Laos - Useful information for your trip
Prepare your travel in Laos. Discover the places to visit, the most popular destinations, the most suggestive events and the local traditions.
Laos, in Asia, is one of the wildest countries in Indochina, its nature and culture still appearing untouched. It's a landlocked country, whose capital city is Vientiane. If you have chosen to visit it, you'll surely run into the Mekong river, whose fertile valley is the heart of the country. Another important river is Nam U, flowing into the Mekong near Luang Prabang. Nam Ngum also flows into the Mekong, near the capital city, Vientiane.
Laos is a real paradise for nature lovers, mainly covered by mountains and plateaus, whose highest peak is Phou Bia (2820 m). It boasts a lush vegetation with monsoonal tropical forests and bamboo in the undergrowth. The flower symbol of Laos is frangipani. The climate is tropical monsoonal with three seasons, one hot and dry from March to April, the wet season from May to October and a cool dry season from November to February. There are 500 bird species, including the rare green peacock, several species of snake and lizard, the black gibbon, Java mongoose, Siamese hare, wild cats and raccoon dogs. In the south, near Khong island, it's possible to view the rare Irrawaddy dolphins in spring.
While on your trip, you will be surprised by the population: about 49 ethnic groups live together, each with different traditions and languages. Although Lao is the official language of the country, only a small percentage of the population is able to speak it, this is why the different ethnic groups prefer to use their own idioms. Most of the inhabitants make a living out of subsistence farming, employing 80% of the labor force. 80% of farming land produces rice and beautiful verdant ricefields shape the landscape.
Visitors attracted by the charm of this land are growing in number, they are enraptured by the laid back happy lifestyle of the Laotians, who have kept the traditions of ancient Asia intact through the ages. Main attractions are the World Heritage Sites, such as the colorful city of Luang Prabang, the archaeological site of Vat Phu, the temples in Vientiane, the views of Vang Vieng and Nam U valley, the Plain of Jars and many others.
Let our local travel experts guide across Laos, discover the temples, meet local people and hike the wild nature. Design you own tailormade trip and make your dream trip come true with their help.