 Located
in Southeast Asia Laos is landlocked between Vietnam,
Thailand, Myanmar and China. The capital is Vientiane
and the official language is Lao; however, many tribal
languages are also spoken as well as French, Vietnamese
and some English.
Laos is a land with many mountainous regions and thick
forestland; there are only a few plains where the Mekong
River passes near the Thai border. The plain of Jars is
a particular striking site with hundreds of stone jars
scattered around the landscape, some of these weighing
over 6 tons, the legend recounts they were used to
ferment rice wine in the 6th century.
The Pak Ou Caves is also a fascinating site, where
Buddha images left by worshippers over hundreds of years
fill the two main caves. The caves are near Luan Prabang,
which is Laos’ cultural and religious center situated
between the Mekong and the Khan River. This area is a
UNESCO World Heritage site, which boasts 33 large temple
complexes inhabited by 1000 resident monks.
Wat Xieng Thong offers one of Laos’ most spectacular
temples, decorated with colored glass and gold, with
fine works of art and gifts presented to the former
kings.
The Si Phan Don or Four Thousand Islands, is an
archipelago along the Mekong River, where the
breathtaking Khone Phapheng, the largest waterfall in
South East Asia can be admired as well as the Irrawaddy
dolphins, now an endangered species.
The climate is hot and tropical with the rainy season
going from May to October. The best time to visit is
from November to April when the temperatures are more
comfortable. However it can get very cold in the
mountain areas.
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