Laos Country Guide

The "Land of a Million Elephants", as it was once known, Laos is a landlocked country of about 5.5 million that boasts a diverse and colourful mix of over 100 different ethnic groups living either low in its fertile river valleys or high in its hills and mountains. Lao's are a peaceful and deeply spiritual people, practicing the same traditions and labour that their forbears have for centuries. Boys and young men still shave their heads and don the saffron robes of Buddhist monks and hill tribes-women can still be found in their homes weaving traditional, colourful designs on foot looms in remote villages virtually unchanged for centuries.

Laos is a laid back country that can be taken in at your leisure!

Enjoy a herbal massage, stroll the streets, bargain for local handicrafts at open markets, sip coffee or tea at street-side cafés and watch the local life go by. You can immerse yourself into its more spiritual side by retreating into the incensed tranquillity of a Buddhist temple (wat) or even practicing meditation. Laos is also a country that offers plenty of challenging terrain and interesting sites and activities for the adventurous. You can kayak or go boating down the Mekong, trek through jungles atop an elephant, go exploring and even rock-climbing in limestone caves, hike mountains in search of remote and ancient temple ruins or camp out in national conservation parks.

Below this Laos Country Guide is some useful travel information for visitors contemplating a trip to Laos, including suggestions on where and when to go, visa requirements, money used, information about Lao food and drink as well as a handy Travellers' Do's and Don'ts list. For those definitely planning a trip, we recommend going to our Luang Prabang Useful Links pages to access other sites with more detailed information on Laos. Click on the Luang Prabang Destination Guide pages for more detailed information about different cities in Laos, and to book accommodation; or visit our Luang Prabang Tours page for things to do during your stay.

Laos Country Guide