Laos the forgotten through the lens.4 min read

Laos the forgotten, Laos this country where we pass by and forget to get a little deeper because of all the wonders that await us in its neighbouring countries. Have you ever heard someone telling you that this year they were going to go to Laos, only Laos? We haven’t, and we are no exception. To be truly honest Laos was just a stop on our way to China. The Chinese visa was difficult to get in Thailand so we thought let’s spend a week in Laos and get it there instead. What we did not expect was to share our photos of Laos with you on our website.

Like most people Laos was supposed to be a step, nothing more. After all, everything we heard from other travellers was that the country was “alright”, but that the food was terrible. As you will see through these 10 photos of Laos, we found it to be different. In this selection you will meet local faces probably more than local landscapes but this is what marked me and what, I think, is Laos.

From the moment we entered the country, sailing aboard a slow, rattling old boat down the Mekong river we understood how we might have underestimated the place. Mountains were appearing before our eyes, beautiful vegetation and jungle meeting with small villages operating around the beloved river. Laos was already a beauty, the population we met made it stunning. There was everything to like about Laos and we just didn’t get how people were missing it. Vang Vieng was probably the worst place I’ve ever been to but Luang Prabang, Muang Sing, Phonsavan… Those towns bring to mind beautiful memories. Sure Laos is a bit rough compared to its neighbours, the road are bad (when they exist) and hot water or aircon can be seen as real luxuries, but Laos is a gorgeous gem.

The people of Laos are kind, their history isn’t. Their hospitality, their smiles will surely make up for the lack of impressive monuments. Laos reminds me of Thailand a few years ago. Between the young monks stopping at night in Luang Prabang on a small bamboo bridge to talk to you and practice their English, to the old lady in the North that opens the door of her modest home and offers you a drink to help you avoid the rain, each character changes your view of the country a little.

Of course Laos is also full of mysteries with the unique plain of jars, of temples surrounding the lovely Luang Prabang and much more but if you go to Laos, meet the locals. Homestays in the North with Akha or Yao tribes, English conversation with few locals organised by the local bookshops of Luang Prabang, there are plenty of ways to feel that you are taking a bit more of the country’s culture. I will stop talking and let you look through our selection. Photos of Laos the forgotten.

Luang Prabang also means visiting some of the most beautiful waterfall around South East Asia.

Luang Prabang is a beautiful town with amazing temples, no wonder the town is a Unesco site!

A village can be seen on the hills while cruising on the Mekong.

Take a boat on the Mekong to get to the beautiful Luang Prabang.

The giving of the alms is a tradition in Luang Prabang, come and observe but keep your distance and be respectful.

When you get to Phonsavan to observe the jars, be careful how close you look! Those spiders love to spin their webs in them.

Field and fields can be seen in the countryside of Laos.

A boy and his mother work together in the fields.

This is Laos, a beautiful country with some of the most beautiful people I have ever met. Laos is a country full of kindness, of unknown and where nature flourish between mountains and valleys. Do not pass Laos, do not cross rapidly through the next country, instead take your time, go North, rent a motorbike or buy one and get out of the towns, go in the local villages, discover.

Have you been to Laos? What do you like the most about the countries you visit? Tell us everything in the comments.

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