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Laos Tailor Made Luxury Holidays 2021 & 2022


Laos is one of the few destinations where, in some areas, visitors are yet to deviate from a few well-trodden sights. It’s Indochina’s final frontier, and only now emerging after years of isolation, Laos is a country of steep, jungle-robed valleys inhabited by resilient communities who live at a refreshingly unhurried pace.

The former royal stronghold, Luang Prabang, is a mosaic of golden wats and Indochinese villas, its streets often filled with silent processions of monks. In the diminutive capital, Vientiane, you’ll find faded French-colonial mansions and coffee shops.

The rest of the country is predominately one blanket of green, carved with slow-flowing tributaries of the Mekong. As you explore, you’ll happen upon little-visited hill tribes, backwater towns and Cham temples that predate Cambodia’s Angkor Wat.

Where is Laos located and how do I get there?

Laos is a landlocked country in the northeast-central mainland of Southeast Asia. It consists of an irregularly round portion in the north that narrows into a peninsula-like region stretching to the southeast. Overall, the country extends about 650 miles (1,050 km) from northwest to southeast.

Laos is an independent republic, located northeast of Thailand and west of Vietnam. It covers 236,800 square kilometres in the centre of the Southeast Asian peninsula, and it is surrounded by Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia, the People's Republic of China, Thailand, and Vietnam.

There are no direct flights from the UK to Laos but it’s still only a simple one-stop route. It’s a 12-hour flight to Bangkok, before a connecting one-and-a-half-hour flight to Luang Prabang. For a nicer way into Laos, you could take a one-stop flight to northern Thailand, before hopping on the Luang Say cruise along the Mekong River to Luang Prabang.

Where are the top places and experiences in Laos?

Laos is Indochina’s least-developed country, with many parts rarely seeing visitors. We have uncovered the best places to go in this timeless place and can help tailor an itinerary tailored to your specific interests.

  • 4000 Islands - During the rainy season this is the widest point of the Mekong River, but in the dry season there is so little water around it is said that if all the sand banks and islets are counted there would be over 4,000 Islands (hence the name)
  • Champasak - Home to thick green jungles, French colonial ruins and an ancient temple thought to be the blueprint for Angkor Wat, the Laotian province of Champasak is located on the Mekong River in the southwestern region of the country near the Thailand and Cambodia borders.
  • Laung Prabang - Legend has it that Buddha smiled when he rested in Luang Prabang, claiming it would one day be the site of a rich and powerful city. Few towns in the world can be said to encapsulate the essence of a country like Luang Prabang does of Laos. There are also excellent luxury resorts in Luang Prabang and beautiful boutique cruises in the far north (between Thailand and Luang Prabang) and south (in Champasak region.
  • Nong Khiaw - Squeezed between two towering limestone cliffs on the west bank of the Nam Ou River. A small rustic town, it’s managed to escape the influx of tourism that nearby areas have seen, and you can still take in the sights while enjoying the sounds of birds singing and cicadas chirping
  • The Plain of Jars - On the grassy plains of the Xieng Khouang Plateau, in the northeast of Laos, lie hundreds of enormous stone jars. Their origins long forgotten, their original use and significance still unclear. Despite being named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019, very few visitors travel to this mysterious megalithic site - so if you make it, you’re treated to arguably one of Southeast Asia’s quietest UNESCO sites
  • Vang Vieng - Vang Vieng has long been a popular spot for those seeking outdoor adventure, but with new comfortable accommodation options, and a government initiative to improve its reputation, the area is undergoing a renaissance. The town is nestled in a valley on the banks of the Nam Song River, and is a convenient stopping-off point for those making the journey overland between Luang Prabang and Vientiane
  • Vientiane - The Mekong River winds its way from the far north of Laos to the very south, forming both the spine and lifeblood of this land-locked country. Halfway along its journey, it passes by Vientiane, the capital city. Often overlooked by visitors on a tight timeline, Vientiane is a riverside city in which to enjoy a brief stop to experience a different side of life in Laos.

What is the accommodation like in Laos?

For a country still emerging as a tourism destination, there are a surprising range of accommodation options in Laos, much of it full of character. In Luang Prabang and Vientiane, French colonial villas have now been converted into small, stylish guesthouses with all the required comforts and a warm welcome, with a few grander options also offering swimming pools and even spas. In the mountains of the north, eco-lodges have opened for those who wish to stay in remote locations to explore the surrounding hill tribe villages. In the south, however, the accommodation is much more basic with only simple guesthouses available.

When is the best time to visit Laos?

Laos has two distinct seasons, with the dry season running from October to April and its wet season taking up the rest of the year (May to September).

Thanks to Laos’ landlocked nature, the weather remains fairly consistent throughout much of the country, with the height of the location the only factor. Its dry season sees pleasant days, with temperatures below 30°C in Luang Prabang and the lowland areas of Laos, while rainfall is minimal, too. In the evenings it can get quite cool, so we’d definitely recommend packing a few extra layers. It’s much hotter in Champasak, with year-round temperatures in the early 30s, but in the highlands of the Bolaven Plateau it’s noticeably cooler, even chilly at night. From February onwards, the heat and rainfall starts to rise.

At the start of the rainy season, days can be extremely hot – around 35°C – and with showers yet to reach their peak, it can be baking. Heading for the Bolaven Plateau is a great option if you’re planning a holiday to Laos at this time. Across the country, the rains are at their greatest in July and August, although showers still typically only last up to an hour, leaving the rest of the day dry. However, the rains feed the surrounding scenery, leaving behind gorgeously green landscapes to show Laos in a different light.

For further information, please do feel free to contact Nicola directly or at The Explorations Company for further inspiration and unforgettable safaris and holidays to Africa, Asia, and Latin America

Or, if you would like to just dream some more for now then you can by visiting our Video Library.

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As a guide, the cost of our extraordinary and utterly bespoke journeys tends to start from $1200 per person per day excluding international flights.

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