9 Ideas To Help You Thing To Do In Laos Like A Pro

Hitchhiking is a great and popular way to get around when backpacking in Laos.

Away from the main highway stretch, expect short lifts as cars and tourist buses become less frequent. Make sure you hit up the highway in daylight hours, no one will see you in the night and drivers can be mental once the sun goes down! The main highway, Route 13, stretches from Luang Prabang to the Cambodian border and is a popular hitchhikers route.

Hitching in Laos is relatively easy and a viable way to save money. From the party haven of Vang Vieng to the little explored jungles of Luang Prabang Nam Tha, Backpacking Laos offers something for everyone and Laos Tourism Information (www.laostourism.info) remains one of my favourite countries in Asia. Every time there is a thunder clap the electricity goes out so you better forget that fruit shake you just ordered, the blender is down!

Laos is a truly gorgeous country, it is a land of crawling broadband and pot-holed roads. Don't miss the highly revered 16th century That Ing Hang Stupa, wander the old French colonial buildings around Savannakhet's central plaza and Catholic Church and admire former leader Kaysone Phomvihane's House. There is also plenty of Lao traditional culture waiting to be experience.

In the far south of Laos and located on the banks of the mighty Mekong, Savannakhet is actually connected to Mukdahan in Thailand via a bridge. The second largest city within Laos is Savannakhet which as well as being an important gateway to all four corners of the country, is also home to a startling large array of French colonial architecture. However, as it grew more and more popular, so did the dangers involved, and as with any mass alcohol-fuelled party there were a number of deaths.

Every year, thousands of backpackers in South East Asia travelled to Vang Vieng for the party of a lifetime. Much like the Full Moon Party has put Thailand on the map, tubing has done the same for Laos. And, while the northern part of the country has some great destinations like Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, and Vientiane, there is something magical about the beautiful scenery and crumbling French-colonial architecture in the south.

Unfortunately, many people skip the southern half of Laos entirely while traveling in Southeast Asia. Flash forward to present day and as I return, this time with husband and kids in tow, the irony of having replaced my backpack with a frontpack (my baby daughter in her Ergo carrier) is not lost on me. I first visited Luang Prabang, now a UNESCO World Heritage town, some 15 years ago as a backpacker on a round-the-world trip.

I highly recommend renting some form of bike, in my opinion it is one of the best things to do in Luang Prabang. If you rent a motorbike you can venture to the Whisky Village, Weaving Village, Tad Sae Falls and venture through local towns along the way. You can definitely walk it all but a bike makes the whole experience a bit more comfortable in the heat.