Being a truly exotic travel destination, this landlocked country has been attracting flocks of tourists towards the various things to do in Laos. Exhibiting a perfect amalgamation of cultural diversity, food, art, and festival celebrations through the many activities it offers, Laos becomes a hub for adrenaline seekers as well as solace lovers. Whether it is cycling up to the pristine rainforests or just chilling in still waters, the array of entertainment options offered here is a big one.
Whether you are a thrill seeker or peace explorer, the fantasy land of Laos provides a perfect amalgamation of outdoor activities to do in Laos with soulful places. Pump your blood with an exciting walk in a dense jungle, diving deep into the waterfalls of Pha Pheng, exploring caves Pak Ou, and uncountable exposure to adrenaline pushing places.
Don’t worry about what to do in Laos and just start cruising over the Mekong River along with your friends and family makes your travel time more exciting and fun-filled. Pack your bags and get ready to explore Laos because it is all set to give you beyond your expectations.
That Ing Hang Stupa is around nine meters high with wonderful cutting and improvement. It's accounted for to house a relic of Buddha's spine. The sixteenth century stupa is situated in Savannakhet, Central Laos. Savannakhet itself is well known as the origin of Laos' famous previous pioneer, Kaysone Phomvihane. It was otherwise called a French exchanging station back in provincial times thusly there are various vintage French pilgrim and Sino-Franco structures in the business locale. The hallowed stupa is an essential spot of love for Laotian Buddhists as well as Thai Buddhists who live in northern Thailand. Highlights – Visit That Ing Hang Temple, an important place of Buddhists and national treasure of Laos. Discover the mixture architecture of Hindu and Buddhist style as well as the beautiful embossments Opening Hours: Daily from 08:00 – 18:00 Location: In Ban That Village about 15km north of Kaysone Phomvihane District, Savannakhet Province in Central Laos |
The visit to the museum is a matter of great excitement and joy. There is a great admiration for all the exquisite and all the historical work of art presented by two of the masters of the scientific illustration. The journey is further excited as we are on to embark through space with an amazing photographic exhibition done by the great Michael Benson.
There is an experience to remember for with the 3D reality of the virtual world exploring the coral reef, the largest in the world. The people should pass through the center for the stunning cocoon by Darwin. It is a day to be the scientists for a single day and thus exploring the science center.
1. Visit Pha That Luang: Magnificent fortress surrounded by high walls and a stunning 45-meter-tall stupa with gold leaf top covered makes this place one of the favorite spots by travelers. This is one of the most important Buddhist monuments which is located in the Thanon That Luang Vientiane, Laos. Nagas snake sculptures guard the stair and while taking a walk within the premise, you can enjoy the all-new exposure to Buddhist culture and get ready to get mesmerized with the golden stupa place in the center. Join this faithful place with your friends and family to make your Laos trip delightful and peaceful.
Location: Vientiane, Laos
Price: 5000 KIP
Timing: From 08:00 to 16:30 on Mondays to Fridays, and 08:00 to 17:00 on Saturdays and Sundays.
2. Explore Wat Si Muang: Talking about the “Mother Temple” of Vientiane, Wat Si Muang holds great significance in the Laotian community. It is a Khmer temple with captivating scenic beauties that hold great significance among the people of Laos. You can add this spiritual place to your bucket list of things to do in Laos and explore a mind and soul relaxing experience. During your visit, you can take a survey of Buddhist communism and architectural beauty depicting great sculptures and designs carved on the walls and entrance. Take some coconuts, flowers, incense, and candles for offering and seek the blessing from the purest place in Laos.
Location: 15 Rue Bourichane, Vientiane, Laos
Price: 3000 KIP
Timing: 06:00 AM - 07:00 PM
3. Sacred Hill of Laos: The first thing that you’ll see on reaching the beautiful city of Laos is the Sacred Hill of Laos also known as Phu Si is a spiritual center of Luang Prabang, which holds one of the incredible skylines with 100 meters Hillock towers. The beauty of these hills withstands at the top and in order to reach the top you need to climb 355 stairs, giving your walk a pleasure to interact with nature. On top of the hill, you will get a panoramic view of Luang Prabang city with beautiful temples placed over the vast land of greenery. If you plan your visit during morning or evening time then you can catch the engrossing sunrise and sunset respectively.
Location: Luang Prabang, Laos
Price: 20000 KIP
4. Buddha Park: The solution to what to do in Laos ends here at the famous parks of Laos is the Buddha park which holds more than 200 beautifully crafted religious statues spreading all over the park. It’s another name is Xieng Khuan or the “Spirit City”, where you can push your horror fantasy with cryptic symbols on statues. Along with small statues, it has a huge Buddha image which is 40- meters long which is placed at the center of Buddha park. Pump your blood with some thrilling experiences during your visit to the park and make sure it holds a spot in your list of things to do in Laos.
