Off the Beaten Track in Laos

Huay Xai is a border town in Laos, a popular entry point from Thailand into Laos and the starting point of a two-day boat trip to Luang Prabang. Huay Xai boasts scenic landscapes, limestone formations, and rural villages, making it an ideal destination for outdoor activities such as trekking, cycling, and river-related activities. From Huay Xai, take a 3-hour-drive to Nam Kan National Park for the Gibbon Experience, a unique eco-tourism adventure and a chance to explore lush jungles while zipping through the trees. The experience also includes trekking, camping, and wildlife watching. Most people who join the Gibbon Experience don’t actually come to see gibbons, as its about more than wildlife spotting. Hike or zip line through Nam Kan National Park and sleep in magical treehouses are favorite ones.

Located on the Nam Ou River, Nong Khiaw is an explorer’s paradise offering incredible scenery and outdoor activities. It is considered one of the most picturesque spots in Laos due to its outstanding natural beauty. The surrounding mountains are riddled with caves where villagers sheltered from American bombing in the 1960s and 1970s, and the area is now ideal for hiking, exploring to waterfalls, biking, kayaking, caving, and visiting local Khmer minority villages famous for bamboo and rattan weaving. For a more gentle and relaxing time, opt to stroll around the visit its historic temple in the center, or have a blissful massage or herbal steam bath at one of the small local spas.

Luang Prabang is a small but vibrant town in the heart of northern Laos. It is adorably picturesque with glittering temples, a mix of traditional Lao wooden houses and hints of European architecture, colorful markets and quaint streets famous for the daily sunrise alms giving ritual where food is offered to the monks. Luang Prabang’s picture postcard image includes French-style cafés, bakeries, restaurants and former French villas with green shutters, the town is a fascinating legacy to when Laos was part of French Indochina. This town is one of the most favorite destinations in Laos, this place has a lot to offer, from dozens of temples, stunning waterfalls, French colonial architecture, bustling night markets to river cruises. On the outskirts are vibrant rice fields and traditional local villages. Luang Prabang was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995, and it is also the birthplace of numerous Laotian rituals.