Laos
Asia · Vientiane · LA
Laos is the quiet, landlocked country of the Mekong and the mountains, a gentle Southeast Asian land of Buddhist monasteries, waterfalls and a pace that famously slows the visitor down. Luang Prabang, the old royal capital with its gold-roofed temples and its alms rounds of the monks at dawn, sits on a peninsula of the Mekong under the forested hills. The capital Vientiane, sleepy and charming, holds the golden stupa of That Luang and the wide boulevards of the colonial era, while the karst mountains of Vang Vieng, the waterfalls of the Bolaven Plateau and the slow boats of the river to the rural north spread the landscape. The food is fresh and spicy, the coffee of the south is excellent and the people are famously relaxed. Riverine, Buddhist and beautifully mellow, Laos offers one of the gentlest journeys in the region.
Overview
Laos is a country in Asia. Its capital is Vientiane and the international dialling code is +856. Languages commonly used in everyday life here include Lao. Local currency is the Lao Kip (LAK). We also list 1 city in Laos: Vientiane.
Luang Prabang and the Dawn Alms of the Monks
The old royal capital of Luang Prabang, a peninsula of the Mekong and its tributary between the green hills, is the spiritual and the architectural heart of the country. The golden-roofed temples of the town, more than thirty of them, line the streets of the centre, and the royal palace, the museums and the old French houses of the colonial era frame the river promenades. At dawn the monks of the monasteries file out in their orange robes for the alms round, and the locals kneel at the edge of the road to place the rice and the sweets in the bowls of the passing monks, a living ritual that has run for centuries. The town is small, slow and beautiful, and the sacredness of its mornings is the image that every visitor carries away.
The Kuang Si Falls and the Blue Pools
The waterfalls of Kuang Si, a short tuk-tuk ride from Luang Prabang, run down the forested hillside in a series of turquoise pools that are among the most beautiful swimming holes in Southeast Asia. The main fall, a tall, wide sheet of white water, drops into the deep blue pool below, and the trails up the terraces lead through the smaller cascades and the natural slides where the swimmers float in the cold, clear water. The bear rescue centre at the entrance, its enclosures set in the shade of the forest, adds a heart to the visit. The path up is a dream of green, of water and of the light that breaks through the canopy over the falls. It is the essential day trip of Luang Prabang, and it rewards an early start before the crowds of the afternoon.
Vientiane, the Sleeping Capital of the Mekong
The capital of Vientiane, low-lying on the great bend of the Mekong, is the sleepiest capital in Asia, a small, friendly city of wide boulevards, French-era villas and the golden monuments of the Lao Buddhist state. The great stupa of That Luang, the most sacred monument of the country, stands gilded on its mound outside the centre, and the great victory arch of the city, built from the concrete that the builders leave over, frames the morning light from its platform. The temples of the centre, the morning market and the food stalls of the riverside give the city its everyday rhythm, and the sunsets along the Mekong, where the sunset cruises drift past the islands, close the day in peace. Vientiane is a capital that asks for nothing and gives a slow, easy charm in return.
The Karst of Vang Vieng and the Lagoons of the River
The town of Vang Vieng, between the capital and Luang Prabang, sits in a valley of extraordinary limestone karst, the great grey towers of the rock rising like the teeth of the earth above the Nam Song river. The town's fame as a party stop has softened into a proper adventure base, and the tubers and the kayakers drift down the river between the cliffs, past the rope swings and the floating bars of the banks. The caves of the karst, the blue lagoon of the swimming spot and the climbs of the towers reward the active, and the viewpoints halfway up the peaks give panoramas that have made the valley famous. The sunsets over the karst, the warm shallows of the river and the easy pace of the town make Vang Vieng one of the region's great relaxed stops.
The Slow Boats of the Mekong and the Rural North
The classic river journey of Laos is the slow boat down the Mekong from the border to Luang Prabang, a two-day drift through the gorges and the sandbanks of the river with the jungle of the banks sliding past and the great pop-river islands appearing in the bends. The boats are simple passenger launches, the journey is slow by design and the stops at the little villages of the shore give the meals and the museum of the old river life. The northern provinces beyond, the valleys of the mountains and the ethnic villages of the high country, are reached by the smaller roads and the longer rides, and they hold the rice terraces, the warps of the traditional houses and the quiet markets of the highland peoples. The slow water and the slow roads of Laos are the country's great gift to the traveller in no hurry.
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- Capital
- Vientiane
- Currency
- Lao Kip (LAK)
- Languages
- Lao
- Calling code
- +856
- Internet TLD
- la
Entry requirements
Check who can enter →See which passports travel visa-free or need a visa to enter Laos.
Which nationalities can enter Laos?
Current visa status for tourism for the origins we cover, with links to the detailed requirements.
Cities (1)
All cities →Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to visit Laos?
For the origins we track, Laos requires a visa for tourism (Australia: e-visa, Canada: e-visa, France: e-visa, Germany: e-visa and India: e-visa). Entry rules depend on your passport, so confirm the current requirements for your own nationality with our entry requirements tool.
What is the capital of Laos?
Vientiane is the capital of Laos, and the country sits in Asia.
What currency is used in Laos?
You pay with Lao Kip (LAK) in Laos. Exchange rates move day to day, so check the current rate before you change money or use your card abroad.
Which languages do people speak in Laos?
The languages we list for Laos are Lao. A couple of greetings in the local language go a long way when you travel, even in cities where another language is widely used.
What is the international dialling code for Laos?
The dialling code for Laos is +856 — keep the plus sign when you save the number.
Which cities in Laos do you cover?
Our guide lists 1 city for Laos: Vientiane (capital).