With its roofs running almost to ground level and its elaborately decorated gilded wood façade, Xieng Thong (1560) is without doubt the most beautiful temple in Luang Prabang (and possibly all of Laos). Several stupa and chapels can be seen arou..

Don Khong, the largest island in the Si Phan Don archipelago (the “4 000 islands”), has a population of 15 000 inhabitants divided between the villages of Muang Sae and Muang Không. This haven of peace and tranquillity is home to gentle waterfalls an..

The most important monument in the Royal Palace Museum is undoubtedly the famous Golden Buddha or Pha Bang (83cm tall), which has given its name to the town. The museum houses a collection of musical instruments, Khmer statues and silk screens, as we..

From Luang Prabang , take a boat trip along the Mekong as far as its confluence with the Nam Ou to visit the beautiful Pak Ou caves, hidden in the limestone cliffs here. These much venerated caves house a veritable forest of standing Buddhas, which ..

The Nam Ha National Protected Area is home to around 2 200km 2 of unspoilt natural landscapes, mostly tropical forest, along the Chinese border. Several mountain ethnic minorities live here, and the area is also boasts a wide variety of flora and fa..

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Phu Champasak temple bears witness to the rich Khmer and Hindu cultures of the region. Situated at the foot of Phu Phasak, mountain, this beautiful religious site is built on three levels linked by an avenue shaded by fr..

At the gateway to the protected area of Dong Hua Sao, in the Boloven region, the most famous waterfall in the country is also the highest (120 m). Footpaths lead to the Tat Fan falls, allowing hikers to discover the coffee plantations which line th..

The national symbol and the largest temple in Laos. The tall gilded silhouette of the stupa at Pha That Luang (16C) is particularly impressive. The site is best visited in November, when the country’s most important religious festival takes place h..

A place for meditating and walking, with a playground for children, Buddha Park was laid out in the 1950s. It is home to a number of huge cement statues of Hindu and Buddhist divinities, as well as a monument in the shape of a giant pumpkin, which re..

Phu Si (at an altitude of 100m) is the sacred mountain of Luang Prabang . Its 300 steps lead to the That Chomsi and its gilded stupa , from where there is a view of the town and the Mekong river, which is especially romantic at sunset. On the oth..

The purpose of these enormous, 2 000-year-old jars dotted around the Plain of Jars to the south of Phon Sa Van remains a mystery. Were they funerary monuments or simply containers for wine and rice? Nobody knows. Don’t miss the largest jar situated..

Situated on the banks of the Mekong river, Pha That Sikhottabong is worth a visit for its impressive tall stupa built in the 16C. The site is particularly busy in February, when a three-day festival is held here. The statue of a seated Buddha in th..

12km from the centre of Savannakhét , That Ing Hang (16C) is a much venerated reliquary which is thought to have been built on an ancient Khmer site. This sculpted three-storey stupa is crowned with a golden parasol. Worth a visit, particularly du..

Megaliths or the fortress of a king, this intriguing archaeological site perched on the summit of Phu Asa is soaked in mystery. These slate and brick columns can be reached on an elephant ride from the neighbouring village of Khiet Ngong. Panoramic v..

Situated at an altitude of 1 200m, the Boloven plateau, famous for its coffee and picturesque Katu and Alak villages, is criss-crossed with rivers which create magnificent waterfalls (particularly Tat Lo and Tat Fan ). Hikers can experience the th..

Like Dien Bien Phu, the American military base of Khe Sanh should have been impregnable. More than 10 000 soldiers were posted here when it fell in March 1968. This bleak place, with its blood-red earth, still bears scars from the fierce battle which..

Sepon Kao, or Old Sepon, still bears the scars of the Vietnam War. A visit to the ruins, where traces of shells can be seen here and there, is particularly poignant. A few miles away lies the famous Hô Chi Minh Trail, which was massively bombed by th..