Originally a low-key French protectorate too mountainous for plantations, Laos is one of the few places left where you can experience old Indochina. Luang Prabang, on the banks of the mighty Mekong River, is one of the best preserved cities in South East Asia and has been designated a World Heritage Site. To the south, Vientiane, the capital city, retains its French colonial charm. The That Luang Stupa in Vientiane, built in 1566 by King Setthathirath, echoes the curving lines of an elongated lotus and is considered to be the national symbol.

Outside the cities, another highlight for visitors to this tranquil country are the towering limestone caves of Pak Ou, filled with thousands of gold-lacquered Buddhist statues. Laos is relaxed, quietly contemplative and still visited by only relatively few foreigners.