Laos holidays

Our Travel Expert, Sally, has recently returned from Thailand. Read the account of her trip in On Location.

Left behind by its neighbours in terms of economic development, Laos remains one of the most delightful countries you can visit in the Far East. It is a land of graceful temples, saffron clad monks and a capital city which, although surprisingly large, has more the feel of a rural village than a bustling metropolis.

Despite the timeframe, the legacy of the war lives on whether it be farmyard fences made out of shell cases or piles of rusting bullet clips. Bordered by the Mekong River, the Mother of Waters, as it is locally known, boat trips up or down this economic lifeline provide quicker access to some remote and interesting areas. The French legacy is everywhere and none more so than in Luang Prebang, where small cafes serve delicious bread and excellent coffee.

The infrastructure and accommodation in remoter areas is still limited, but you will find several different minority peoples, each with their own traditions and culture. The country as a whole is very rich in textiles and, in the south, you can visit the coffee plantations on the Bolovan Plateau, ride an elephant or travel by boat down the Mekong to visit some Khmer ruins, looking all the time for the freshwater dolphins that spend the winter in the river.

Travel to Laos provides a last glimpse of the east as it used to be. As it stands, it cannot last for long and will undoubtedly drag itself into the 21st century. Go while you can.








From Chiang Rai in Thailand, take a boat down the Mekong to Luang Prabang