Short Journeys: Laos

Laos is a wonderful, peaceful country in South-East Asia. I enjoyed my time here immensely. There is great beauty in the land, and as a backpacker it’s a very interested if laid-back place to venture. I loved my time in Luang Prabang, in the north of the country, where I took a boat on the Mekong River, visited a bear sanctuary and swam beneath a waterfall with shades of paradise. The atmosphere of the town was great, and there were some good places to eat as well.

I travelled across country to Phonsovan and the Plain of Jars, where hundreds of stone jars scattered the plains, thousands of years old in one of the more unusual sites in Asia. I learned about the work removing unexploded bombs from Laos which were dropped from 1964-1973 in a ‘secret war’. Something that still poses a threat today.

Vang Vieng was an eye-opening experience as I tried the town’s favourite sport – ‘tubing’, and then I spent a couple of days in the capital, Vientiane, visiting the gold stupa and the National Museum, whilst also seeing some impressive temples.

Laos is more than what you see or do though, it has a unique atmosphere which makes Laos worth visiting without any of the above.

I visit –

Luang Prabang

Pak Ou Caves

Phonsovan

The Plain of Jars

Vang Vieng

Vientiane

Includes information on hotels stayed at, and 34 photos of Laos taken by the author.

‘Short Journeys’ is a series of stories about my travels to different countries. Whilst they are not intended as a guide book, I have endeavoured to include information about where I stayed, what I ate, what I saw and how to go about it if you were to visit the countries in question. My previous writings – the ‘Dhaka to Dakar’ books, were simply travel experiences. This time I wanted to go a little further for the reader.

I wanted to include any stories and experiences I thought were interesting, important or amusing whilst I was travelling. I want to encourage you the reader to read, think about, and then perhaps go there yourself. You will find information on the places I stayed and visited, and how I got there and around.