When we were considering which Asian countries to visit on our round-the-world trip, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam were quickly chosen.
But after the extraordinary welcome of the Filipinos, it’s hard to compete with the Laotians. When we arrived in northern Laos, we were surprised to find fewer smiles and few people speaking English or wishing to communicate with us. But we wanted to wait until the rest of the trip to see for ourselves.
Finally, we found that in the south of the country, Laotians seemed more open to sharing and exchange, but despite this, we found them overall more shy than the other countries we visited.
Beyond this “encounter” aspect, the country has undeniable assets:
- Admire the banks of the Mekong at sunset in towns like Louang Prabang, Vang Vieng or Takhek,
- The karst cliffs overlooking the rice fields of Vang Vieng or on the Thakhek loop,
- Waterfalls and blue lagoons throughout the region are great places to cool off and play with village children,
- And finally, deliciously spicy local dishes.
I invite you to discover these landscapes in the travel diary below, which retraces our itinerary, our visits and our feedback.
Luang Prabang: in the peaceful, gentle and serene atmosphere of Laos
Landing in Luang Prabang is the perfect way to immediately get into the country’s atmosphere and discover what makes it so special.
The cultural and spiritual capital of Laos, Luang Prabang is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it’s easy to see why. The atmosphere is breathtaking.
Stroll along its flower-filled lanes and contemplate its traditional listed facades, meet the monks in the temples or on the market, have a drink at the end of the day on the banks of the Mekong and let yourself go to the rhythm of the passing boats. It’s a program that allows you to slow down and let yourself be guided for the days ahead.
We particularly enjoyed the Vat Xieng Thong temple. Admission costs less than one euro and the site is open from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm. For women, plan to have your legs and shoulders covered. It’s also possible to rent a sinh, a skirt worn over shorts.
In the evening, you can climb to the top of Mount Phousi for a lovely sunset view, and on the way down, you can stroll through the night market and its various street food stalls. If you have a sweet tooth like me, you’ll love the “Khonom Khok” coconut cakes.
As far as accommodation is concerned, our small budget took us to PP Guesthouse (around 7 euros a room for one night for two people with a very small breakfast). The value for money is very good, in our opinion.
What’s more, it’s just a fifteen-minute walk from the city center, opposite a pretty temple. We also had the opportunity to try the nearby Phan Phan Korean barbecue restaurant, which we thoroughly enjoyed.
However, you may want to attend the Tak Bat ceremony early in the morning. We didn’t do it, as it’s apparently become too touristy for our taste, but in any case, if you want to see it, then find a guesthouse closer to the city center and the street where the monks parade (Sisavangvong Road).
For the record, this is a procession of Buddhist monks asking for alms at first light (around 5:30/6:00). This tradition dates back over 600 years and continues to this day. The spiritual center of Laos, the Tak Bat is most impressive in Luang Prabang.
On the outskirts of Luang Prabang, the Kuang Si Waterfall is not to be missed. It really reminded us of the Semuc Champey waterfall in Guatemala.
With its largest waterfall spilling into several natural pools of turquoise water below, we’re always amazed like children and enjoy swimming in these earthly paradises every time.
To get there, I recommend renting electric scooters. We found them at the end of Sisavangvong Road, after the night market and before the road on the right that leads down to the Nam Khan River. They were cheaper than traditional scooters, no extra petrol to add, and much more environmentally friendly!
At the entrance to the site, you’ll have to pay a few kips to park your scooters and then the park entrance fee (20,000 kips in 2023) including the electric vehicle to take you there, a visit to the bear rescue center and the butterfly farm. The site is open from 8 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
Vang Vieng: swimming, hiking … and partying for those who want to take it all in.
After these peaceful days in Luang Prabang, we headed for Vang Vieng.
I’m sorry we didn’t have time to go further up towards Nong Khiaw, as the area looks really welcoming too. But we were heading south to Cambodia, hence our descent.
To make the journey, I recommend you take the train rather than the bus. The advantage is that it’s more comfortable, and above all it’s even cheaper.
Reservations are made on the official Laos-China Railway website, via the LCR Ticket application.
