Here Are 8 Ways To Thing To Do In Laos

Climb Mount Phousi before the sun comes up, take some coffee and wait for an incredible sunrise over the Ancient Kingdom… there is not much of a better way to start your day!

Spend some time in the Old Town of Luang Prabang, a ‘historic preservation' zone declared by UNESCO it's almost as if you have stepped back in time. However, they often run low on funds and many shops will not have the facilities to take card payments. ATMs in Laos Tourist Information, www.laostourism.info, are found more frequently now in the major cities and tourist areas.

US dollars are easily exchanged and welcomed. Exchanging your money in Laos is best done in the Airport of Luang Prabang or Vientiane or of course, the cities themselves. Has a pool table & awesome common area that's great for socialising.

Located in the town center, walking distance to all the major places in town. There is little pressure from hawkers or touts and locals and backpackers alike wear a dreamy expression as they watch the countryside slip gently past from the seat of a bus or the deck of one of the Mekong's legendary barges. Dawdle down cobble stone streets as you pass crowds of orange robed monks seeking alms outside brightly gilded Buddhist temples.

Laos is a country that requires time; everything seems to slow down here, people are not in a hurry to get anywhere. You are within easy reach of the magnificent Angkor temple complex at Wat Phou as well as Si Phan Don, aka the ‘four thousand islands', close to the border with Vietnam , where travellers can really chill out by swimming, walking, snorkelling and biking. From here you can access the pristine waterfalls and colourful markets of the Bolaven Plateau.

The city of Pakse is located in the southern province of Champasak and is the ideal gateway to the four thousand islands and also the famous Wat Phu ruins. Close to the borders with Thailand and Cambodia, the confluence of styles is easy to spot. The Hindu Vat Phou Temple complex has been carefully preserved and is known to date back over 1,000 years.

The second (and last) World Heritage Site within Laos is the province of Champasak, which is home to Wat Phu with its Angkor-style Khmer temples. Outside of Vientiane, there are more accommodations and restaurants here than in any other city in Laos. The location of many temples and monasteries, Luang Prabang was also named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The former royal capital of Laos, Luang Pranbang is one of the largest tourist destinations in the country. As the sun rises, stand alongside locals as they line the streets donating food to orange-robed monks. Experience an early morning alms giving ceremony in Luang Prabang, an ancient Buddhist tradition.

The Nam Song flows through the town of Vang Vieng. But the river isn't named the Vang Vieng — it's actually the Nam Song. You'll see the cheap t-shirts reading Tubing in the Vang Vieng" (which will replace many of the shirts you misplaced" throughout your trip).