Buddha Park, like many of Vientiane’s other attractions, is more curious than spectacular. A rogue monk is said to have attempted to reconsolidate Buddhism and Hinduism into his own brand of mysticism through a rather prolific collection of sculptures depicting various deities and scenes from both religionsin the 1950s. The choice of building material, cement … read the full post

Laos is a land of rolling hills, remote tribes, unique cultures and stunning scenery. It’s predominantly a rural landscape where villagers practice basic forms of agriculture to scrape enough food together to live a simple life. In many parts of the country, entire villages of people still live in bamboo huts topped with grass roofs. … read the full post

Trekking on tropical trails, riding on bumpy dirt roads, gadding about in the heat and lapping up generous quantities of Beer Lao are all popular activities in Laos that can leave at least one body part feeling very sore. If you’re passing through Vientiane, you may want to take advantage of the very affordable and … read the full post

Every year the Lao observe Buddhist Lent for a three-month period, in which they (attempt to) abstain from alcohol and meat to honour the Buddha’s months of ascetic contemplation before he reached enlightenment under the bodhi tree. The end of this period, marked by the first full moon in the 12th month of the Buddhist … read the full post

For many people, food is an important aspect of a journey overseas and is often seen as the window to the soul of a country. Eating on the streets, tasting delicious local foods and observing local cooking practices is all part of the culinary experience when visiting a country. Participating in a cooking class can … read the full post

Vientiane boasts just a handful of monuments; its biggest, That Luang, was built in 1560 to commemorate moving the capital city from Luang Prabang to here. Perhaps the lack of interesting architecture is what led the Royal Lao government to create Patuxai when the US supplied cement and funds to build an airport in 1960 … read the full post

We’ve written about the road to Phongsali and how awful it is. It begs the question of whether it is worth all that hassle to actually get there. Is it worth going to Phongsali? It all depends on the traveller, the amount of time they have and the sort of experience they’re seeking. Us? We think … read the full post

Whereas most Western art is presently an avenue for transgressing social customs, art forms in Laos are practiced in order to maintain them. As travellers may notice, passing the paintings sold on the street, certain themes in Buddhist art are repeated by almost every artist; these are the images of classical Lao paintings that students … read the full post

If you find yourself in Laos and are planning on heading to neighbouring Thailand, what you should do will depend on how long you plan to stay in Thailand. You can get 15 days visa-free in Thailand on arrival by filling out a simple form at your port of entry; no trip to the consular … read the full post

Travelling in Southeast Asia is often more about the journey than the destination and although it’s one of those cliches which is often used glibly, we think it largely rings true in Laos. Except when travelling to Phongsali. There are two different ways that most people use to get to Phongsali. The easiest is by hopping on … read the full post