The Time Is Running Out! Think About These 5 Ways To Change Your Laos Tourism

Other mosquito-borne diseases, such as dengue fever, zika virus and Japanese encephalitis, are prevalent in Laos, especially during the rainy season.

Malaria is a risk in rural areas of Laos. Germany is up by 21%, Italy by 19%, Russia by 14% and France - Laos Tourism Information (laostourism.info) largest European inbound market with 43,000 travellers until September- grew by 8%. India showed also strong growth this year with a jump of 65% in total arrivals during January to September 2016. Luang Prabang is the top destination for all travellers to Laos, with 83 percent of visitors spending time in the northern town, followed by Vientiane.

Due to its outstanding cultural and natural features, the town was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. Vibrant cultural traditions, rituals and distinctive artwork that include temple murals, woodcarving and pottery make Luang Prabang an attractive destination for a wide range of interests. The mighty Mekong River frames the town's western border, and is still used as an important commercial and recreational transportation link.

There are 34 Buddhist temples among colonial and Chinese architecture, all set in a backdrop of lush green mountains. The ancient town of Luang Prabang in the centre of Northern Laos has been described as one of the most charming and best preserved towns in Southeast Asia. See Typhoons and monsoons for more information.

Keep informed of regional weather forecasts, avoid disaster areas and follow the advice of local authorities. During the rainy season, provinces along the Mekong River in southern Laos are especially prone to severe rainstorms that can cause flooding and landslides, resulting in significant loss of life, extensive damage to infrastructure and hampering the provision of essential services. The rainy (monsoon) season extends from May to November.

In some areas, the Laotian military has been known to shoot at boats after dark. Do not travel on or across the Mekong River after dark. Lifejackets and helmets should be provided to and worn by passengers.

Speedboat travel is especially dangerous during the dry season (November to May). River travel is common in Laos; however, travel by boat on the Mekong River from Vientiane to Luang Prabang is unreliable. Public transportation is unreliable and limited after dark.

They must also be tortured into submission at a young age - certainly a less romantic way to see the forest. Thirdly, elephant tourism is a problem in Laos itself - a ride on an elephant's back through a national park may seem like a wonderfully romantic way to see nature, but a lot of elephants used for trekking are overworked heaving heavy chairs around on their backs all day (heavier still when you factor in the weight of two humans) and can develop sores and extreme fatigue. Secondly, the increasingly rapacious trade in wild elephants to meet the demands of neighbouring Thailand's elephant tourism is encouraging smugglers to traffic young domestic elephants across the border, furthering the decline of an already diminishing population.

Not only is deforestation destroying the elephants' natural habitat with only an estimated 40% of Laos now covered in forest leaving herds trapped, migration routes blocked and food supply insufficient, but logging is dangerous and hard work for the elephants - many are malnourished and injury is common; there have even been stories of elephants being fed amphetamines to prolong their working hours.