| Newsletter |
| Laos Travel |
| Hotels Laos |
| - Luang Prabang |
| - Vientiane |
| recommended Hotels |
| Tourist Attractions |
| Laos Travel News |
| Laos Map |
Laos Travel - Accommodation, Attractions, Information |
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Laos' isolation from foreign influence offers travellers an unparalleled glimpse of traditional southeast Asian life. From the fertile lowlands of the Mekong River valley to the rugged Annamite highlands, Laos is the highlight of southeast Asia. This is the least developed and most enigmatic of the three former French Indochinese states. A ruinous sequence of colonial domination, internecine conflict and dogmatic socialism finally brought the country to its knees in the 1970s, and almost 10% of the population left the country. Now, after two decades of isolation from the outside world, this landlocked, sparsely populated country is enjoying peace, stabilizing its political and economic structures, and admitting foreign visitors - albeit in limited numbers, owing to a general lack of infrastructure. |
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Maison
Souvannaphoum Hotel - Luang Prabang
| Although travel in Laos is generally hassle-free, travellers should be
aware of the risk of rural banditry, unexploded ordnance and sporadic
violence in and around Vientiane. Travellers have been inadvertently
targeted in several attacks on buses travelling to and from the capital. Ask around in Vientiane or Luang Prabang to check security before travelling the western portion of Rte 7 in Xieng Khuang Province, between Muang Phu Khun and Phonsavan, or Rte 13 between Vangviang north to Muang Phu Khun through to south of Luang Prabang. Small bombings and attempted bombings in Vientiane continue sporadically. The Saisombun Special Zone, considered a 'troubled' area, is definitely not safe. Permits, required for all visits to the zone, are not being issued. |
Facts for the Traveler |
|
Area: 236,000 sq km |
| Visas: Fifteen-day visas are now available on arrival at
Vientiane's Wattay International Airport and at the International Friendship
Bridge at the Nong Khai border crossing between Laos and
Thailand, though you'll
need to meet a series of conditions to get one. Fifteen-day and 30-day visas
are generally issued through embassies, consulates and authorised travel
agencies. Time Zone: GMT/UTC +7 |
When to Go |
| The best time to visit is between November and February - during these months it rains least and isn't too hot. If you're heading up into the mountains, May and July can also be pleasant. Roads can be washed out during rainy season (July to October), but there's plenty of river travel. Peak tourist months are December to February and during August, although there are relatively few visitors at any time. |
Events |
| Festivals in Laos are generally linked to agricultural seasons or historical Buddhist holidays. The Lunar New Year begins in mid-April and the entire country comes to a halt and celebrates. Houses are cleaned, offerings are made in wats and everyone gets dowsed by water. Bun Bang Fai (Rocket Festival) takes place in May. It's an irreverent pre-Buddhist celebration with plenty of processions, music and dancing, accompanied by the firing of bamboo rockets to prompt the heavens to send rain. The week-long That Luang Festival in Vientiane in November has the whole repertoire of fireworks, candlelit processions and music. |
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