Lonely Planet Laos

,

• Publisher: Lonely Planet
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781787014084
• eBook ISBN: 9781788689823

Lonely Planet: The world's number one travel guide publisher Lonely Planet's Laos is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Whiz through the jungle on ziplines in Bokeo Nature Reserve, dine on French cuisine in historic Luang Prabang and trek to minority villages on the Bolaven Plateau - all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of Laos and begin your journey now! Inside Lonely Planet's Laos: NEW pull-out, passport-size 'Just Landed' card with wi-fi, ATM and transport info - all you need for a smooth journey from airport to hotel Colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sightseeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - history, people, music, landscapes, wildlife, cuisine, politics Covers Luang Prabang & Around, Northern Laos, Vientiane, Vang Vieng & Around, Central Laos, Southern Laos, and more The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet's Laos is our most comprehensive guide to Laos, and is perfect for discovering both popular and off-the-beaten-path experiences. About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world's number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You'll also find our content online, and in mobile apps, video, 14 languages, nine international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more. 'Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.' - New York Times 'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves, it's in every traveler's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' - Fairfax Media (Australia)eBook Features: (Best viewed on tablet devices and smartphones) Downloadable PDF and offline maps prevent roaming and data charges Effortlessly navigate and jump between maps and reviews Add notes to personalise your guidebook experience Seamlessly flip between pages Bookmarks and speedy search capabilities get you to key pages in a flash Embedded links to recommendations' websites Zoom-in maps and images Inbuilt dictionary for quick referencing Important Notice: The digital edition of this book may not contain all of the images found in the physical edition.

Northern Laos

Xieng Khuang & Hua Phan Provinces

Phonsavan

Plain of Jars

Muang Khoun

Sam Neua

Around Sam Neua

Sam Neua to Vietnam

Sam Neua to Nong Khiaw

Vieng Xai

Vieng Thong

Muang Ngoi District

Nong Khiaw

Muang Ngoi Neua

Phongsali Province

Muang Khua

Phongsali

Boun Neua

Northwestern Laos

Udomxai

Muang La

Luang Namtha

Vieng Phukha

Muang Sing

The Middle Mekong

Huay Xai

Pak Beng

Sainyabuli

Northern Laos

Why Go?

Whether it’s for trekking, cycling, kayaking, ziplining or a family homestay, a visit to northern Laos is for many the highlight of their trip. Dotted about are unfettered, dense forests home to big cats, gibbons and a cornucopia of animals, with a well-established ecotourism infrastructure to take you into their heart.

In the north you will also find a tapestry of vividly attired ethnic tribes unlike anywhere else in Laos.

Here the Land of a Million Elephants morphs into the land of a million hellish bends and travel is not for the faint-hearted, as roads twist and turn through towering mountain ranges and serpentine river valleys.

Most northern towns are functional places, rebuilt after wholesale bombing during the 20th-century Indochina wars. But visitors aren’t here for the towns; it’s all about the rural life. River trips are a wonderful way to discover the bucolic scenery at a more languid pace.

When to Go

• Nov–Feb The ideal season to visit, with little rain and clear skies, but chilly at higher altitudes.
• Mar–May Blazing heat at lower altitudes, with lots of haze from slash-and-burn cultivation.
• Jun–Oct The wet season; accommodation is cheap but humidity is high.

Best Places to Eat

A Lao Falang Restaurant

A Coco Home Bar & Restaurant

A Bamboo Lounge

A Riverside Restaurant

A Souphailin Restaurant

Best Places to Stay

A Mandala Ou Resort

A Luang Say Lodge

A Luang Namtha Inn

A Nong Kiau Riverside

A Nam Kat Yorla Pa

Northern Laos Highlights

1 Gibbon Experience Soaring through the jungle canopy on ziplines to remote tree houses on this unforgettable adventure near Huay Xai.

2 Nam Ou Karsting away on a boat ride or kayak trip down the Nam Ou (Ou River) between Muang Ngoi Neua and Nong Khiaw.

3 Phongsali Learning about the local lifestyle in homestays on a tribal trek in this remote region that’s home to some of the oldest tea plantations in the world.

4 Vieng Xai Caves Discovering the history of the incredible limestone landscape where the Pathet Lao hid from US aerial assault.

5 Plain of Jars Exploring Xieng Khuang’s mysterious archaeological sites where ancient burial jars are scattered across the windswept hills.

8Getting There & Away

The state of roads linking the north to the rest of La...

Table of contents

• Table of Contents
• Welcome to Laos
• Laos’ Top 10
• Need to Know
• Accommodation
• What’s New
• If You Like...
• Month by Month
• Itineraries
• Outdoor Adventures
• Eat & Drink Like a Local
• Family Travel
• Regions at a Glance
• Luang Prabang & Around
• Northern Laos
• Vientiane, Vang Vieng & Around
• Central Laos
• Southern Laos
• Understand Laos
• History
• People & Culture
• Environment
• Directory A–Z
• Transport
• Health
• Language
• Behind the Scenes
• Our Writers