The town of Vang Vieng may not be seductive, but it ‘s the karst landscapes and the countryside that really stir the emotions. Unfortunately, these marvels played tricks on him.
For the record, in the 90s, when Laos began to open up to tourism, it quickly became a playground for travelers, particularly European and Australian backpackers. A water sports activity developed on the Nam Song: tubing, which consists in letting yourself be carried across the water on a buoy. The attraction allows young people to stop at the bars lining the shore, drink beers and then set off again. The rest is easy to guess… Add to this slides or swings that allow you to throw yourself into the river, as well as substances like marijuana and opium, and you’ve got the winning combo to cause drama. This is what happened in 2011, when 27 tourists drowned or plunged headfirst onto the rocks.
That’s why a year later, under pressure from foreign embassies, in August 2012, the Laotian government closed the bars along the river.
The city is trying to improve its image and showcase its natural beauty. Tubing is not disappearing, but it is becoming more regulated.
In order to avoid the hustle and bustle, we deliberately chose accommodation a little out of the center of town, but with very good value for money(in low season, we were there in May). The only negative point is that it doesn’t offer breakfast(150,000 kips per room for three, or 7 euros). This is Saphaothong guesthouse.
The guesthouse also rents out scooters, but in the city center, you can find cheaper scooters by bargaining.
Once you’re settled in and ready to explore the surrounding area, you can pace your days between swimming in blues lagoons and more challenging hikes to take in the breathtaking 360-degree panoramas.
The best known is “Nam Xay” with a motorcycle installed at the top.
Many people come at sunset. Personally, I prefer to go a little earlier, around 4:00 pm. It’s a little cooler and the sun isn’t against the sky, which makes for some very beautiful light.
Beware, the walk is fairly short but difficult, as the slope is very steep. Bring a good pair of sneakers and avoid flip-flops. Always take plenty of water with you too.
Lagoons are a bit like ceynotes in Mexico. Refreshing spots that do you good when the temperature approaches 40 degrees. And the choice? It’s hard to choose, because they’re all more or less the same, and they all charge a fee.
We wanted to discover number 4 because it was obviously the furthest away and the least touristy, but unfortunately a heavy storm forced us to fall back on number 1. I found it rather small…
So I’d recommend number 2, which we did at the end of the day and were practically alone on the site.
Numbers 3 and 6 look very nice too. Depending on how much time you have and on your budget.
In terms of good addresses, we had a habit of going to the“Green restaurant“, perfect for local Laotian dishes or wood-fired pizza.
To finish with Vang Vieng, you should know that the town is becoming very famous, a bit like Cappadocia in Turkey, for its hot-air balloon flights. We didn’t try it out, as it’s a big-ticket item and there were no birthdays in the period, but it’s obviously worth it, and the rates are apparently very affordable. You can go through Above Laos. This is a Lao-French company that works to the highest standards of safety and quality in Laos, with very well-maintained French hot-air balloons and certified pro pilots.
Thakhek for its famous “loop”: 5-day scooter road trip
After these few days, it’s time for us to get back on the road and head down to the south of the country.
The Thakhek “loop” is a must in Laos. Together with the Bolaven Plateau Loop, these tours offer panoramic roads. We chose not to do both loops, to enjoy them more and not run.
To reach the city, we first took a train to the capital, Vientiane. We stayed in a youth hostel with dormitories offering unbeatable value for money (4 euros a night). It’s called TT Hostel.
It’s close to the night market. Ideal for dinner or an evening stroll. For a drink, I recommend the Naga Bar, an old boat stylishly refurbished by a Frenchman, with a sandy beach, tables and garlands, giving the place a sunset charm.
If you’ve got a little time to spare to visit the capital, I suggest you drop in at the COPE Visiter Center. It’s free and very instructive for understanding the ravages and collateral damage of the Vietnam War. We don’t always know it, but Laos was hit hard by the war between the USA and Vietnam. More than 270 million bombs were dropped on the country to cut off all supply routes to the north of the neighboring country. A real scourge for the country, these bombs have injured or killed nearly 20,000 people since the end of the conflict.
