Winning tip: Cross the bridge, try the fondue in Luang Prabang
Don’t be afraid to cross the bamboo bridge over the Mekong. Watch out for holes as you walk over, then climb up a small hill to Dyen Sabai restaurant: it’s a leafy haven where you can hide away on comfy pillows cooking your own food, fondue style, in a “steamboat” hotpot.
facebook.com/Dyensabai
Elizabeth Gurney
Champasak and Wat Phou
Laos isn’t short of dusty, quiet towns, but there’s something especially charming and leisurely about Champasak, a couple of hours south of Pakse. It’s a very pleasant place to while away a couple of days, and the main reason to visit is Wat Phou. The rambling, Unesco-listed Khmer ruins sit on a hillside south of the town, orange-clad Buddha statues peeking out from the crumbling temples, which the surrounding forest is trying to make its own. The remarkably quiet complex is best reached by bike along the flat, easy roads from town.
indiansummers
Alternative speedboat from Thailand
Most people take the slow boat along the Mekong to Luang Prabang, but due to time restraints I took the speedboat. It was an amazing experience and perfect for thrill seekers. There was one driver and four passengers squashed together, clutching our bags and praying we weren’t going to capsize into the brown Mekong. Our toilet stop was a floating piece of wood on the river with a hole in it.
Amy Rebecca Blickett
Burasari Heritage, Luang Prabang
This is an elegant and charming place to stay. After a morning cycling and sightseeing, relax at the hippie paradise of Utopia Bar. Sip on a refreshing lemonade while reclining on cushions and watch the Nam Khan river as it makes its way into the mighty Mekong.
Doubles from $110, burasariheritage.com
PaulMerwoodBest
Bowling and beers in Luang Prabang
Between the clicking prayer wheels and chanting monks, one of the more lively night-time scenes lurks in Luang Prabang’s bowling alley. Head for a spot of ten-pin and Beerlao at this little hidden spot. The locals are chatty and the situation pleasantly bizarre, while the rums and strikes come thick and fast until the early hours.
Bolkonsky
Xieng Khuan Buddha Park
About 25km outside the capital Vientiane, Xieng Khuan (Spirit City) has hundreds of Hindu and Buddhist statues, some eerie, some beautiful. Be brave and step inside the demon’s head in the centre of the park: inside you’ll find three floors representing hell, earth and heaven, and a great view from the top. It’s easy to reach on the number 14 bus from Talat Sao bus station, or hop in a tuk-tuk. It’s open 8am-4pm.
ba.harkin
Muang La
To escape the tourists, head to a little village called Muang La in northern Laos. Staying here is all about soaking up the local life, with villagers bathing in the river and working their paddy fields, and Buddhist monks crossing the rope bridge for the daily alms-giving ceremony. We stayed at the laid-back Muang la Resort on the outskits of the village overlooking the river, surrounded by jungle. It’s a bit of a schlep to get there, but well worth the effort.
Doubles from $300 half-board, muangla.com
eatthebeat123
Markets of Vientiane
I spent many mornings and evenings wandering the markets of Vientiane: a bite at the magical Vangthong evening food market (where I tried fried frog’s legs), an early morning walk around Talat Sao morning market on a hunt for fresh vegetables, meat, fish and beautiful sinh fabrics (traditional Lao skirt), or an even more authentic experience at the Thong Khan Kham market. Be brave and taste the crispy, deep fried insects for sale on colourful little plastic plates.
milamila
Nam Nern night safari
Nam Et-Phou Louey national protected area is one of Laos’s most authentic wildlife experiences. The Nam Nern night safari was set up to help protect the area from poachers and hunters, by employing them as guides. The overnight trip by boat takes you down river looking for nocturnal wildlife as well as tigers. Stories are then shared around a campfire before you spend the night in a simple bamboo hut. The project pays a good salary to the guides, but clients pay an additional $100 if a tiger is spotted.
amet.org
katelhall
Rivertime Resort, Nam Ngum river
The ecolodge is about 30km north of Vientiane, in the heart of rural Lao. Accommodation is in forest cabins with river views, and costs from $10pp. We spent the days cruising on the river, cycling around and learning to cook Lao food; activities all organised by the resort. The resort actively supports the local community, donating money from each cabin to fund educational projects. Wherever possible, local staff are employed – when I wanted a massage, a villager came in.
rivertimelaos.com
emfreeman88
