When people think of places to travel to in Asia, they often overlook Laos. But if you’re looking for some great countryside, historical villages and a bit of city life, this is a great place to check out. There are between six and seven million people living in the country, which is landlocked and surrounded by Myanmar, China, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
 
There’s a lot of history in the small country, as there is in just about all of Asia. Laos’ can be traced back to the 14th century and the Kingdom of Lan Xang. In its recent history, the country was looked over by France until 1949 when it gained its independence from the European nation.

The scenery is superb as there is a fine mixture of rivers, lakes, forests and some rugged mountains. The Mekong River runs through it and creates a natural water boundary with its neighbour Thailand. On the other side, most of the border with Vietnam is formed by the Annamite Mountain region. It’s quite warm in the country as it enjoys a tropical climate, but there can often be quite a bit of rain from May to November as that’s monsoon season.
 
If you’re looking for some city action, then the place to be is Vientiane, which is the largest city and the country’s capital. Some of the other cities to check out include Luang Prabang, Pakxe, and Savannakhet. Laos is separated into 18 different provinces and the best way to get around is by road or river. Vientiane isn’t a huge city, but it still has a lot to offer when it comes to the country’s history, diversity, and different foods.

But a lot of people are heading over to Laos these days for the great adventures the countryside offers. It’s the ideal terrain for adventurists as they take advantage of it for hiking, and backpacking and boating down the peaceful rivers. In fact, travelling around the land can be quite an adventure in itself as you’re presented with some tranquil scenes when you travel down the rivers past the small villages. You can also get a good taste of the nation’s culture and history at the Plain of Jars region. Meanwhile, there’s a famous cave in Oudomxay, and the town of Sainyabuli is well known for its elephants.

Most of the people there farm the land and rice is the top food they produce. It’s one of the main parts of the diet in Laos. Theravada Buddhism is the predominant religion and the people speak Lao, with some of them speaking French as well in some regions. English is getting more popular, but don’t be surprised if nobody knows what you’re talking about if you start speaking English with them.

The country’s religion has a great influence on its culture and you’ll notice it in the performing arts, art, literature, and language. There’s no lack of ancient folk music and the people love to hold festivals. While there’s enough action going on, Laos is generally a place to go if you don’t want to be jostled by huge crowds. It’s quite a serene, peaceful, and beautiful country to explore.