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60 Hotels in Laos
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Suggested Itinerary
Day 1: You’re in for a long flight but a real delight of local eccentricities in Laos and getting the best of the country is more than achievable in a week as there are only 4 main areas to visit. Start by flying to Vientiane and staying put here for about 2 nights to experience everything. You probably won’t have much of the day to go after arriving, but start with Buddha Park, as everyone loves staring at artistic statues. Located by the Mekong river, 25 or so km from central Vientiane in a meadow, you may find it referred to as Wat Xieng Khuan, although the park is not a temple (Xieng Khuan means Spirit City). The statues appear to be centuries old and there are numerous sculptures of Buddha and characters of Hindu lore. Make sure you change up your cash in the city (and back) as you cannot exchange Laos currency anywhere other than in Laos and spend some on the authentic cuisine of the likes of sticky rice and laap.
Day 2: This is the day to really get on with the sightseeing and you can start with The Lao National Museum for your cultural lesson. The museum’s mandate is highlighting the Laotian people’s struggle to free the country from foreign occupiers and imperialist forces. It is located on Samsenthai road, opposite the Cultural Hall. From there, head to what is known as the Champs-Elysees of the East, the stunning Patuxai (literally Victory Gate or Gate of Triumph). A monument in the centre of Vientiane built in 1962, It is dedicated to those who fought in the struggle for independence from France, so is quite apt after your visit to the museum. Laos culture has very strong links with France (the museum is located in a French colonial building). You’ll be able to find plenty of shops and local eateries here too for the mid-afternoon indulgence. Next up, a symbol of Lao nationalism, one of the finest Buddhist stupas on Earth and restored in the 1900s by who else, the French. To finish the day, keep on the Buddhist theme with a visit to Wat Si Saket. Situated on Lane Xang Road, on the corner with Setthathirat Road, it was built in 1818 on the orders of King Anouvong, and may be the oldest temple still standing in Vientiane. It was restored by the French in 1924 and again in 1930.
Day 3: Make haste to Luang Prabang. This journey should take up a fair deal of time, but you will get to see some real highlights of life in Laos as you pass by the countryside. The Haw Kham (Royal Palace) should rid you of a fair few man hours, as it now serves as a national museum and is filled with various relics and reminders of Laos’ illustrious past. The grounds here incorporate several buildings and you should find ample opportunities to grab a souvenir or a bite to eat. If you have enough time, try and get to Wat Xieng Thong, One of the most stunning examples of original Buddhist Wat architecture. It features remnants of past royal regimes with urns for members of the royal family enclosed and is a must-see part of the city.
Day 4: It will take you over 2 hours upstream to reach it and is a favourite of adventurous tourists – giving you a chance to get out on the rivers and experience Laos at its main mode of transportation. Yes, the Pak Ou Caves simply must be visited if you’re in Luang Prabang and is reachable by crossing the river of the same name. When you do arrive, you will find a stunning collection of ancient architecture reminiscent of the famous Maoi Statues and is notable for its impressive array of Lao Buddha sculptures, of which there are around 4000. Now if that doesn’t take up all your day, nothing will and you will sleep well that night.
Day 5: Head to Xieng Khouang and spend one night here before heading down to Pakse and then back to Vientiane (it is the only area with an international airport) for Day 7 and your way home. A strange reason for heading here is that it is home to one of the most bizarre and mystifying local legends, the Plain of Jars. It’s quite a talking point in Asia and is located in the Lao highlands. A collection of large jars seemingly randomly spread around the region, local legends state that there was once a race of giants called Khun Cheung supposedly created the jars to brew and store large amounts of lao lao rice wine to celebrate a great victory. There are over 400 sites in the region, so plenty to keep you busy, but since these sites have also been found in India, less mythological observers have pointed out that it was probably more likely to be an ancient trade route, but still you’ll never know unless you see for yourself.
Day 6: To Pakse and a fascinating museum to take in at the Champasak Provincial Museum. This is a fantastic regional history of the province, collecting various documents and artefacts telling the story of Champasak. The museum also holds historical photos of cultural events, foreign meetings and pictures of Kaysone Phomvihane, Nouhak Phoumsavan and Khamtay Siphandone, all from the south. If you have time after the journey, head to familiar territory at some 6km from the Mekong river, the Vat Phou is a ruined Khmer (the ancient civilization) Hindu Temple. There aren’t many surviving artefacts of this fascinating ancient tribe and it is now used as a centre of Theravada Buddhist worship.
Day 7: Head the not-so distant way back to Vientiane and soak up the last remnants of this spell-binding culture before making your way the very short distance to the airport to head home. If you’re planning to backpack or just travel to the likes of Vietnam, China and Thailand, this is a good place to end up.