Location: Deua, Thanon Tha, Vientiane, Laos
Price: 5000 KIP
Timing: Daily from 8 am to 5 pm
5. Attend the Buddhist ceremony of almsgiving to monks: Feeling confused about what to do in Laos? Start exploring the vibes of the spiritual practice of Buddhist monks where they perform an Almsgiving ceremony offering gifts of rice, fresh fruits, and traditional sweets in a bowl and pass it to the monks. It is believed that giving food to monks is a way of devoting their service to the gods and getting their blessings. If you want to be part of Laotion’s old tradition then you can join them and seek their blessing, else you can enjoy the peaceful Almsgiving to monks from a distance.
Location: Luang Prabang, Laos
6. Boating at Mekong River: Originating at the Yunnan province of China, the Mekong river holds the title of the lifeline of Laos. Mekong river in Laos is famous for its fabulous boating experience, which makes your day more beautiful with its scenic beauties. You can add this to your list of things to do in Laos and take a slow boat ride in the Mekong river where you can enjoy your meal. During the boat rides, you’ll be experiencing the nature vibes with countless greenery, palm trees, small mountains, and many more. Boating at the Mekong river is a must thing to do in Laos.
Location: Luang Prabang, Laos
7. Bicycle from Vientiane to Luang Prabang: Planning what to do in Laos then Get your bike gears on and get ready for a perfect bike adventure through the gorgeous countryside, bicycling from Vientiane to Luang Prabang. This adventure is perfect for a group of friends or adventure enthusiasts because, during your expedition, you’ll be experiencing beautiful lush green tropical forest, small hills, old villages, and muddy rivers. The best bicycle ride is that you can take hold at any point, especially the pit stop at waterfalls, where you can take a dip at the base of the waterfall, giving a cool relaxing experience to your body.
Location: Luang Prabang, Laos
8. Explore Pak Ou Caves: Make your trip more memorable and exciting by exploring the Pak Ou Caves with your friends and families. It is a place of worship which is made more compelling with its location i.e sitting at the junction of Ou river and Mekong river. You can have a dual travel experience by enjoying the cruising experience along the Mekong River, passing traditional rural cities located on the roadside, and then exploring the scenic beauties of Pak Ou caves. These deep caves are full of thousands of iconic images of Lord Buddha and spiritual chanting & prayers will give you an alluring experience. Must add this to your bucket list of things to do in Laos and create more memories.
Location: Pak Ou Caves, Laos
Price: 20000 KIP
Timing: Daily 8 AM to 5 PM
9. Lao Massage: Traveling around the breathing landscapes of Laos will make your body heavy and tired, making you look for a relaxing paradise. Lao massage is famous all over the world as they give a relaxing massage experience, making your body feel fresh and active. Make sure you fit this somewhere in your list of things to do in Laos. It starts from foot reflex massage and moves towards your head, giving a peaceful experience to your mind and body. Along with the soothing songs playing in the background is absolutely worth it as you will be getting an experience beyond your expectations.
Location: Vientiane, Laos
Price: 40,000 - 60,000 KIP per hour
10. Hot air Ballooning at Vang Vieng: Thinking about a lifetime experience in Laos then Hot air ballooning fulfills the purpose. Vang Vieng is a beautiful mountain, which is a favorite spot for tourists because of its Hot air ballooning activity. You can book your slot for sunrise or sunset timing and catch the warming environment vibe with your friends and family. This is one of the cheapest hot air ballooning rides in the world. What are you waiting for, just add this to your list of things to do in Laos? Just hop into the basket and get ready to experience the spectacular scenic view.
Location: Vang Vieng, Laos
Price: 7,53,000 - 11,28,000 KIP per person
Timing: Daily 7 AM to 10 PM
1. Shop at the famous night market: Traveling is incomplete without shopping and you can’t miss the flea market in Laos where you can find the best home decor at reasonable rates. Add this to your list of things to do in Laos as the lightning and crowd rush will make this market of Luang Prabang more active and happening. This is one of the best things to do in Laos.
2. Go for clubbing in the night: Laos is famous for nightlife, whereas the sun sets down, beer chuggers take refuge at the clubs and cafes. Take a sip of your drink and enjoy a loud music vibe and blazing lighting, making your night memorable.
3. Treehouse stay with Gibbon Experience: The Gibbon Experience creates an environment of thrill and adventure where you be the king of the jungle and enjoy your beautiful night stay in the treehouse. The nightlife experience in the jungle will inject adrenaline at a much faster rate, giving you a taste of all-new adventure.
4. Relaxing experience at Kong View restaurant: After a tiring day, you can enjoy the majestic view of the Kong view restaurant where you can feel the cool breeze giving you a relaxing dining experience and along with it, you can admire the beautiful sunset view over the Mekong river.
1. Wander around the hills of Muang La: Experience the romantic nature vibes of Muang La hill with your partner, where you can hold your partner’s hand and glance at the majestic view from the top of the hill.
2. Create cozy moments at the Nam Et Nests: The perfect place where you can have some thrill and romantic moments at the same time. Hanging in the jungle with bamboo eco-pods will create an all-new excitement where you can spend some cozy moments with your partner, making your travel memorable.
3. Walking around Vang Vieng: You can take a peaceful yet relaxing walk around Vang Vieng and especially during sunrise or sunset time. It also holds many adventurous activities to do in Laos including trekking, climbing, water sports, and many more.
