15 Best Places to Visit in Laos

One of Southeast Asia’s most picturesque nations, Laos is also one of its least visited. Laos has exactly as much to offer tourists as other major nations like Thailand or Vietnam, which is a great tragedy. Due to its tiny size and lack of a coastline, the nation is recognized for its magnificent limestone mountains, which provide incredible chances for trekking and the exploration of unsettling karst formations and caves. Along with its mountains, Laos is renowned for its forests, waterfalls, and wonderful native cuisine with Thai and Indian influences. Even in the major towns like Vientiane or Luang Prabang, Laos offers the opportunity for a genuine adventure while maintaining the feeling that you are traveling off the beaten path. The top 15 destinations in Laos are listed below:

Vang Vieng

One of the primary backpacker destinations in Laos is Van Vieng, which is situated halfway between Vientiane and Luang Prabang. This region of Laos used to have a reputation for being a bit wild and having a surprisingly active nightlife scene, but it has since become a bit more somber as a result of efforts made by the local government to improve its reputation. Tubing down the Nam Song River is one of the primary attractions in Van Vieng, and while you’re there, you may enjoy the gorgeous forest surroundings. There are other locations as well, like the Tham Phu Kham Cave, which is well-known for its lagoon and bronze Buddha statue.

Bokeo Nature Reserve

The Bokeo Nature Reserve is a well-known nature reserve that is notable for its conservation work to safeguard black-cheeked gibbons, which were rediscovered in 1997 after it was assumed they had gone extinct. It is located outside the town of Huay Xai. You can stay in tree houses at the park and enjoy activities like zip-lining and swinging while getting a bird’s-eye view of the forest canopy. Along with the fabled gibbons, the park is home to elephants, bears, tigers, and buffalo, and avid bird watchers can explore hundreds of different kinds of vibrant birds.

Nong Khiaw

Nong Khiaw, also known as Nong Kiau, is a charming area in Laos that is quickly establishing a reputation as one of the top destinations in the nation to visit if you want to get away from it all. Amazing walking and hiking options can be found here, and you can also go bicycling through the picturesque towns that surround the main town. Nong Khiaw is also located beside the lovely Nam Ou River, so you can take a boat tour to see the area from the perspective of the river. Beautiful karst structures surround this region of the country, and the limestone caverns, like the Pha Tok Caves, provide a fantastic spelunking location.

Si Phan Don Islands

It may seem unusual to learn that Laos is home to the Si Phan Don Islands, which translate to “Four Thousand Islands” in Lao and are noted for having no coastline. These beautiful small islets were produced as a result of the Mekong River dispersing near the Laos-Cambodia boundary. Because the islands are different sizes, you can choose some of the bigger ones, such Don Khon and Don Det, if you want a little more nightlife and a wider selection of lodging alternatives. If you really want to disconnect from the world and get away from it all in Laos, you may also visit a smaller, more tranquil island like Don Khong.

Luang Namtha

The largest city in Laos’ northwest, Luang Namtha, is well known for serving as a stopover for travelers between Laos and its neighboring China. As you can venture outside into the surrounding mountains and explore the villages of the ethnic hill tribes in Laos, this location is also a top choice for anyone who enjoys trekking. If you don’t want to hike, you may rent a bike or a motorcycle and spend the day riding around the many communities and admiring the stunning waterfalls in this region of the country. You can spend your time in the town of Luang Namtha proper exploring vibrant local markets, dining on street food, and enjoying in the herbal saunas.

Pakse

The main city in southern Laos and the capital of Champasak Province is Pakse. Numerous visitors arrive here with the intention of continuing on to the nearby Si Phan Don, Wat Phou, or Bolaven Plateau. You may also reach Pakse from the Xe Pian National Protected Area or Lao Ngam. Keeping this in mind, if you’re only passing through, Pakse itself still has a lot to offer, so if at all possible, try to stay a few nights. The town is situated on the Mekong and Sedone rivers, and you can find great seafood eateries scattered along the shoreline in addition to the region’s well-known herbal saunas.

