Has anyone been to Laos? Any recommendations on where to go, what to do?

Answer 1

I have been twice. first time 8 years ago, and then finally got my parents and their brothers and sisters there last autumn.. Top of the list has to be Luang Prabang. It really is one of those places that make you feel pretty good to be human. It's a relaxing destination. there are tour groups now that say they'll give you some big adventure, I don't know what they're talking about. The water fall day trip is cool. you make a stop in some tiny village of weavers to look at the beautiful scarves and end up marveling instead at how beautiful the people are. The falls are pretty spectacular. you can hike all the way up to where the first drop off the cliff. Its a swamp up top.
The pak ou caves are alright, if you're into that. the boat ride is great. the land is something to see. and you get to make another little shopping stop. you can buy some battery acid rice wine with a scorpion or some other freaky thing that shouldnt be in a bottle of something you drink.

just across the river from vientienne is some little sculpture park like something from a Tim Burton movie. a monk went and built all these mythological animals into towering creations. IT's great.

and those pictures of the saffron robed monks? make sure you get up to see that. find a tiny restaurant on a side street and rent a room there and get up early and watch them emerge from the dawn fog. you can even buy some rice and pass some out to them. not as easy as it looks. it's sticky rice and i mean really sticky and plus you have to be quick. And you have to keep the portions to a minimum. not because you want to starve the guys but because you should give some to everyone and there are going to be hundreds coming by.
foremostly, you should read up on the local etiquette. the to-dos and not to do's. I mean, why travel all that way just to look like an idiot. right? and you might pick up a cool habit.

Answer 2

Here is a link to lots of reviews and ratings to the area. There is a guide to tourist attractions and also reviews from people who have been there!

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Tourism-g293949-Laos-Vacations.html

Enjoy!

Answer 3

I havent been there personally, but i do know a family that come from there ....

Things to do and see while in Laos
Luang Prabang

Hmong, Mien and Thai tribal people can often be seen walking around town on their way to and from the markets. Orange-wrapped Buddhist monks and novices occupy 32 of the original 66 historic temples built before the era of French colonisation, including the stunning half-millennium-old Wat Xieng Thong. Luang Prabang (Muang Luang, as the locals call it) also boasts a unique palace-turned-museum.

Sealed highways linking Luang Prabang with Thailand and China have turned the city into an important relay point for commerce between the three countries. A wisely constructed road bypass maintains the city's calm antiquity that first attracted visitors when Laos opened to tourism in 1989.


Vientiane

Vientiane has around 10 top-end hotels and as many guesthouses - many of them are moderately expensive, but plenty of lower-priced rooms have become available in the last few years. You can eat at cafes, street stalls, beer halls or restaurants that offer everything from rice noodles to filet mignon. For good Lao meals, try the Dong Palan Night Market on the east bank of the Nong Chan ponds.

Entertainment ranges from live music and discos - usually electrified Lao folk music or Western pop - to Thai, Chinese, Indian and even Bulgarian films. Tribal crafts, fabrics, jewellery and furniture are all good buys in Vientiane.


Ho Chi Minh Trail

Although the North Vietnamese denied the existence of the trail, and the USA denied bombing it, 1.1 million tons of explosives were dropped on the area between 1965 and 1969, as well as massive quantities of herbicides. The trail is fairly remote, so there's been little in the way of tidying up: you'll see helicopters, fighter planes and a whole heap of other war debris. The closest town is Sepon, about 600km (370mi) southeast of Vientiane. Sepon was flattened during the war, so its now little more than a collection of shacks. You can get there by bus from Savannakhet.

Pak Ou Caves
Nam Ou river mouth 25km along the Mekong from Luang Prabang

The spectacular Pak Ou caves are justifiably lauded for their striking setting carved into a limestone cliff facing the river. The caves are crammed with Buddha images of all styles and sizes, but most represent the classic Luang Prabang standing Buddha.


Khon Phapheng Falls
Si Phan Don south of Don Khong Ban Thakho

South of Don Khong the Mekong River features a 13km/8mi stretch of powerful rapids with several impressive cascades. A wooden pavilion on the Mekong shore gives inspiring views of the falls an the nearby early morning market at Ban Khinak is the largest in the district and well worth a look-in for a glimpse of the local hustle and bustle.


Pha That Luang
Vientiane Muang Saisettha 4km northeast of the centre of Vientiane

The Pha That Luang is the most important national monument in Laos, a symbol of both the Buddhist religion and Lao sovereignty. The monument looks almost like a gilded missile cluster from a distance. Surrounding it is a high-walled cloister with tiny windows, added by King Anouvong in the early 19th century as a defence against invaders.


Wat Phu Champasak
10km southeast of Champasak opposite Ban Thong Khop village

Spread over the lower slopes of Phu Pasak (also known more colloquially as Phu Khuai), Wat Phu is small compared with the monumental Angkor-era sites in Cambodia or Thailand. But the tumbledown pavilions, ornate shiva-lingam sanctuary, enigmatic crocodile stone and tall trees that shroud much of the site in soothing shade give Wat Phu a mystical atmosphere.


Plain of Jars
Phonsavan 15-35km south-southwest of Phonsavan

The Plain of Jars is a large area extending around Phonsavan from the southwest to the northeast where huge jars of unknown origin are scattered about in over a dozen groupings. There are three main sites available to visit, with site 1 the closest and containing the most jars

Festivals in Laos are generally linked to agricultural seasons or historical Buddhist holidays. The Lunar New Year begins in mid-April and the entire country comes to a halt and celebrates. Houses are cleaned, offerings are made in wats and everyone gets dowsed by water. Bun Bang Fai (Rocket Festival) takes place in May. It's an irreverent pre-Buddhist celebration with plenty of processions, music and dancing, accompanied by the firing of bamboo rockets to prompt the heavens to send rain. The week-long That Luang Festival in Vientiane in November has the whole repertoire of fireworks, candlelit processions and music

I work with the grandmother of the family that are from there, im a community nurse.....if it helps i have a few words that will hep you while your there.....

sabaii dee - hello
sabaii dee bor? - hello how are you?
chao sy nyang? - what is your name?
khoy suu - my name is.....
kalunna - please
korb jay - thankyou
bor pen nyang - your welcome
men/doy/err - yes
bor - no
kor thoht - begging pardon, im sorry
sohk dee - goodbye
hong namm yuu sai? - where is the toilet?
boh tong kup joi - dont touch me
dtum louat - police!
khoy pben kai - im sick
now - cold
hon - hot
mooi - tired/headache

i hope these help you, ive included some you might not learn elsewhere, but have a fantastic trip, they are a lovely culture to deal with as most of them are buddists, hope you have a great time. be sure to send me photographs when you get back. lol......... sohk dee!