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LAOS
Best
Of...
Vang Viang
Settled snugly on a riverbank among a spectacular spread of saw-toothed
limestone karsts, easy-going Vang Viang provides a fine setting
for countryside walks, leisurely tubing trips and outings to local
caves.
Wat Phou
Easily the most evocative Khmer ruin outside Cambodian borders,
the romantic and rambling hilltop temple complex of Wat Phou provides
a worthy excuse for a journey to oft-overlooked southern Laos.
Louang Phabang
Even as its popularity has skyrocketed, Louang Phabang, with its
legacy of ancient red-roofed temples, French colonial architecture
and refined cuisine, remains one of Southeast Asia's most enchanting
cities.
Up the Nam Ou River
For those looking to cruise Laos' rivers, the six-hour boat ride
from Louang Phabang up the emerald Nam Ou is wildly scenic, culminating
at the pristine beaches and craggy karsts surrounding the breathtaking
village of Nong Khiaw.
Kouang Si Waterfall
An easy day trip from Louang Phabang, Kouang Si waterfall tumbles
60m before spilling through a series of crystal blue pools, affording
a picturesque spot for a picnic and a refreshing swim.
The Four Thousand Islands
A landlocked archipelago, Si Phan Don, or the Four Thousand Islands,
are home to some of Laos' most traditional villages as well as rare
freshwater dolphins and the thundering waterfalls that hindered
French attempts to tap the hidden riches of inner China.
Festival of Lights
Most magically celebrated in Louang Phabang during October, Lai
Heua Fai inspires villagers to parade elaborately designed floats
through town and along the Mekong, where they also set adrift smaller
offerings made with banana stalks, candles and incense.
Trekking around Muang Sing
A chance encounter with one of Laos' distinctively dressed hilltribe
peoples is one of the great pleasures of trekking through the northwest,
a region that is home to many of the country's sixty-eight different
ethnic groups.
Spicy salads
If Laos were to nominate a national dish, a strong contender would
be lap, an incendiary "salad" of minced meat or fish mixed
with garlic, chilies, shallots and eggplant that is eaten with the
hands and served with sticky rice.
Savannakhet
An urban oasis along the Mekong for the road weary, genial Savannakhet
possesses architectural charm second only to Louang Phabang; its
narrow streets and shop-houses of ochre-coloured stucco are reminiscent
of Hanoi. |
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