Capital: Vientiane
Population: 6,217,141 (July 2005)
Location: Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam

Laos is one of the few Communist countries left in the world. Until 1988 tourists were not allowed access to Laos, but the country has now opened up and it is perfectly feasible to travel all over the country, preferably with a recognised tour company, although plenty of backpackers do it independently. The number of tourists is expected to continue increasing over the next few years as more and more people discover the delights of this laid-back country of mountains and rivers.

For now, Laos remains relatively isolated and undeveloped. Its capital, Vientiane, is more like a big village than a crowded Asian hub and life throughout the country is slow-paced. Most people come to Laos and make a brief tour of Vientiane and UNESCO World Heritage-listed Luang Prabang with perhaps a brief detour to the mysterious Plain of Jars. But those who make the effort to explore further afield will be well rewarded with luscious landscapes, friendly people and unique glimpses of a country hardly changed for over a century.

Subtle Attractions
Though not high on many travellers' list of places to visit, those who do come are usually enchanted by its easy-going lifestyle, varied architecture, and its startling array of food, including Royal Laos, French, Italian and Indian cuisines - all done to perfection at incredibly low prices.

Vientiane, the capital, has a population of about 300,000 people, most of them seemingly unemployed, and a visitor could be forgiven for thinking that they must have arrived on a national holiday. The streets are virtually empty, and rush hour lasts about ten minutes, with none of the traffic snarls that characterise most Asian capitals. Most of the major tourist attractions can be covered in a day or two, but the real reason for being here is to relax, eat, have a drink by the river and watch the world slowly pass by.

Aside from a few local temples and the Victory Monument (a bizarre Asian Arc de Triomphe), one place well worth visiting is the Buddha Park about 20 kilometers east of the city. The park, designed and executed by a Laotian monk is filled with huge (and often horrific) concrete images taken from Theravada Buddhist lore, strongly reflecting the religion's Hindu roots.

A Living Museum Piece
Luang Prabang, a short flight north, was the former royal capital, prior to the revolution in 1975, and has been beautifully preserved by the country's lack of development. Set on a peninsula at the confluence of three rivers, it is a marvel of ancient and colonial architecture, with contiguous temples up to 700 years old running down its spine and colonial mansions looming proudly in the sidestreets. It has changed little since the 1920s and was recently declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations.