Laos is the highlight of Southeast Asia.as it offers travellers an unparalleled glimpse of traditional Southeast Asian life. From the fertile lowlands of the Mekong River valley to the rugged Annamite highlands,

The Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand, whereas the mountains of the Annamite Chain form most of the eastern border with Vietnam

Laos traces its history to the kingdom of Lan Xang, founded in the fourteenth century by Fa Ngum, himself descended from a long line of Lao kings, tracking back to Khoun Boulom. Lan-Xang prospered until the eighteenth century, when the kingdom was divided into three principalities, which eventually came under Siamese suzerainty

By the late 19th century, France had established French Indochina in the Vietnamese provinces of Tonkin and Annam. The Thais eventually ceded all of Laos to the French, who were content to use the territory merely as a buffer between its colonial ho ldings and Siam.

Upon Fa Ngum’s marriage to a Cambodian princess, the Khmer court gave the Lao king a sacred gold Buddha called Pra Bang. Fa Ngum made Buddhism the state religion, and Pra Bang became the protector of the Lao kingdom. Nobility pledged allegiance to the king before the statue. Named after Pra Bang was the city of Luang Prabang, the cradle of Lao culture and the centre of the Lao state for the next 200 years. 

The pace of Laos is slow, its people are relaxed and friendly There are 68 official ethnic groups in Laos, belonging to three main groups., Lao Loum - Lao, or Lao Loum consists of about half of the poulation. The Lao Loum or lowland lao people live in the Mekong river valley and its tributaries

Lao Theung are the largest hilltribe group, with 45 subgroups. The Lao Theeung are semi nomadic and of Mon-Khmer origin. They live on mountain slopes, between 300 and 900m altitude and practice slas

Lao Sung or High Lao live in the high mountains of the north. Main groups are the Hmong and the Mien. Hmong are divided into Black, Red, White and Striped, according to their clothing. The Hmong raise cattle, pigs and chickens and generally survive on a barter economy and burn griculture

As well as the four main groups, Laos also has a number of Chinese, mainly living in the cities as well as ethnic Vietnamese, Cambodians, Burmese and Thai, In Vientiane there are also a small number of southern Asians

The international airports at Vientiane and Luang Prabang are served by national carrier Lao Airlines and a few others, including Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways (Luang Prabang only) and Vietnam Airlines

It's possible to enter Laos by land or air from Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam or China. Land borders are often remote and the travelling can be tough either side, but the actual frontier crossing is usually pretty simple

The main cities in Laos are:

Vientiane - the capital on the banks of the Mekong River (rapidly losing much of its "sleepiness")
Huay Xai - in the north, on the Mekong and the border with Thailand
Luang Prabang - a UNESCO World Heritage City known for its numerous temples
Luang Namtha - capital of the north, known for its trekking.
Muang Xay - also known as Oudomxay, the capital of the multiethnic province of Oudomxay.
Pakbeng - halfway point on the overnight slow boat between Huay Xai & Luang Prabang
Pakse - gateway to the Wat Phu ruins and the "four thousand islands" (Si Phan Don)
Savannakhet - in the south, on the Mekong, connected by bridge to Mukdahan, Thailand
Tha Khaek - south of Vientiane on the banks of the Mekong, Tha Khaek is a popular base for exploring the Phou Hin Boun National Park including the famous Konglor Cave
Ban Nalan trail - a 2 days ecotourism trekking in the north of Laos.
Plain of Jars - just what the name says, but nobody knows what they are or why they are there
Si Phan Don - the "four thousand islands" are nestled within the Mekong near the Cambodian border
Vang Vieng - backpacker hangout for spelunking in limestone caves and tubing on the Nam Song river
Tham Nong Pafa Cave - a cave discovered in Khammouan Province in 2004; as many as 200 Buddha statues of all sizes have been found inside
Vieng Xai
Nong Khiaw - North of Luang Prabang by 4 hour bus ride or 7 hour slow boat ride, this area is between beautiful Karst cliffs where you can discover hilltribe villages, kayak, bike ride, or just hang out in a relaxing town

Laos has three distinct seasons. The hot season is from March to May, when temperatures can soar as high as 40°C. The slightly cooler wet season is from May to October, when temperatures are around 30°C, tropical downpours are frequent, and some years the Mekong floods. The dry season from November to March, which has low rainfall and temperatures as low as 15°C (or even to zero in the mountains at night), is "high season"


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