Introducing: Wat Phu in Champasak, Laos With all the travel lovin’ the Khmers get in Cambodia, I’m always amazed how little attention the historical predecessor to the famous Angkor Wat attracts just across the border in Southern Laos. Just outside the tiny town of Champasak, this Khmer temple predates the Angkor complex by at least …
Vang Vieng is a place synonymous with narcotic paradise, backpacker raves, and the infamous “tubing” craze. Vang Vieng won’t let you leave without partaking in at least one day tubing. By tubing, I mean floating down the river in a rubber ring, stopping at bars along the way with the sole purpose of getting totally …
Muang Ngoi is a small village on the banks of the Nam Ou River in Northern Laos. It’s a one-street village with no motorized vehicles—the only way to get there is by a one-hour boat ride from Nong Khiaw. It’s a peaceful place to spend a couple days. There’s only electricity from 6pm to …
Photo of the Week: Muang Ngoi and surrounding Countryside, Laos Read More »
This video was filmed in February 2012. It was made together with Juno Kim of RunawayJuno.com. We paused in Luang Prabang for a couple of weeks on a trip through China, Laos, and Vietnam. I think it captures the essence of this tranquil city on the Mekong. If you enjoyed the video, please share with …
By Stephen Bugno Despite inflation and inflated expenses for travelers, Laos is still an inexpensive place to travel. I started this series with: What it costs to travel in Malaysia. I wanted to give independent travelers an idea of the costs associated with traveling in individual countries because it can be extremely helpful during the …
I started a series last year to try to describe to readers what it’s actually like in selected cities worldwide. Too often travel writers highlight points of touristic interest or glamorize a destination only to elevate it beyond its reality. That is their job: to sell destinations. I wanted to go beyond that and tell …
When I posted my Vientiane images to my Flickr album, my father commented to me by email that “Vientiane was often in the news in my college days, but there were never pictures.” Well, Dad, here are some pictures. None are spectacular, but my point is to give you some visuals so you have a …
After crossing the border from Thailand we immediately boarded the slow boat bound for Luang Prabang. Riding a slow boat in Laos is one of those things you don’t want to miss while traveling in this land-locked country with over 4,600 miles of navigable waterways. Because slow boats are the …
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