Si Phan Don – The 4,000 Islands of Adventure

Si Phan Don is a collection of 4,000 islands and islets on the Mekong River on the Laos–Cambodian border and is great for backpacking.  Half of these islands are submerged when the Mekong floods.  The main island at Si Phan Don to travel to is Don Khong and to a lesser extent,  Don Det and Don Khon.

The main activity to do is boating, swimming, clambering around the rapids and watching the locals at play and at work.  The Khone Phapheng waterfalls are a great place to go sightseeing and to take a dip.  It is the biggest waterfall and rapids in Southeast Asia. This is where the Mekong River falls down through the rapids to continue on to Cambodia. Here we can see the remains of the narrow gauge railway that the French built to enable transportation along the Mekong by passing the Khone Phapeng falls.  It is these falls that prevent direct navigation from Vietnam to China.

Irrawady dolphins can be spotted here and the giant catfish, the largest freshwater fish in the world can also be spotted here.  Both are highly endangered, especially the giant catfish which is rarely caught now.

There is not much else in entertainment nor electricity.  So be prepared for romantic candle lit nights at the guest houses when the generators switch off.  Most of the accommodation are kind of rustic little stilt huts by the locals, just nice for backpackers.  Not to worry, civilisation is just 3 hours away to Pakse, the third largest city in Laos.

Here is a video by swsanderson on the adventures at Si Phan Don in Laos.

Buddha Park - Fusion Philosophy

Buddha Park is the vision of a Hindu Buddhist fusion philosophy of Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat, and materialised in 1958 near Vientiane. It’s a rough sculpture garden filled with unusual sculptures from Buddhist and Hindu Pantheons. Bunleua Sulilat moved across the Mekong into Thailand following the communist takeover of Laos in 1975.  He then built a similar park in Thailand called Sala Keoku.

This video from geobeats gives a snippet of what this park looks like.

Patuxai - Gate of Victory

Patuxai ( previously known as Anousavali) is the Arc de Triomphe of Laos, located in Vientiane.  Completed in 1968, the Patuxai is a monument to the war of independence from France.   It has intricate designs representing Buddhist and Hindu philosophies.  Tourists can go up into the monument to browse the museum inside and to get souvenirs. The top floor is accessible and has a viewing platform with a telescope for a great view of Vientiane city.

This video by nicko7054 gives an idea of how the Patuxai looks like.

Pha That Luang - Golden Symbol of Laos

The Pha That Luang is an imposing golden Buddhist Stupa in the center of Vientiane.  It is said that a Buddhist Relic, the breastbone of Lord Buddha is housed in this stupa. It is a national monument and a symbol of Laos and its culture. 

Destroyed by raiding parties from Burma, China and Thailand many times, the stupa has been rebuilt time and again, most recently by the French.

This video by nfsutton gives an idea of how this majestic golden landmark and shrine looks like.

Vientiane - The Phoenix of Laos

Vientiane (Viang Chan), on the Mekong River, is the capital of Laos. It is about a thousand years old and has survived attacks by its neighbours, Burma and Siam many times over the years, the last being the Siamese destruction of 1827. The French, on taking over the city from Siam in the 1890s, rebuild the city and its temples from the encroaching jungle. Vientiane today is the economic centre and the largest city in Laos.

Pha That Luang, Buddha Park, Patuxai, Wat Si Muang, Wat Si Saket are some of the notable sights to see.  There is a wide range of food and you can try the night market and the stalls along the river to get that Vientiane atmosphere with a BeerLao in hand. 

There are excursions to the rural areas nearby including the Nam Lik Jungle Fly for kayaking, rope walking, to the forest reserves and many other day eco tours.  Just check with the local tour agents on what are available.

This video by wezluntungan gives a good feel of Vientiane.

Plain of Jars

The Plain of Jars in the mountains of Xieng Khouang province in Laos is an intriguing place to visit.  There are several sites to visit with the most common being Ban Ang, near Phonsavan, the capital of Xieng Khouang province.  The jars are made of stone and can be up to 6 feet high.  These megalithic structures are a Loation treasure and archeologists hypothesise that these are funeral urns and are related to similar structures in India and Vietnam.  

Be aware that unexploded munitions from the intense bombing by the USAF during the Vietnam war are still around.  The government and the UN and other NGOs are working to clear the plains of these explosives.  So bear that in mind and observe the warnings as you walk around.

This video by positiveworldtravel gives a glimpse of what the Plain of Jars look like.

Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang is the ancient royal capital of Laos.  It sits at the confluence of the Khan and Mekong rivers, where the Khan flows into mighty Mekong.  This city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Luang Prabang is sleepy yet majestic with its ancient past.  The royal palace is still intact, and is now a museum, the Haw Kham Royal Palace Museum.  There are many Buddhists temples and daily at dawn, hundreds of monks ritually walk through the city to collect alms with their begging bowls.  Wat Xieng Thong is one of the more prominent temples and a must see for tourists.

This video by Laotian23 gives a pretty good overview of the things to do and see in Luang Prabang.  The audio is a bit crackly, but the words are legible.