Luang Prabang

Travel to Luang Prabang, a town that is situated on the powerful Mekong and Khan rivers, if you’re looking for the tranquil center of Laos. Along the picturesque river banks, the town is especially well renowned for its adorable little European-style cafes, and the region is so charming that it has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Beautiful temples can be found all around the city, and if you enjoy hiking, you can head to the Kuang Si Waterfalls, which include stunning azure waterfalls with deep pools that are ideal for swimming.

Vientiane

Vientiane is the charming capital of Laos and even though this is technically a capital city, it still feels like a small town rather than anything else. Vientiane used to be a former French trading post during the colonial period, and as a result, it has a delightful old French quarter that you can explore. As you go about, you’ll also notice a ton of French-inspired architecture, like Patuxai, a replica of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris that is located in Laos. In addition, there are a number of additional sights that are well worth seeing, including vast local markets and Vientiane’s oldest temple, Wat Si Saket.

Muang Xay

The capital of the bigger Oudomxay Province is Muang Xay, also known as Oudomxay and Udomxai. This town, which is well-known for its stunning mountain ranges, is also near to the picturesque Nam Ko River Basin. Many people travel here to reach other parts of Laos because it is the biggest city in the country’s northern region. However, given that the town is close to several well-known caves, which are a terrific spot to spend some time if you enjoy spelunking, you could easily spend a few days here.

Wat Phu

In the Champasak Province of Laos, there is a stunning Khmer temple called Wat Phu, also known as Vat Phou, that is near Phu Kao Mountain. In the great Khmer Kingdom that extended from Angkor in neighboring Cambodia, this Hindu temple, constructed between the 11th and the 13th century, would have been in a crucial site. These days, you can still discover Angkorian-inspired temples in Laos that have also been partially damaged by the woods.

Muang Ngoi Neua

Previously sleepy and under-visited, Muang Ngoi Neua is now well-known for being a station along the fabled Banana Pancake Trail, which circles numerous Southeast Asian nations. As you might anticipate, it is now becoming increasingly popular among backpackers who come here to take advantage of the opportunity to appreciate the riverfront scenery and spend time at locations like Nam Ou Beach. You can hike to a number of well-known caverns and magnificent waterfalls, or you can venture outside into the nearby ethnically diverse tiny communities.

Huay Xai

Due to its location on the Laos-Thailand border, Huay Xai is a popular destination for travelers who are passing through. Although you may take a boat from Huang Xai to Luang Prabang, it is also well-known for its Mekong River cruises, and for many tourists, this is the highlight of a vacation to Laos. Bokeo Nature Reserve, which is renowned for its breathtaking gibbon experience, is also accessible from there.

Tham Kong Lo

The Kong Lo Cave, which is a component of the larger Phu Hin Bun National Park, is known by the name Tham Kong Lo. The core chamber of the cave and park, which are located along the Phu Hin Bun River, is regarded as one of Southeast Asia’s most spectacular. The 6.5 km (3.7 km) long and 300 ft (91 m) high cave is famous for its gorgeous jade-colored ponds, which are claimed to be the same color as the skin of the Hindu god Indra. The ideal method to explore the cave is by boat down the magnificent chamber, where you can take in the rock crystals, stalagmites, and stalactites.

Pakbeng

One of the main reasons people travel to Pakbeng, which is situated between Luang Prabang and Huay Xai, is to spend the night if they take a river cruise down the Mekong between the two towns. Pakbeng is a charming little town to spend the night in when traveling to Luang Prabang or Xuay Xai, even if there isn’t much to do there. This is an excellent place to go for a cold beer and sunset views over the gorgeous Mekong. There are a few nice restaurants in town that look out over the river.

Phonsavan

Phonsavan, which in Lao means “Hills of Paradise,” is an excellent destination to visit if you want to explore the country’s more rural side. Surprisingly, this region of Laos is recognized for its cowboy culture, and you may meet authentic Lao cowboys here who wear Stetsons and raise cattle on the verdant plains near Phonsavan. This is a fantastic starting point for exploring places like the Plain of Jars, a stunning natural formation so named because its pillars resemble jars.