Inexplicably forgotten by mainstream tourism (and, in our view, all the better for it), Laos is an utter gem.
However you imagine Southeast Asia to be, the fantasy comes very close to reality in Laos. Here you can stroll through a Buddhist wat, the air thick with incense, and join saffron-robed monks in prayer. Travel down sleepy rural backroads and count the smiles from the side of the road. Drift past verdant jungles lining the Mekong River, keeping half an eye open for river dolphins. If you simply must be active, then Laos offers spectacular treks through friendly hill tribe villages, rafting trips through imposing limestone gorges, and some really rather fun 4×4 trails to explore. In short, Laos is the perfect place to escape the hectic modern world.
"Wherever in Laos you choose to travel and whatever interests you’d like to pursue, your one constant source of delight will be the people."
Laos is a country that rewards patient exploration. At Explorations Company, we are fortunate to have on hand some wonderful Laotians only too happy to share their wisdom and help you explore at a pace that’s best for you. We can introduce you to an acclaimed chef who will go with you to Luang Prabang’s Morning Market and help you select fragrant wild leaves, herbs and mushrooms to be used in a larb that you’ll prepare together. Or a leading historian who will explain how this land of peaceful rice paddies evolved from a Khmer kingdom to a modern socialist republic. Or perhaps you’d like to delve deeper into Buddhist practice over tea with a Rinpoche?
Why not let us whisk you by helicopter over the jungle canopy to the Xieng Khouang plateau and the enigmatic Plain of Jars, a surreal landscape littered with fragments of megalithic pottery? Or, in the south of Laos, swim with rare Irrawaddy river dolphins in the river island archipelago of Si Phan Don? In the far north, we can arrange for you to stay in remote hill tribe communities, knitting together different villages by trail bike, 4×4 and foot. Or perhaps a combination of all three.
Laos is blessed with some wonderfully atmospheric places to stay, from restored colonial residences to well-appointed bungalows and fabulous tented camps in the jungle. Wherever in Laos you choose to travel and whatever interests you’d like to pursue, your one constant source of delight will be the people. The warmth of Laotian hospitality is reflected in your host’s perpetual smiles–as if everyone is in on a secret that they just might share with you, so long as you’re willing to sit quietly and listen.
