Are you planning to spend this summer vacation in the middle of Laos with greenery and water views? If yes, you have come to the right place. Laos is a lovely country that has nurtured greenery, calmness, and a pure ambiance worth experiencing once in your lifetime.
So, before you pack your bags with all your essentials, take some time to sit back and fill your to-do list by going through the details of some of the most stunning places in Laos.
A trip to Laos is nothing short of pure bliss. From its authentic cuisine to its soulful ambiance, you will never find a place like this. The country is filled with mesmerizing temples, mountains, forests, caves, and waterfalls that you will regret if you miss out on them.
Laos is a landlocked country, and the best part is that it has a tropical climate throughout the year, which makes Laos an ever-green vacation destination. However, the best time to visit Laos would be from November to January. So, if you are excited to travel to Laos and have a memorable trip, let this blog guide you through the most beautiful places to visit in Laos.
Travel Tips For Laos
Before we start with our incredible places to visit in Laos, let us have a glance at some important travel tips.
Let us begin with some money-saving tips. Whenever we travel to a foreign country, the first thing that we aim to do is save money. Although you will find Laos cheap and affordable, always buy from market stalls. Especially if you are staying for a long period, buy food rather than go to restaurants to save your money.
Look for calming and trusted homestays. If you want a truly peaceful and authentic experience of the Lao culture, it is best to book homestays, which are becoming very popular recently. Instead of hotels, you can opt for guest houses or homestays through different websites and get the best deals. The owners will treat you like their own and give insights that are not known to others.
If you don’t want to waste money on travel, you can opt for public transport. One of the best money-saving tips is to take buses. They are the most common way to get between cities, and will also cost you very minimally.
In case you are going hiking or sightseeing alone, always stay on the marked trail. Especially if you are a female solo traveler, carry your bottles, never get intoxicated in the middle of nowhere, and always be careful of signs and marks. In case there is any emergency, dial 191 immediately. Nevertheless, Laos is a very safe country, and most previous travelers have commented it is safe for solo travelers. So, there is no doubt that you will have a marvelous time in Laos.
Stunning Places In Laos: Must Visit
Now let us get started with the most beautiful places that you can visit in Laos during your vacation. Please read this section thoroughly to have the best time.
1. Luang Prabang
A trip to Laos is not complete if you don’t spend a blissful week at the stunning former royal capital of Laos. It is one of the most well-preserved cities in the entire Southeast Asia and is also the most popular one in Laos. It is a treasure filled with beautiful temples and exquisite French architecture that are a must-see.
Luang Prabang is nested between the Mekong River and the Nam Kham River and is filled with lush landscapes. If you want to see the real Buddhist temples and old Buddhist treasures, nothing can beat this place. The real pleasure also lies in the overall vibe and the different waterfalls and villages it nurtures. Once you enter, you would not want to leave.
2. Kuang Si Waterfall
Do you want to experience a jaw-dropping view that will take you to a different world? After Luang Prabang, a day trip to Kuang Si Falls is the most apt thing to do. It is one of the most beautiful water displays in Laos and, indeed, one of the best places to visit when you are thriving to see a waterfall.
It is a large 50m tall waterfall that gives a water sight one must experience. You will not find one like this anywhere else in the world. The most amusing part of the fall is that it has a series of smaller falls and pools that continue flowing downstream, which gives you the best swimming pool to swim around. It is a magical collection of waterholes with turquoise blue color that you must witness with your own eyes.
3. Si Phan Don
If you are ready for an extraordinary experience, the riverine archipelago in the Mekong River is the right place to visit in Laos. Otherwise known as 4000 islands, Si Phan Don is located at the southernmost point of Laos. It is a series of different-sized islands dotted around the Mekong in the Khong district. The largest and main island over there is Don Khong, which has a few exquisite temples and museums you can visit.
Although there is not much to do as many of the islands are underwater due to the Mekong flooding, the watery terrain offers a great landscape that you can explore by kayaking, cycling, or even by riding four-wheelers. The exciting part is that the Mekong River flows into Cambodia. You can visit the Cambodian border, where you will find a mix of Laotian and Cambodian cultures. You can also look for freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins, which are almost extinct now. Even when there is not much adventure left on the islands, you can just hang around with your loved ones, grab a “Beer Laos,” and enjoy the blissful scenery.
