Travel in Laos

Low-cost carrier IndiGois set to be the first airline partner for India’s new Noida International Airportwhen it begins its first phase of operations by the end of next year. 

In September, hours after landing in Paris, I headed straight to Signature Montmartre, a French-Korean bistro friends had been lavishing with praise. But already this is a series of words I find startling. I had lived and worked in Paris awhile during college; I go back when I can; until this trip, I didn't recall noticing a Korean shop or restaurant here. The bistro's lights shone from large windows like an inviting beacon, guiding me to food that was, as reported, astonishing: French cuisine shot through with distinctly Korean flavors, like tender prawn-filled perilla in a curry aioli, followed by a fig tart with jujube cream, one of the most delicate, fascinating pastries I've ever had.

Breathtaking landscapes appear at every turn in Vietnam. From the window of a trundling train you'll witness an endless patchwork of impossible-green rice paddies, while in Halong Bay a horizon studded with incisor-like limestone islands makes an ethereal sight. From Mui Ne in the deep south, where you can wonder at a Sahara-esque scene of wind-sculpted sand dunes from the basket of a hot-air balloon, to the stupendous karst mountains of the far north, Vietnam offers up a bewitching array of superlative landscapes.

At the junction of two great rivers and overlooked by a towering basilica, few cities in Europe look like Lyon. Even fewer can offer the breadth of tastes that can be found in Lyon. Sat between the vertiginous vineyards of Beaujolais and the cattle-studded pastures of the Alps, this is a city with culinary quality at its core. Its kitchens have played host to notable names, from trailblazing female chef Eugénie Brazier — the first person to be awarded six Michelin stars — to Paul Bocuse, whose innovative dishes championed the region’s local produce. With poultry from Bresse, cow’s-milk cheeses from Dauphiné, crayfish from Bugey and, of course, wines from Beaujolais and the Rhône Valley, menus in Lyon are a true education in the local area.

Not all Buddhist temples are Zen-like experiences with manicured gardens and meditative art. In countries like Thailand and Singapore, travelers can visit Buddhist “hell parks.” Once used to warn parishioners about the punishments that awaited them after a life of sin, hell gardens are now more like B-movie horror theme parks.

Thailand has a deserved reputation as one of the easiest places to travel in Asia. There’s an amazing amount to see, hassles are limited, English-language signs and menus are commonplace, and you can get around easily at almost any time of day or night. 

When German teacher Richard Schirrmann converted a former classroom to accommodate young travellers on a budget in 1909, no one could have predicted the global movement he would inspire. Three years later, Schirrmann bought a castle near Dortmund to establish the world’s first youth hostel and by the 1920s, Germany had 2,000 low-cost hostels dotted around its rural areas. But it wasn’t until a group of Brits brought the idea back to the UK and launched the Youth Hostels Association (YHA) in 1930 that the new movement gained its poster child.

While many Americans associate kaleidoscopic fall foliage with New England, Seattle also brims with autumnal appeal with cool, crisp air and a stunning backdrop of tree-covered hills and mountains. Also: where else can you take in awe-inspiring views of Mount Rainier, knock back a chambong (champagne glass-beer bong hybrid), savor spicy Laotian chicken laap, and retire to a plush room overlooking Elliot Bay in a single day?

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Lauren Juliff, a 35-year-old who's traveled to over 80 countries. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

The world of The Creator feels familiar and alien at the same time. The film brings viewers to a near-future where artificial intelligence exists alongside humans as both working robots and humanoid simulants. The US government seeks to eradicate all non-humans after a nuclear explosion devastates Los Angeles, hunting them down with a space station defense system called NOMAD. As the story unfolds, the audience follows Sergeant Joshua Taylor (John David Washington) as he searches for the creator of the AI, the mysterious Nirmata, and ends up on the run with a young simulant named Alphie (Madeleine Yuna Voyles), who may be the key to stopping the war.

“When I was small, it was all very traditional,” muses 69-year-old Prapapan Sritrai as she shows me around her workspace, where huge vats of bubbling, inky-blue liquid are being stirred by her husband. Auntie Ngeam, as she’s known locally, is one of a third generation of indigo artisans in a family descended from the Phuan, a people known for their handwoven fabrics. A sizeable Phuan community, originally from Laos, settled in Phrae, in northern Thailand, after being displaced from their homeland when the borders of Siam were expanded in the late 19th century, bringing their indigo craftsmanship with them. Auntie Ngeam’s Tardis-like indigo studio is located down a slim alley in Ban Thung Hong, a village on the outskirts of Phrae, almost equidistant between Chiang Mai and the Laos border. Here, where the green rolling hills are dissected by the Yom River and its tributaries, the acanthus and indigofera tinctoria plants central to indigo production flourish. Indigo — and, specifically, the production of dark-blue mo hom shirts, a common uniform for rural and agricultural workers in Thailand — became a key industry in Phrae after the demise of the local teak industry following the Second World War.

It took me close to a year of living in Philadelphia to find a cheesesteak I really like. 

Global guests involved in mountain tourism and outdoor sports met in China’s mountainous rich Qianxinan Bouyei and Miao autonomous prefecture unveiled the 2023 International Conference of Mountain Tourism and Outdoor Sports, or MTOS, in Xingyi city on Saturday. This year’s meeting aims at exploring the deep integration of mountain tourism and multi-industries, promoting the high-quality development of mountain tourism, and providing high-quality tourism experiences for tourists.

Air India has entered into an interline partnership with Bangkok Airways that will allow the Tata Group-owned airline’s passengers connections to 10 Southeast Asian destinations beyond the Thai capital. 

Gunta and Greg Larsen were looking for an expedition cruise that colored outside the lines when they found a 15-day coastal Japan cruise offered through Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic. And that's exactly what they got.

When it comes to outdoor adventure, cycling offers the perfect blend of exercise and enrichment, providing participants with an opportunity to bask in the stunning scenery around them while simultaneously keeping their heart rate up—and few companies understand this as well as Art of Bicycle Trips. Launched in 2010, this expert-led tour company offers detailed itineraries across three separate continents, with locations ranging from the lakes of Chile to the mountains of Albania.

A peaceful getaway in the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Avani+ Luang Prabang debuts a new wellness programme ahead of World Wellness Weekend on 15-17 September 2023. Designed to help guests find their perfect peace, the multi-day ‘Luang Prabang Serene Sojourn’ package includes meditation classes with a senior monk, health-conscious meals, alms-giving ceremonies, and other immersive activities that showcase the essence of Laos and its enduring heritage.

The 17th International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City 2023 (ITE HCMC 2023) is scheduled from September 7 to 9, 2023, at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), District 7. Themed “Connectivity, Growth, and Sustainability,” ITE HCMC 2023 aims to propel Vietnam’s tourism industry, ensuring sustainable development while showcasing its allure globally.

High pollution levels in Thailand’s northern city of Chiang Mai and surrounding provinces are keeping tourists away and alarming locals, with the government on Monday urging residents to avoid outdoor activities.

Travelers are gaining more confidence to book long-haul travel again, and many destinations in the Asia Pacific region are making a comeback. Tokyo’s neon lights and skyscrapers, Phuket’s pristine beaches, and Hanoi’s Old Quarter, with its maze of narrow streets, are among the hotspots.