COPE (Cooperative Orthotic & Prosthetic Enterprise) is the leading source of artificial limbs, walking aids and wheelchairs in Laos. The visitor center features a very interesting and moving exhibition.
Then to head for Thakhek, we took a bus from “southern station”.
To get there, you can :
- Borrow a tuk-tuk,
- From the youth hostel, walk to the “central station” bus station. Allow around twenty minutes. From there, take a bus to southern station for 6,000 kips per person(pay attention to timetables, there are very few – bus 29 in particular).
From southern station, you can take a bus to Thakhek. Allow 150,000 kips per person (around 7 euros) for a bus that leaves at 1pm and arrives in Thakhek at around 8pm.
In Thakhek, we stayed in the guest house ” La Casa ” run by Nico, a Frenchman. The value for money is unbeatable, and above all Nico takes the time to give a briefing every morning and evening to everyone setting off on the loop. He knows the loop like the back of his hand, and gives good advice on which spots to visit. What’s more, it’s possible to leave big bags at his place during road-trip days.
It was on his advice that we decided to set off on the loop for 5 days and 4 nights. It’s the best way not to cover too many kilometers on a scooter during the day, and to enjoy visits to caves and waterfalls along the way. The circuit covers a total of almost 600 kms.
There are many scooter rental companies. We chose“Pokémon” because it agreed to rent us scoots at 140,000 kips per day per scooter, instead of the usual 150,000 for automatic scooters under 125 cc.
For dinner, before you leave, you have the choice between dining directly at Casa chez Nico (as it offers tasty, hearty dishes) or just next door on the left as you head towards the Mekong, the “Six friends” street restaurant. Everything is super fresh and all dishes are 20,000 kips!
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1st day of loop: about 100 km to Sabaidee Guesthouse
Leaving Thakhek, after a hearty breakfast, we set off to make our first stop at Xieng Liap Cave.
The cellar is very beautiful and without artifice (lights, statues, etc.).
If you take the suspension bridge, you’ll be asked to pay 10,000 kep/pers. before reaching the cave.
Apparently, there’s another route that goes straight on before the bridge (and along the river on the right) where you can reach the grotto without paying a penny.
After this stop, we continued on our way to lunch. There are very few places offering meals except a café at a point on your left. I recommend this, otherwise all you’ll find are tiny local eateries.
After lunch, we drove on to Song Sou Waterfall. It’s the perfect place to relax before the last hour’s drive to our stopover cottages at sunset.
On the way to Thalang, you can also stop off to admire the surrounding nature and typical local villages. Life here is simple and peaceful. It’s a particular pleasure for me to follow and shoot the water buffalo.
In Thalang, you have two nice guesthouse options. They are located opposite each other: Sabaidee Guesthouse and Phosy Guesthouse.
Value for money is better at Sabaidee Guesthouse. In the evening, however, Sabaidee Guesthouse offers a unique BBQ menu. It’s a great way to meet and chat with other travellers, but don’t hesitate to eat at Phosy’s either. His dishes are equally delicious.
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Second day’s loop to Na-Hin
This second day on the road was my favorite of the loop. I particularly liked the place where we could admire the Buddharock sculptures.
We then made a second stop at Wat Pha Nang Rong before heading off to the Dragon Cave site for lunch.
The place is really very pleasant and the cave is well worth a visit. There is an entrance fee, but it’s quite reasonable (40,000 kips if memory serves). After that, like Indiana Jones, you’ll have to bend over and watch your head as you make your way into the cave. The atmosphere is very cool and damp. After a few minutes, you’ve arrived in front of a veritable cathedral. We were alone at the time of our visit, and were blown away by the beauty of this cave. After the visit, if you still have enough energy left, you can climb to the top for a 360-degree view of the region.
In the late afternoon, as on the first day, before finishing the last hour’s drive to Na-Hin, you can stop off at“cold springs / cool pool” for a refreshing swim. The place is well known to young locals, who often come here to drink beers and listen to music. Unlike other spots, the water here is surprisingly cool! Will you dare to take a dip?
