HomeAsiaSoutheast AsiaLaos 5 Places to Visit in Laos + Things To Do for First-Timers By Marcos Detourista. Updated on February 1, 2023. Where to go in Laos? Achieve your travel goals with this list of beautiful destinations, things to do, best places to visit, Laos tourist spots, attractions & more. Landlocked Laos is not the easiest to get to in Southeast Asia. Most travelers arrive here on land border crossings from Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. But don’t miss it if you want to avoid crowded cities, enjoy extremely laid-back countrysides, and see pristine natural sights. Go north if you want to visit Laos’ popular tourist spots including sacred Buddhist temples, old French-colonial heritage districts, and gorgeous riverside scenery. Make your way down south for majestic waterfalls, spectacular caves, and thousands of river islands where you can experience life in the countryside. Inspire trip in Laos with these must-visit places and top things to do for first-time travelers. Follow me on Instagram 1. Luang Prabang Monk apprentices at the riverside in Luang Prabang, Laos Kuang Si Waterfall in Luang Prabang, Laos Pak Ou Caves in Luang Prabang, Laos Luang Prabang in Northern Laos is the country’s most popular tourist attraction. This laid-back town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its exquisite Buddhist temples, French colonial buildings, and riverside setting. There’s also a lot to do and see in the area like waterfalls, caves, hiking, and slow boat cruises. How to go — The quickest way to get to Luang Prabang is by plane. Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ) serves flights from Kuala Lumpur (3h 5m flight duration), Bangkok (1h 45m), Singapore (3h 25m), Siem Reap (2h 15m), Hanoi (1h 5m), Chiang Mai, Kunming, Haikou, and several domestic destinations including Vientiane (45m) and Pakse. Flights are served by AirAsia, Lao Airlines, Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia, Vietnam Airlines & SilkAir. Most travelers arrive here by land from the North Thailand-Laos border crossing or from the capital, Vientiane. The land journey from Vientiane takes 10 to 12 hours, usually on overnight buses. Meanwhile, the slow ferry from Huay Xai, the northern border town, usually takes two days. Where to stayTours + discounts Top discounts Pak Ou Cave & Kuang Si Waterfall Day Tour from Luang Prabang Vang Vieng – Luang Prabang Shuttle – Shared City Transfers Luang Prabang Private Car Charter by Laos Smile 2. Muang Ngoi & Nong Khiaw Overlooking Muang Ngoi Neua in Ngoi, Laos Nong Khiaw to Muang Ngoi Neua Ferry in Laos Nam Ou River Nong Khiaw, Laos If you want to go deep into the cultural and natural landscapes, go off-the-beaten-path in Northern Laos. Nong Khiaw is one beautiful place to enjoy the riverside scenery dominated by monolith karst cliffs. Go farther down the river onboard a local slow boat to Muang Ngoi Neua and go trekking around off-the-grid farming villages. How to go — Nong Khiaw is about a 4-hour drive north from Luang Prabang. To get to Muang Ngoi Neua, go on a scenic local ferry ride up the river. Travel time takes only 1 hour. Where to stay See more 9 Places To Visit in Nong Khiaw & Muang Ngoi Neua 3. Bolaven Plateau & Champasak Tat Fane Waterfall in Bolaven Plateau, Champasak, Laos Tad Yuang Waterfall in Bolaven Plateau, Champasak, Laos Champasak Province in Southern Laos is the place to go if you love to see nature! The Bolaven Plateau is worth visiting for its majestic waterfalls, some of the most beautiful in Laos and maybe even Southeast Asia. Si Phan Don (Four Thousand Islands) is another popular place in Champasak but only go there for serious riverside relaxing. For a change of scenery, Vat Phu located near Pakse (the main city) is worth a peek for its ancient temple ruins. How to go — The quickest