THE BEST ACTIVITIES IN LAOS
Laos, a country in Southeast Asia nestled between Thailand and Vietnam, is frequently overlooked by travelers due to its well-known neighbors. However, I’d venture to say that Laos was one of my favorite countries I went to in Southeast Asia, landing a spot on my list above Thailand. Why, you ask? Check out my favorite activities in Laos, below, to learn why this is not a country to miss out on during your trip to Southeast Asia.
Looking for other tips on traveling to Laos? Check out my Ultimate Guide to Laos and 9 Photos to Inspire You to Travel to Laos here.
VIENTIANE
One thing Laos is known for is its stunning hand-woven textiles, and the best place to get a glimpse of how they’re made is at Carol Cassidy Lao Textiles workshop in Vientiane. These are definitely more high-end textiles, but in my personal opinion, they’re worth every penny. You don’t need to book ahead to reserve a tour, instead, you can simply walk into the front gallery and make your way through the courtyard in the back to see the workshop. Once in the workshop, you’ll find dozens of women weaving textiles on looms at an astonishingly fast pace, as well as 100 percent silk fabric lining the walls of the workshop. The shop was completely empty of visitors when I arrived, and I got to sit there for almost an hour watching the different colors of fabric pulled together in mesmerizing ways.
Sitting on the edge of the Mekong River is the Vientiane Night Market. Unlike some of the other markets I went to in Southeast Asia, this market was less about wares and more focused on the food. The stalls of merchandise were more akin to Times Square kitsch than what you might expect in Southeast Asia, but the food was out of this world and cost roughly $1-2 USD for a full meal.
A must-see in the capital city of Laos is the Pha That Luang temple. Similar to a few other temples I saw in Southeast Asia, Pha That Luang temple is a massive gold-plated temple north of the city center. However, the gold temple is not the only thing to be seen on the grounds. My favorite part of the site was walking around seeing the other temples and the monks strolling between them.
It’s virtually impossible to spend any time in Laos without riding in a TukTuk, which are essentially carts on the back of motorbikes and used like taxis all over the country. While this is going to be a common experience you have in Laos, that doesn’t mean it’s not special or worth recognizing. TukTuk, like taxis, can be flagged down anywhere in the city and are frequently waiting outside of the touristy areas like temples and restaurants. Be sure to haggle with your driver before getting in, because they’ll try to overcharge anyone who looks like a tourist.
VANG VIENG
Near Vang Vieng are three blue lagoons, aptly named Blue Lagoon 1, 2, & 3. To get there, rent a motorbike from your hostel or somewhere in town and travel at least 7KM to the closest lagoon. Don’t stop there, however, while Blue Lagoon 1 might be the most famous and popular of the lagoons, it’s hardly the best. My favorite is Blue Lagoon 3 because it’s the least crowded lagoon and you can spend the most time jumping off surfaces and ziplining into the water without waiting in long lines. I traveled to Vang Vieng in early January, so it was quite chilly and overcast on the day we checked out the lagoons. No matter, though, because running back and forth between the water and the ziplines was enough activity to keep you warm throughout the day.
I did say that Vang Vieng comes with great nightlife, didn’t I? If you’re feeling up for it, be sure to check out a jungle party while you’re in the area. When in Rome, right? While you may be picturing a jungle book-esque scene with a massive rave in the trees, you won’t be as immersed in the jungle as that but it’s still something to experience. The party starts late at night and goes well into the morning and you have to coordinate arriving there by tuk-tuk with your hostel so be sure to ask them about it when you check-in.
The most well-known party activity in Vang Vieng is to rent a tube and float down the river all day, stopping at pre-chosen bars along the way for drinking games. I told you this was a party town! Most hostels in town will coordinate the whole day for you, and it costs no more than $20 for the full activity.
The concept is simple enough: You grab a tube, float down the river, and then get pulled into shore by ropes and stop at various bars for some drinking games. My advice to you: Don’t bring anything valuable and be prepared to drink trashy alcohol all day long.
LUANG PRABANG
Kuang Si Falls is the #1 reason to go to Luang Prabang, and it will not disappoint. Be sure to rent a scooter to go there, and you’ll just head straight south for 30KM until you hit the falls. The park also contains a wildlife nature park that’s fun to check out, but not the reason to come here altogether. Like everything while traveling, you’ll want to get here extra early to try to get some alone time in the park before the tourists show up. The solidarity shown in the picture to the right wasn’t possible even a mere 30 minutes later. You’ll approach the falls low down and be astonished by what you see, but just wait, it only gets better as you continue to climb the falls.
Phousi Hill is located right in the middle of Luang Prabang, and is home to a long and winding path leading up the mountain, passing by many small temples and monks walking by along the way. I highly recommend making the trek early to catch the sunrise — unfortunately the photo to the left doesn’t do it justice due to the clouds that day, but you get the picture.
The Handicraft Night Market in Luang Prabang is my favorite night market I went to in all of Southeast Asia. Unlike many other night markets, this one constituted of high-quality handmade crafts from the locals, whereas many other markets sold highly commercialized goods. There are dozens if not hundreds of stalls but the best thing to be on the lookout for are the handmade Laotian textiles. Once I returned to the U.S. after this trip, I started to notice Lao textiles in every high-quality furniture store in town and I highly regretted not getting my hands on more textiles while I was abroad.
PLAN A TRIP
FOLLOW ALONG
ABOUT ME
Welcome! I’m Natasha, a 27-year-old living in Manhattan and constantly itching to get out. I created Exploring Elsewhere to inspire those like me, 20-something women with shallow pockets and too few vacation days, to take adventurous solo trips in far-off lands.