Buddhist built environment.
The Secret War
Did you know that Laos is the most bombed country on earth?
That more bombs were dropped here by the U.S. than during all of World War II?
And that it was all done in secret?
Welcome to a world of stories so bizarre, you can’t believe they’re true. Histories that are stranger than fiction. And the sad, sad legacy of ‘unexploded ordnance.’
Background: From 1964 to 1973, the U.S. dropped more than two million tons of ordnance on Laos during 580,000 bombing missions—equal to a planeload of bombs every 8 minutes, 24-hours a day, for 9 years – making Laos the most heavily bombed country per capita in history. The bombings were part of the U.S. Secret War in Laos to support the Royal Lao Government against the Pathet Lao and to interdict traffic along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The bombings destroyed many villages and displaced hundreds of thousands of Lao civilians during the nine-year period.
Up to a third of the bombs dropped did not explode, leaving Laos contaminated with vast quantities of unexploded ordnance (UXO). Over 20,000 people have been killed or injured by UXO in Laos since the bombing ceased. The wounds of war are not only felt in Laos. When the Americans withdrew from Laos in 1973, hundreds of thousands of refugees fled the country, and many of them ultimately resettled in the United States.
Wonders of Nature
Ruled by the Mekong, one of the world’s mightiest rivers, Laos today can still boast a wealth of natural wonders: uncharted rivers, unclimbed mountains, untouched forests inhabited by mysterious creatures.
Waterfalls: No matter where you go in this mountainous country of high rainfall, you’re likely to encounter water splashing over rocks and pouring down plateaux in impressive fashion. And so often those waters are the freshest of blues or the crystal greens of jade or emerald. Stand and gaze from afar or jump right in. #refreshinglaos
Caves: Some of the most extensive limestone cave systems in Asia can be found in Laos. One of the most spectacular is the Konglor Cave in central Laos’ Khammouane Province. There is a river flowing all the way through this huge 7,5 kilometers long cave and you can ride a small boat through it.
The limestone forest in Khammouane has the highest concentrations of caves in Laos, and in, Tham Pa Fa Cave, 229 Buddha images were discovered in 2004. If you want to explore off-the-beaten path caves, the Pha Laem trek near Thakhaek (Khammouane Province) is a good option.
Vientiane Province, just north of Vientiane Capital is also well-known for karst mountains and caves. In Luang Namtha‘s Vieng Phoukha, visit easily accessible but little known Phou Prasat or Tham Kao Rao Cave. The most famous caves in Laos are way up in Houaphanh Province’s Vieng Xay district. These fortress-like caves served as a base for the Lao Revolutionary Forces during the Second Indochina War. Other notable caves are the Tham Pa Cave in Xieng Khouang Province and Tham Ting Cave in Luang Prabang Province
Mekong Moments: Aaah… The magical Mekong… An artery of life curving its way across the Lao landscape and psyche. No visit to SE Asia is complete without viewing the sun set across those golden waters.
Authentic Culture
We Lao people are proud of our culture and we love to celebrate it through what we wear, make, do and eat.
While globalisation and mass consumerism have diluted the cultural richness in so much of the rest of the region, we still live true to the authentic ways of our forefathers.
Artisans & Handicrafts: Laos is admired for our authentic, in-the-moment lifestyle now so lacking in much of the rest of the world. While citizens of the fastest First World cities dream of easing the pace, and fashion and style tastes are now promoting a return to individually crafted, artisanal products, we never lost these.
The luxury of time is what Laos can still offer: sumptuous products made with time and local know-how. Once-off pieces. Unique. Crafted slowly.
Ethnic diversity: Laos is a country with great ethnic diversity: It includes 49 ethnic groups speaking over 90 native languages.
Each ethnic group is usually recognised by their distinctive dress, as well as variations in their handicrafts – with patterns and designs passed down through generations.
Food & Flavours: Laos food is vibrant, colorful, packed with herbs and chilies, and the combinations of ingredients are guaranteed to thrill your taste-buds.
