Even though it is a much less visited country than its neighbours, Laos should be on everyone’s travel list. Despite being the only landlocked country in South East Asia, highlights involving water come in the form of Kuang Si Waterfalls and views along the infamous Mekong River. Let’s travel through photography – Laos!
This lesser travelled but equally stunning destination is home to unique sights, like Phonsavan’s Plain of Jars or the quiet and colourful old capital of Luang Prabang. These 9 images of Laos show not only the beauty but the memorable experiences I had travelling Laos.
Enough introductions, let’s travel through photography into Laos!
Don Khong Island
Being the largest island in the popular 4000 Islands area of southern Laos, it’s a quiet place to relax and take in the fast flowing Mekong River. Getting around the large island, which at its widest is 18x8km, is easily done by rented bicycle. However, be wary is you venture out on a hot day as there’s very little shade as you ride around!
Rising early with the sun was my favourite moment on this island. Of all things to do on Don Khong Island, watching the sun light up the darkened sky was beautiful and peaceful. Being able to witness this quiet and still town come to life was worth the sleepy eyes.
Don Det Island
Still, in the 4000 Islands of Laos, Don Det is the most popular for tourism as it holds the most accommodation. Not to mention that you can easily access many of the other islands in the area from this small chunk of land.
Much of the island is accessible by bike and it’s an easy, yet bumpy cycle around Don Det. This little golden shrine was at the edge of the surging Mekong River close to my basic, but comfortable and affordable riverside bungalows.
One of the most popular activities on Don Det is watching the sunset across the Mekong River. The sun gives a bright orange reflection from the brown river. Outside of the wet season, the water appears blue, but heavy rainfall churns up sediment, turning it a brown colour.
Monsoon rain makes this river flow so fast and wouldn’t be a safe place for a swim. Locals use this waterway as the main form of transportation and often zoom up and down on their long tail boat.
Where to stay on Don Det Island
On a side note about Don Det, Smiling Lao Guesthouse is where I stayed and loved it. While the amenities are a little basic, these riverside bungalows are quiet and relaxing. There’s also a restaurant attached that has a wide range of food and drinks.
Don Khon Island
Don Khon (different than Khong) is another island within the 4000. This island is most commonly accessed by a small footbridge leading from Don Det island. Hiring a bike is once again the best way to explore this quiet island (everywhere can be walked just as easy if you have enough time). Adventuring down overgrown jungle trails and local fishermen are just two of my favourite Don Khon memories.
A warning here, this island has a few derelict bridges; crossing requires a solid footing and confidence. Falling from these railway bridges could be very dangerous. The water is shallow and submerged objects are almost definitely lurking just below the surface. I will admit though, it was a thrilling and challenging experience.
Kuang Si Falls
Even though Laos is south-east Asia’s only landlocked country, great places to swim still exist. Kuang Si Waterfalls is one must see (or swim) destinations just outside the old capital of Luang Prabang. These chilly cascading pools are a popular place to cool off from the Lao heat.
As I swam in these refreshing pools, every 5 to 10 minutes a little fish would have an innocent nibble on my legs. The water isn’t transparent at all so each little bite was a shock. It was funny watching others have Similar experiences with these tiny locals. locals.
Some pools can have strong currents and some edges are mini waterfalls. Always enter the pools slowly, and test to make sure you’re comfortable swimming in its conditions.
Laos slow boat to Muang Ngoy
One that almost saw the long tail, narrow, overpacked boat almost sink in the fast Nam Ou River. To break up this journey, the small village of Muang Ngoy is a great way to stretch those cramped legs from the little room in the boat. It was around 3 hours of sitting on the hard wooden plank for a seat before my group disembarked in favour of visiting this lesser known town.
Hiking to nearby, even smaller villages around Muang Ngoy is the perfect way to experience life in rural Laos. There are quite a few places to stay in this town, including riverside bungalows. If you’re looking to escape the tourist trail, Muang Ngoy is a great place to do that.
Luang Prabang Royal Palace
Built in 1904, Luang Prabang’s Royal Palace, locally known as Haw Kham, is an interesting insight into the past of Laos. Filled with ancient relics from pottery to fabrics and paintings, a short walk around the building’s many rooms is educational. Another building in the Royal Palace complex is the golden Haw Pha Bang, and this photo was taken from its front porch area, looking towards Haw Kham.
Phonsavan Plain of Jars
Within the flat Xiangkhoang Plateau, the small town of Phonsavan has unique and relatively unknown historical site known as the Plain of Jars. With thousands of these giant stone jars scattered along the landscape, they are arranged in many sites around the town of Phonsavan.
Only 3 of the many sites are available to the public to visit. Even though historians have speculated the actual use and meaning of these ancient and stone giants, their purpose is still debated. One theory suggests they were used to store rice and wine, while another depicts them as burial urns.
During my time visiting the Plain of Jars I learned that visiting these sites requires a guide. Due to explosives dropped during the 9 year “secret war” the U.S. waged on Laos from 1964-1973, Phonsavan’s province of Xieng Khouang, was the most heavily bombed place per capita in the entire world. It’s estimated that 30% of the bombs remain unexploded. So when you visit, make sure to stay within the “MAG” stone markers that line the path – staying between these squares means the ground you’re walking on has been extensively cleared of any explosives.
There’s also a really informative video at the Crater Bar. This video explained how the bombing averaged out to one bomb dropped every 8 minutes, 24 hours a day, for years. You can also see many of the bombs being displayed around the town.
Laos buses are always a story
Within Laos, I caught many buses. One of the most common and unique parts of a Laos bus trip was how they circled the streets of a town or city, and ended up back in the exact same position you start, to pick up more guests. This became known in my small travel group of 3 as a “Laos loop”. My best guess is to charge passengers different prices as they are told their trip would be shorter.
My most memorable Laos bus ride was thanks to this duck. Many animals are allowed in transit vehicles throughout Asia and Laos is no different, but this time, this live duck was secured in a hessian bag to the back of the van. Weird, but you learn to roll with the unusual travel experiences in Laos.
I had little expectations of Laos before visiting, I had only heard of countries like Thailand and Vietnam being amazing in South East Asia. I fell in love with Laos as this memorable country surprised me in what it had to offer.
Travel through Photography: Laos is a short, yet meaningful photo essay of my time in Laos. If you’ve travelled Laos, I’d love to hear your favourite experience – or even if you haven’t been, where would you love to visit? Either way, drop me a comment below!
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Safe and happy travels,
Ben – Horizon Unknown
