Laos (Asia)

Laos has been known since ancient times as Lan Xang, or Land of the Million Elephants, and offers visitors a glimpse of old Indochina. It is less developed than its Chinese,Thai and Vietnamese neighbours, and traditionally the most reserved, but offers natural beauty and shy hospitality combined with a mix of original Buddhist culture and French influences. It also shares its borders with Burma and Cambodia.

The Lao's People Democratic Republic is located in Indochina, between latitude 14-23 degrees North and longitude 100-108 degrees East. It has common borders with China (505km), Cambodia (435km), and Vietnam (2,069km).

A mountainous, landlocked country, situated at the heart of South East Asia, Laos' lifeline is the Mekong River that flows the length of the country, providing water for agricultural lands and a major means of transport. Vientiane, the unassuming capital, is situated on its banks, and the city provides a comfortable introduction to the charms of the country.

Laos's most enticing destination is the town of Luang Prabang, the former royal kingdom, with a legacy of splendid golden temples and whitewashed houses.

A troubled history of French colonisation, internal conflicts and assertive communism chased much of Laos' population away in the 1970s and isolated the country from the outside world.

Today, though, the doors stand open, and services for travellers are gradually being instituted so that visitors can enjoy an unrivalled look at the old-fashioned way of life of a country still largely unscathed by the harsh effects of mass tourism.

Tourists willing to brave the lack of infrastructure will discover charming towns and rural villages, smiling, endearing people, splendid scenery, and a slow, relaxed pace of life.

Lao food is traditionally eaten with sticky rice, with the fingers. In the countryside, people will all eat family style, sitting on the floor, sharing a few dishes. Traditional Lao food is dry, spicy and very delicious. The food eaten in Laos is influenced by its neighbours and the colonial French.

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