4. Vang Vieng
Looking for a party place? Vang Vieng is a small tourist town popular for party-seeking tourists. It is home to different kinds of accommodations, bars, restaurants, and cafes, and is open till late at night. At night you can party, and during the daytime, you can book many day trips to places like Blue Lagoon.
One of the most famous things to do here is float down the river by river tubing. The tubing stops at certain places where you can grab a drink and continue to another destination filled with bars and restaurants. Apart from that, the town is surrounded by limestone karst-filled mountains, where you can trek and go rock climbing.
5. Vientiane
Vientiane is the largest city in Laos and also the capital. You won’t need many days to be able to scroll through the city and enjoy all its beauty. It was once a French trading post, and now it has become a tourist attraction where tourists use it as a stopping point. The city is filled with temples to explore and riverside markets that will make your evening stroll worth it.
The most popular place in this “City of Sandalwood,” is the Buddhist stupa, Pha That Luang, which is 49 meters tall and is said to contain relics of Buddha. There is another known as Wat Si Muang, built on the ruins of a Khmer Hindu Shrine.
6. Wat Phu
Also known as Vat Phou Champasak, Wat Phu is an ancient Khmer Hindu temple complex spread across six terraces. It is situated at the base of Mount Phou Khao, hence its name, which means “Mountain Temple.” It contains buildings that are over a thousand years old.
The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, one of the supreme Hindu Gods. However, there are more modern ruins from the 11th to the 13th centuries. It has intricate carvings, sacred springs, and beautiful Buddha images. If you want to explore more, you can travel to the nearby villages and look at the lifestyle with old French colonial mansions and Buddhist temples. Fun fact, they have puppet shows in the evening that you cannot miss.
7. Bokeo Nature Reserve
Ready for a wildlife adventure? The Bokeo Nature Reserve was created to protect the black-cheeked gibbon population. The species was previously thought to be extinct, but it was rediscovered in 1997, and ever since, the reserve has been working to protect the family. However, the best part is not just seeing the gibbons. Laos has been working on an eco-tourism conservation project where they let tourists stay in tree houses built in the reserve, where you travel by zipline through the forest.
Other than a gibbon experience, you are also likely to see elephants, bears, tigers, and buffaloes. Apart from animals, different birds are also seen in the forest. So, if you are a wildlife lover, this is the place you must visit.
8. Tham Kong Lo
Another jaw-dropping place in Laos is the Tham kong lo, an underground karst limestone cave, meaning “Beauty in the dark.” It is located inside the Phou Hin Bun National Park in Central Laos, where you will be taken on a cave tour only by a longtail boat. It is one of the most beautiful and longest river cave systems in the world, illuminating with magical miner lamps.
The boat will pause at certain places where you can get down and explore the cave on foot. It was once a dark cave adventure but now has many colourful lights system. However, reaching that destination is not easy. You have to take an eight-hour-long bus from Vietniane. Nevertheless, the travel is all worth it.
More Incredible Places To Visit In Laos
Apart from the adventures mentioned above, here is a list of more places where you can have an amazing time.
- The Plain Of Jars, Xiangkhoang Plateau
- Bolaven Plateau Waterfalls
- Mekong Riverside Park
- Nong Khiaw
- Bokeo Nature Reserve
- Patuxai Park
- Haw Phra Kaew
- Lao National Museum
- Tad Thong Waterfall
- Ban Tong Night Market
- Chi Fa
- Pakbeng
Learn With Ling App
Now that you know the details of some of the most popular places in Laos, you will surely have a memorable trip this year. However, only learning about a few places will not do. If you want to have a truly authentic Laos experience, you must learn more about the culture and language of the people.
Hence, I suggest you download the Ling app from App Store or Play Store now. It is one of the most revolutionary apps that provide content in 60+ foreign languages and cover topics like food, sports, culture, vacation, business, and many more.
The best part of the app is that you learn not by reading, but also by listening to audio and playing mini-games and quizzes. It also features an AI chatbot that offers interactive lessons and improves your communication skills. So, even before you land in the country, you will have a fluent speech in the Laotian language, making it possible for you to woo the locals in Laos. If you think the Ling app has everything you need, download the app now and start learning Lao!
