WHY VISIT LAOS?
For many years, Laos seemed to oscillate between two extremes. On the one hand, it was an ‘under the radar’ destination, often overshadowed by its flashier and noisier neighbours and with a capital city so peacefully subdued it was described by The Lonely Planet as ‘somnolent.’ A country where processions of saffron-robed monks still paraded through the cities at dawn and where the rich ethnic diversity meant that you were as likely to see a woman wearing a traditional headdress as you were a man wearing a baseball cap.
On the other hand, Laos was also regarded by some as a must-visit hotspot for hedonists and hippies drawn by the allure of the fabled ‘banana pancake trail’ and an attitude to drugs that was as relaxed as the atmosphere.
The truth is, this country is still both of these things, but having taken steps to clean up some of the seedier elements of its reputation and now with a steadily growing eco-tourism scene, Laos has shown itself to also be so much more.
Laos is a place that wears the scars of its past and lines formed by laughter with equal dignity and honesty. Whether it is “where you see the real Asia” (as one Laotian man we met described it) is debatable, but with its massive ethnic diversity, incredible scenery, vibrant mix of cultural histories and above all its unfailingly authenticity, it is a debate that Laos definitely has a chance of winning.