4. Candlelight dinner in Luang Prabang: Enjoying your evening with your partner with the perfect warm aura and soothing music vibes creates a subtle place for candlelight dinner. Feed yourself with the finest food restaurants in Laos.
5. Taking a dip at Kuang Si Falls: Kuang Si Falls is the right spot for romantic couples to hang out, where they can enjoy the tempting pools in the center of Laos Lush green vegetation. You can feel the freshness and positivity in the air creating a sensation of romance in your body.
1. Kayak tour at Si Phan Don: Paddle around thousands of Islands at Si Phan Don, where you glide through beautiful scenic landscapes breaking the water flow at the Mekong river. Make your experience more memorable as you might get a chance to see some endangered species during your kayak tour.?
2. Zipline experience in the forest: Zipline is one of the exciting and thrilling activities to do in Laos which is carried out in the dense forest managed by experts of Gibbon Experience. Get ready to make your heartbeat run faster when you travel at an amazing speed between the woods
3. Rock Climbing in Nong Kiau: Get your gears on and pack your bags as you are about to experience the most heart-pumping adventure activities to do in Laos i.e rock climbing. Strive through limestone mountains and explore the beautiful scenic view from the top.
4. Hot air ballooning at Vang Vieng: One of the gentler sorts of adventure in the beautiful city of Laos is the Hot air ballooning at Vang Vieng. You can catch a beautiful sunrise or sunset view with your friends and family and enjoy the amazing atmosphere along with scenic views.
5.Trekking at Nong Khiaw: Discovering new spots for your trekking experience at Nong Khiaw, where you can explore 100’s of waterfalls that will make you fall in love with nature. Explore the beautiful natural beauty of Laos with ethnic tribes and wildlife. Add this to the list of activities to do in Laos and make your trekking experience more memorable.
You can reach Laos by flight from India i.e Take a flight from New Delhi to Vientiane airport or reach Luang Prabang from Kolkata airport. The flight time will be around 8 - 9 hrs.
You can reach Laos via Air, Water, Rail, and Road.
By Air: Take flights from your country to Wattay International Airport, Luang Prabang, Pakse, or Savannakhet. There can be direct flights, if not then you need to have a connecting flight from Thailand or Myanmar.
By Water: You can reach Laos from the Thai border with a speedboat, cruises, or slow boat. The estimated time of arrival is between 1-2 days.
By Road: You can drive in your vehicle through various entering borders such as China, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Make sure you hold all the legalities and documentation while crossing the borders.
By Rail: You can also enjoy your travel experience Via Rail which connects only passenger services running between Bangkok and Vientiane.
The best time to visit Laos is between October and April when the weather conditions are warm and pleasing to travel. If planning river travel then make sure to visit between November and January because during this time the water levels are normal and will give you a pleasant experience during your travel.
4-5 days would be enough to explore all the hidden gems and beauties during your visit.
Day 1: Start your day by visiting the best local spot i.e Pha That Luang and on the same day enjoy the balloon ride at Wat Si Saket and during night time enjoy the Candlelight dinner in Luang Prabang.
Day 2-4: Take part in various activities such as Tubing, kayaking, Mountain Biking, Rock Climbing, and many other thrilling activities. It might take 1-3 days to cover all the activities in the beautiful city of Laos.
Day 4-5: Experience rural life Luang Prabang where you get to know more about budhist culture and history. You can also visit Nong Khiaw, and Vang Veing for scenic beauties.
The famous attractive spot for tourists in Laos is Kuang Si caves with magnificent waterfalls, Kong Lor caves, Wat Phu spiritual place, Pha Pheng awe-inspiring waterfall, and Luang Prabang temples.
The cost of a Laos visa on arrival is approximately $50 which is equivalent to INR 3700.
Yes, Luang Prabang is one of the finest temples in Laos, which depicts beautiful sculptures, artifacts, and the history of Buddhism culture. You can spend your peaceful time here and give your body a relaxing experience with a positive aura of the place.
Luang Prabang and Vientiane have their own warmth and beauty that attract travelers from different parts of the world. If you are planning for a calm, slow life with some spiritual essence then Luang Prabang is the right spot for your travel. Also, you can explore various sculptures in temples and museums in Luang Prabang.
If you plan to explore a vibrant place where you can experience different styles of food and have great nightlife then Vientiane is the place where you want to go first. Enjoy your city ride in Tuk Tuk and explore various unexplored spots in Vientiane city.
3-4 days are needed to explore and spend time in the beautiful city of Luang Prabang.
Day 1: Enjoy the panoramic view from Mount Phou Si, which is located in the centre of Luang Prabang’s Old Town and in the evening do some shopping at Luang Prabang night market.
Day 2-3: Take a walk through the biggest attraction of Luang Prabang i.e old town, which holds beautiful scenic views, traditional shops and cafes. Also, you can plan a soothing visit to the Royal Palace Museum on the same day to explore the lao history and culture
Day 3-4: Take a tuk tuk ride to Kuang si falls and enjoy it’s majestic aura and vibe. If any shopping is left then Luang Prabang market is open late night.