way is to fly to Pakse, the capital and most populous city in the southern province of Champasak. Pakse International Airport serves direct flights from Ho Chi Minh, Vientiane, Luang Prabang & Savannakhet. Flights are served by Lao Airlines. Vientiane-Paske flights take around 1 hour and 15 minutes. You can also reach Pakse on overnight buses from Vientiane. Travel time is around 10 hours. Or, from Cambodia. Not including the time spent for the border crossing, travel time is around 12 hours from Phnom Penh and 14 hours from Siem Reap. Where to stay See more 7 Places To Visit in Pakse & Champasak 4. Vang Vieng View along the bicycle trail in Vang Vieng, Laos Vang Vieng is infamous as a major party town, but even if you don’t go there to party, the natural scenery is worth at least a day of sightseeing. Take a bicycle and follow the village roads that pass through rice paddies surrounded by steep jungle-covered limestone karst formations. How to go — Vang Vieng is easy to reach from Vientiane. The drive north to Vang Vieng takes around 3.5 to 5 hours. Where to stayTours + discounts Top discounts Vang Vieng – Luang Prabang Shuttle – Shared City Transfers Vientiane – Vang Vieng Shuttle – Shared City Transfers Asia 4G LTE WIFI Hotspot (Manila Airport Pick Up) 5. Vientiane Patuxai Victory Monument in Vientiane, Laos Pha That Luang (Buddhist Stupa) in Vientiane, Laos Vientiane is probably the most laid-back capital city in Southeast Asia. This is a good thing if you want to relax while enjoying the convenience of the big city. If you have a day to spend in Vientiane, check out the Patuxai Victory Monument and Pha That Luang (National Symbol of Laos). Or, simply watch the sunset along the peaceful Mekong riverside. How to go — Vientiane is the primary flight hub of Laos. Vientiane-Wattay International Airport (VTE) serves flights from Kuala Lumpur (2h 45m), Bangkok (1h 15m), Phnom Penh (1h 25m), Hanoi (1h), Seoul (4h 45m), and Busan. Flights are served by AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, Lao Airlines, Thai Airways & Vietnam Airlines. You can also reach Vientiane by land from Bangkok, Thailand via the Nong Khai-Thanaleng border crossing. Travel time by train from Bangkok to Nong Khai is around 12 hours. From Thanaleng, the land journey to the center of Vientiane is another 1 hour. Where to stayTours + discounts Top discounts Vientiane – Vang Vieng Shuttle – Shared City Transfers Asia 4G LTE WIFI Hotspot (Manila Airport Pick Up) Shared City Transfers between Luang Prabang and Vientiane See more 10 Places To Visit in Vientiane Places to visit in Laos 1. Luang Prabang 2. Muang Ngoi & Nong Khiaw 3. Bolaven Plateau & Champasak 4. Vang Vieng 5. Vientiane Note: Destinations featured above are not listed by rank. Don’t Stop Here Click below for more travel inspiration: 11 Places To Visit in Luang Prabang 7 Places To Visit in Pakse & Champasak 10 Places To Visit in Vientiane 11 Places To Visit in Luang Prabang Don’t leave yet. There’s more! 14 Places to Visit in North India + Things To Do for…15 Places to Visit in Venice + Things To Do for First-Timers11 Places to Visit in Luang Prabang + Things To Do…7 Places to Visit in Kota Kinabalu + Things To Do… Discover more blogs and travel tips in: ChampasakLuang PrabangMuang Ngoi NeuaNong KhiawVientianeVang ViengLaos Southeast AsiaAsia See all places Find more posts about:FeaturedBest TravelBest PlacesBest Things To Do Leave a Reply Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Email * Website Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.Comments Agness says December 29, 2018 at 9:02 pm Hi Marcos, nice to see laid-back towns with UNESCO World Heritage sites. Awesome photos!!! Reply
Agness says December 29, 2018 at 9:02 pm Hi Marcos, nice to see laid-back towns with UNESCO World Heritage sites. Awesome photos!!! Reply