Laap – or meat salad, jaew – any kind of dipping sauce, usually with chillies, sticky rice is a must, tam – not your normal papaya salad, and khao jee pa-tay or french inspired baguettes… go ahead and explore.
Laotian food makes extreme use of fresh natural herbs, and when it comes to protein, doesn’t shy away from eating nose to tail – everything from bile to rumen.
Discover and enjoy the glorious cuisine of Laos!
Legendary Landmarks
With a history going back more than 70,000 years, many types of builder have left their legacy in Laos. From ancient religious sites to French colonial quarters and quirky modern makers, there’s an icon for anybody.
That Luang / Vientiane Capital: Pha That Luang, ‘Great Stupa’, is a gold-covered large Buddhist stupa in the centre of the city of Vientiane.
Since its initial establishment, suggested to be in the 3rd century, the stupa has undergone several reconstructions as recently as the 1930s due to foreign invasions of the area. It is generally regarded as the most important national monument in Laos and a national symbol.
Vat Phou / Champasak Province: The Vat Phou (or Wat Phou) temple complex is one of Southeast Asia’s best examples of both early and classic Khmer architecture dating from the 7th to 12th centuries.
This UNESCO World Heritage Site includes the ancient city of Shestrapura and many little known but interesting archeological sites along the banks of the Mekong River. There are also many fine examples of traditional Lao homes and buildings from the colonial period. If you are in Champasack during February, don’t miss the Vat Phou Festival.
Patouxay / Vientiane Capital: The memorial monument, Patuxay, was built in 1957 and is perhaps the most prominent landmark in the city. It is situated on Lanexang Avenue.
While the arc de Triomphe in Paris inspired the architecture, the design incorporates typical Lao motifs including “Kinnaly”, a mythical bird woman. Energetic visitors can climb to the top of the monument, which reveals an excellent panoramic view of the city.
That Sikhottabong / Khammouane Province: This 29 meter high golden stupa is one of the most sacred sites in Laos.
Built at the same time as That Inhang Stupa in Savannakhet and That Phanom in Thailand, these were constructed in the Sikhottabong Empire for keeping the bones of Lord Buddha. At first, it was bulit by King Nanthasene for King Soummitham then it was restored by King Saysetthathirath in the 16th Century.
The festival is performed on the third month of the lunar calendar.
How to get there: It is located along the bank of the Mekong River 6 kilometers from Thakhaek.
Mount Phou Si / Luang Prabang: Mount Phou Si, also written Mount Phu Si, is a 100 m high hill in the centre of the old town of Luang Prabang. It lies in the heart of the old town peninsula and is bordered on one side by the Mekong River and on the other side by the Nam Khan River. The hill is a local religious site, and houses are several Buddhist shrines.
Halfway up the hill, overlooking the Nam Khan is Vat Tham Phou Si, a Buddhist temple. At the summit of the hill, overlooking the town and surrounding countryside, is Vat Chom Si, which is also a Buddhist temple and is a tourist highlight of Luang Prabang.
Buddha Park / Vientiane Capital: Buddha Park is a famous sculpture park with more than 200 religious statues, including a huge 40-metre high reclining Buddha image. The entrance is crafted to look like a demon’s mouth (about three metres high) with a stone ladder inside leading to a bird’s eye view of the entire Xieng Kuan Park.
It was built in 1958 by Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat, a monk who studied both Buddhism and Hinduism. This explains why his park is full not only of Buddha images but also of Hindu gods as well as demons and animals from both beliefs. The most outstanding ones include Indra, the king of Hindu gods riding the three-headed elephant (aka Erawan and Airavata), a four-armed deity sitting on a horse and an artistic deity with 12 faces and many hands, each holding interesting objects. They are all equally impressive not only because of their enormous size but because they are full of interesting details and interesting motifs.
Vat Kang / Salavan: This beautiful, colourful temple is located in a pond, to prevent termites from eating the holy manuscripts stored inside.
