LAOS

travel guides

at a glance…

**Biome:** rivers + valleys, hot
**Peak season:** Nov - April
**Hello:** “khop jai!”
**Biggest city:** Vientiane
**Don’t miss:** hot air ballooning
**Must try:** green papaya salad

Inside Scoop

Songkran, Laotian/Thai New Years, is celebrated with city-wide watergun fights from April 13-15 each year and is a wild time to be in Laos.

Hot air ballooning in Vang Viang is the cheapest in the world!

Take time to visit Nong Khiaw in the north (easy bus from Luang Prabang).

Go tubing and visit the blue lagoons in Vang Viang.

Swim in the Kuang Si Waterfalls in Luang Prabang.

Make it down to 4,000 Islands!

Take the slow boat on the Mekong River from the Thai border to Luang Prabang.

Popular Destinations

+ Luang Prabang

+ Vang Vieng

+ Vientiane

+ Si Phan Don

+ Nong Khiaw

- Travel Guides -

Featured

50 Tips for Backpacking Southeast Asia

We’ve gone through many rounds of trial and error while traveling, especially during the time we spent in SE Asia. If you’re headed to this part of the world, check out our top 50 take aways from five months in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and the Philippines.

Ultimate Adventures in Vang Vieng, Laos

Vang Vieng is a backpackers playground: lazy boozy rivers, hidden jungle lagoons, and hot air ballooning is all we’re gonna say for now.

Landing in Laos: Exploring Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang is home to a gorgeous colonial-style downtown, a vibrant textile and crafts scene, and some of the most fun waterfalls in Southeast Asia. Plus, the water-soaked Songkran festival in Luang Prabang is less crowded and just as fun as Thailand!