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20.08.2024 - 23:03 / lonelyplanet.com
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A gem of Southeast Asia, Laos attracts visitors who love natural beauty, intriguing culture and off-the-beaten-track experiences – without the throngs.
The country’s low population density means that many of the landscapes here are untouched by humans, which means exciting adventures for outdoor lovers. Yet in Laos’ cities and towns, visitors find historical treasures, alluring temples and a warm welcome from Lao locals.
Here are 10 places where anyone can discover the treasures – and pleasures – of Laos.
Best for trekking and jungle exploration
Luang Namtha in the North is Laos’ unabashed adventure capital, with trekking, kayaking, rafting, bicycling or other jungle activities within easy reach. The town’s main drag is lined with trekking agencies that offer everything from daily group tours to custom-made options.
The showpiece here is the nearby Nam Ha National Protected Area, a zone of forest, rivers and mountains spread over 220,000 hectares (543,000 acres) – some 10% of the country's total land. Home to a diverse array of ethnic minorities, it’s a fascinating melange of nature and traditions, and well worth making the effort to get to. (Laos’ new high-speed rail has made this easier: Luang Namtha is about a 90-minute drive from the station at Boten, at the border with China.)
Trips here range from 7-day jungle survival courses – where you’ll learn how to use native bamboo to make everything from your shelter to your dinner plates and utensils, as well as foraging for food from the forest – to more culturally immersing homestays in the traditional ethnic villages of Akha or Khmu, which you’ll reach by bicycle of boat.
Planning tip: It’s best to trek between November and February, when it’s dry and temperatures actually get cool at night. March, April and May get very hot and hazy from agricultural burning. Trekking in the rainy season (June to October) means slippery trails, mud and leeches.
Best for enjoying a magnificent world of karst
Vang Vieng is one of Southeast Asia’s most stunning natural wonderlands. Hundreds of soaring limestone karst peaks rise above the gorgeous Nam Song River – all yours to admire as you float by on an inner tube. The scenic backcountry here has endless dirt roads to bicycle, viewpoints to clamber up to, hidden caves to explore and freshwater swimming holes to plunge into.
Other enticements in Vang Vieng include challenging rock-climbing routes on the karst towers, as well as chance to float above the magical landscape in hot air balloons – and even paramotor above it. While Vang Vieng used to be a backpacker haunt accessible only by a bumpy road from Vientiane, the new high-speed train has made it newly accessible. Indeed, new boutique hotels
Aug 29, 2024 • 6 min read
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As interest in visiting Porto only grows stronger, visitors are finding even more things to do in the city. What was once seen for many as a short trip is becoming a longer break, with exploration outside of the city centre and into neighboring areas. Porto may be Portugal’s second largest city—after Lisbon—but it did give the country its name from the Roman Portus Cale. Centuries later, the city became famous for port, its “divine nectar of the Gods,” tastings of which are highly recommended in any of the port lodges lining the riverside in Vila Nova de Gaia. From there, look across the Douro at Porto’s colorful jumble of medieval houses, soaring church towers, and glossy blue-and-white tiled façades. Here, our selection of the best things to do in Porto can help you weave your way through the city, dipping into its sights, sounds, tastes, and smells to better get under its skin. To be sure, Porto will get under yours too.