Transmenu powered by JoomlArt.com - Mambo Joomla Professional Templates Club

The Lao capital presents a series of apparent contradictions to the visitor - a nation's capital city where the population often seems to be fast asleep. A sense of timelessness permeates the air of the city, its tree-lined boulevards planted by the French lead to spectacular, ancient temples and shrines, and a universal sleepiness envelops the capital for much of the time.

Luang Prabang, a small city  surrounded by mountains and lying at the confluence of the Mekong and Khan rivers, is an enchanting place, with a strongly religious Buddhist atmosphere as evidenced by the many temples including the golden Wat Chom Si which dominates the city from its perch atop the holy Phu Si Hill.

The mysterious Plain Of Jars in north-eastern Laos is one of the highlights of any trip to the country. The giant stone vessels are littered across a barren plain covering the plain of Xieng Khuang. Phonsavan is the nearest town of any size to the plain, and serves as the accommodation and tourist centre for the region.

On the road from Vientiane to Luang Prabang lies the town of Vang Vieng. A favourite destination of the young travelling fraternity, Vang Vieng might not appeal to everyone, but this small town certainly has plenty to offer the more intrepid visitor to Laos.  With its natural beauty - or at least that of the surrounding countryside - and many leisure activities ranging from rock climbing and mountain biking to kayaking and tubing on the Nam Song river, Vang Vieng should at least be considered on any travel itinerary for Laos.

The fascinating and beautiful town of Savannakhet has a rich cultural past which can been seen from its 500-year old Wat Sainyaphum and its wide, tree-lined boulevards and colonial architecture installed by the French during their reign over Indochina a couple of centuries ago. The town's laid back charm, as the Mekong laps gently at its feet is reason enough to while away a day or two here, and its location makes it an ideal port of call when entering Laos from Thailand, Cambodia or Vietnam.

Si Phan Don - or Four Thousand Islands - is for many one of the highlights of any trip to Laos. Situated close to the border with Cambodia in the deep south of the country, the islands were created as the mighty Mekong river fans out spreading across the plain in a series of channels before falling spectacularly over the Tat Somphamit and Khone falls as the river makes its way towards the southern neighbour.