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OVERVIEW
Laos is the only land-locked country in the Southeast Asia, shares its northern
border with China and Vietnam, its eastern border with Vietnam, its southern border
with Cambodia, its western border with Thailand, and its northwestern border with
Myanmar (formerly known as Burma). The capital of Laos is Vientiane, a relatively
small city on the Mekong River, just across the border (via the Friendship Bridge)
from Thailand.
There are no true beaches but there are miles of rivers that are as big as lakes
after the rains fall. There’s not much wildlife anymore, but the diversity
of plants almost makes up for that. The population is very diverse. Despite the
wide variety of ethnic groups the undercurrent is one of cooperation and friendliness.
People genuinely want you to see and enjoy their country.
Tourism arrivals
After years of isolation Laos began to encourage tourism as part of its general policy of liberalisation, admitting its first tourists in October 1989 and receiving 14,400 visitors in 1990. At the present time by far the greatest proportion of foreign tourists visiting Laos are those from neighbouring countries of the Asia Pacific region. Other major national groups visit the country includes Americans, Chinese, French, British, Japanese, Australians and Germans. The number of tourists is expected to continue increasing over the next few years as more and more people discover the delights of this laid-back country of mountains and rivers.
Unspoilt and undeveloped
Laos is one of the almost-undiscovered travel destinations that are too quickly becoming a stop on the main tourist trail. It’s a land of incredible contrasts – beautiful scenery, raging rivers, poor infrastructure, great food, fabulous UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and incredibly poor people. The country is slowly awakening to the possibilities of adventure and eco-tourism, but there is still a long way to go.
Despite its high economic growth rate, Laos remains a country with a primitive infrastructure;
it has no railroads, a rudimentary road system, and limited external and internal
telecommunications. Travel times are long – plan on a top speed of 40-50 km per
hour/25-30 mph on most roads. Public transport is often primitive – rattletrap buses
with people sitting on cement bags down the aisle. There are no trains. Lao Aviation
flies to most places in the country, and fares are reasonable.
Still, Laos is a country not to be missed. You can see waterfalls that pass more
water than Niagara Falls (in the rainy season), cycle around islands in the Mekong
where life is almost unchanged from 50-100 years ago, visit hundreds of Buddhist
temples and thousands of saffron-robed monks, trek into the hill tribe areas and
ride elephants, kayak in the many rivers, visit former royal palaces that are now
living history museums, and so much more.
Laos ecotourism
Laos has a low population density; unspoiled, diverse ethnic lifestyles and traditions; and perhaps the richest, most extensive network of ecosystems on the Indochina Peninsula. More than 800 species of birds and 100-plus large mammals have been identified in Laos, with new species being discovered every year. Some of the more charismatic species include Tigers, Clouded Leopards, Douc Languar, Gibbons, the Irrawaddy Dolphin, Hornbills, Peafowls, Ibis, Crested Argus' and Silver Pheasants.
In place to protect and conserve these irreplaceable resources is a network of 20
National Protected Areas, often cited as one of the best designed Protected Area
Systems in the world.
After years of isolation Laos began to encourage tourism as part of its general policy of liberalisation, admitting its first tourists in October 1989 and receiving 14,400 visitors in 1990. At the present time by far the greatest proportion of foreign tourists visiting Laos are those from neighbouring countries of the Asia Pacific region. Other major national groups visit the country includes Americans, Chinese, French, British, Japanese, Australians and Germans. The number of tourists is expected to continue increasing over the next few years as more and more people discover the delights of this laid-back country of mountains and rivers.
Laos is one of the almost-undiscovered travel destinations that are too quickly becoming a stop on the main tourist trail. It’s a land of incredible contrasts – beautiful scenery, raging rivers, poor infrastructure, great food, fabulous UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and incredibly poor people. The country is slowly awakening to the possibilities of adventure and eco-tourism, but there is still a long way to go.
Laos has a low population density; unspoiled, diverse ethnic lifestyles and traditions; and perhaps the richest, most extensive network of ecosystems on the Indochina Peninsula. More than 800 species of birds and 100-plus large mammals have been identified in Laos, with new species being discovered every year. Some of the more charismatic species include Tigers, Clouded Leopards, Douc Languar, Gibbons, the Irrawaddy Dolphin, Hornbills, Peafowls, Ibis, Crested Argus' and Silver Pheasants.
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