Laos travel guide

Laos vs Cambodia is less a contest than a question of what kind of trip you want. Cambodia is organized around Angkor, Khmer history, lively cities and a southern coastline. Laos is built around mountains, the Mekong River, waterfalls and a Buddhist culture that moves at a slower pace. Neither country is better in general....

Planning a Thailand and Laos itinerary starts with one question: how do you fit two very different countries into one trip without spending half of it in transit? They pair beautifully. Thailand brings energetic cities, outstanding food and easy, polished travel. Laos slows everything down, with Mekong scenery, golden temples and small towns that feel...

Few overland journeys in Southeast Asia feel as rewarding as the crossing from Chiang Rai in Northern Thailand to the temple-filled streets of Luang Prabang in Laos. This guide breaks down how to get from Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang by every method available, from high speed train to slow boat to private flight, and...

Laos welcomes travelers with forested mountains, the winding Mekong River, and a slower pace that feels increasingly rare in Southeast Asia. Bordered by Thailand and Vietnam, with China to the north, Myanmar to the northwest, and Cambodia to the south, Laos has no coastline, yet its landlocked geography is exactly what keeps it feeling wonderfully...

If you are mapping out your route through Laos, chances are this question has already come up: is the train from Vientiane to Luang Prabang actually worth building a schedule around? The short answer is yes, especially if your time in the country is limited. What used to take an entire day by road now...

Laos in October feels like the country taking a deep breath after months of rain. The skies begin to clear, the rivers run high and proud, and the whole landscape turns a shade of green you will not see at any other time of year. If you have been wondering whether this is the month...

Combining Laos and Cambodia into a single trip is one of the smartest moves a traveler can make in Southeast Asia, and there is a simple reason why. Siem Reap and Luang Prabang sit only around ninety minutes apart by air, which means the transition between them is smooth rather than exhausting. Cambodia brings the...

Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang sit at the heart of any well-planned Laos itinerary. Thankfully, getting between them has never been easier, thanks to the Laos China Railway, which turned a bumpy half day drive into a smooth ride of under two hours. You have three main ways to make the trip: the high speed...