For accommodation in Na-hin, we found a place that I recommend. It’s called Khounthavy Room. The owner of the rooms owns a restaurant of the same name, and you can ask her directly for accommodation. Here’s her phone number to reach her via whatsapp: 02078235545.
We had all our meals and breakfasts at her place. She was so kind and it was a pleasure to be able to enjoy her excellent cooking. The dishes are very hearty. Don’t hesitate to ask for the SMALL version.
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Third day of the loop, back and forth to Konglor cave and Rock view point.
On this 3rd day of the loop, we made our way toKonglor cave. For those who have never visited this type of cave by boat, it’s well worth the effort.
Having already visited something very similar in the Philippines, and given the entrance fee, we opted not to visit. The scooter trail is very nice, however, and we took advantage of lunch to go to an ecolodge, “spring review”. The hotel overlooks a river where you can go swimming or kayaking.
We really enjoyed this relaxing break before taking the scooter back to Na-Hin and the “Rock view point” for the late afternoon.
Rock view point is a must-see. This is a viewpoint from which you can immerse yourself in the nature of the Phou Hin boun national protected area.
The choice of activities is yours. You can simply take a walk for a few euros and admire the endless limestone mountains and gushing waterfalls hidden in the rainforest.
Or, if you’re in the mood for some thrills and spills, you can take half a day to do various activities such as zip-lining, a spider’s web suspended above the void and via ferrata. This will cost you around 30 euros per person.
The site also boasts a bar where it’s very pleasant to have a drink before heading back down for the night.
For the return trip to Thakhek, we took the same route as on the outward journey, as the road to the west is dangerous, with lots of trucks and buses.
On day 4, we drive to Thalang to stay again at Sabaidee Guesthouse before returning the following day.
For our last evening, we returned to Nico’s Casa to collect our belongings. We were able to catch up with some French and Belgians we’d met the day before the start of the loop. We had so much fun together, it was memorable! And it remains one of the best evenings we’ve ever had on a round-the-world trip!
The 4000 Islands to finish off our cool holiday before heading to Cambodia
To get to Paksé and the 4000 Islands, we took a day bus. Don’t hesitate to check the timetable with the scoots the day before, by going directly to the station. They may vary…
We only spent the night in the city so as not to tire ourselves out too much on the road, especially as Laotian buses are far from comfortable. They can also be dangerous.
I recommend the youth hostel called “1918”. It was really very good. We booked a mini-van to take us to the 4000 islands with the young lady at the hotel.
Attention by the way. We made a mistake between Don KhonG Island and Don Khon Island!!!! Be sure to tell the receptionist where you want to go and show her on a map!
On Don Khong, we stayed at the Nongskak Bungalow Riverside and really liked it. It was simple but riverside, with a hammock and air-conditioning, very pleasant and good value for money. If you’re staying a few nights, don’t hesitate to negotiate with the owner. Here are the phone numbers if you want to book in advance in high season: 02097335789 or 02055319066.
Nearby, we found our canteen at Émilies noodles! We went there for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Emilie and her family are real sweethearts. They didn’t hesitate to welcome us and cook for us even when there was a huge thunderstorm and the electricity had been cut off throughout the village.
Don Khong is very quiet and friendly. It’s ideal for renting bikes and going for a ride to visit the island, as well as nearby Don Det. On the islands, there are a number of cascades and waterfalls to admire. There are also temples on the islands.
Make sure you cover up in the evening or early morning to avoid mosquito bites. Malaria is present in the region.
At the end of the trip, we headed for Cambodia via the land border near the islands.
We applied for our e-visas a week beforehand to avoid paying more at the border (33 euros by internet). To get to the border, many vans are available on the islands. Just ask and say which Cambodian town you want to go to.
Beware, this border post is one of the most corrupt in Southeast Asia. If you can, try to resist so you don’t have to pay the few dollars they’ll take from you for a stamp or similar. It’s best to refuse as a group. After a few minutes, these corrupt agents will give up.
That’s it for Laos, now it’s time for Cambodia! I hope you’ve enjoyed this article and that it’s inspired you to come and discover Laos for yourself. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask me in the comments. And if you’d like to see more photos, check out my Instagram account!
See you soon for new adventures!
