Laos

Laos is landlocked Southeast Asia at its most understated, a country of misty mountains, slow rivers and saffron-robed monks who pad out at dawn for alms. It remains one of the region's least visited nations, with terrain that turns from limestone karst to terraced rice paddies within a few hours' drive. Luang Prabang, once capital of the old Lan Xang kingdom, holds some of the best-preserved temples in the region, while Vientiane mixes French, Vietnamese and Lao influences along its riverfront. Further south, the Mekong splits into the 4,000 Islands of Si Phan Don, with the Plain of Jars, thousands of stone vessels scattered across the Xiang Khouang plateau, leaving archaeologists still debating who carved them and why.

Highlights

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Wander Luang Prabang's gilded temples at dawn, watching monks collect alms through the morning mist
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Sail up the Mekong River, drifting past riverside villages and limestone cliffs on a slow boat
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Swim beneath the milky blue tiers of Kuang Si Falls, just outside Luang Prabang
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Island-hop the 4,000 Islands of Si Phan Don, where the Mekong fractures into a maze of waterways

Hidden gems

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Bike through rural Laos, past rice paddies, teak villages and limestone karst scenery
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Explore the Plain of Jars, thousands of mysterious stone vessels scattered across the Xiang Khouang plateau
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Trek through Nam Et-Phou Louey, a remote reserve home to clouded leopards and gibbons
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Visit Vieng Xai's caves, once a hidden city sheltering Pathet Lao leaders during the war
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Spend a night in Muang Ngoi, a car-free river village reachable only by boat