Top Things to Do in Laos | Best Places to Visit for Tourists

Laos, a Southeast Asian country, is among the most serene yet underrated. Many think Laos is a boring country. But it actually offers thrilling things to do like trekking and enjoying the diverse natural beauty. Nestled between 3 countries, Laos is famous for Mekong cruises, misty mountains, and UNESCO towns.

Over 4 million tourists visit Laos yearly to explore the best places in Laos and enjoy year-round activities. Popular tourist spots offer peaceful, mysterious, and adventurous experiences for unforgettable memories. This guide covers things to do in Laos with travel tips, cultural and historical significance.

Throughout your trip, staying connected will be effortless with our SimCorner's Laos eSIM and SIM card options. Get our reliable high speed data from every corner for finding trails, checking weather, translating, and sharing photos instantly without any charge.

Read further for knowing the stunning landscapes and top experiences that make Laos a travel-worthy country.

Cultural & Historical Significance of Laos

Modern Laos has beautifully blended its ancient cultural and historical heritage. Theravada Buddhism of the 14th still shapes 98% of their daily routines. Over 50 ethnic groups have preserved their old traditions like Hmong silk weaving with protective geometric patterns and they still practice their local folk music. They hold traditional festivals and follow different sacred rituals by the riversides.

You will find historic sites like Pha That Luang stupa standing among the French colonial villas from the Indochina era. You will also find museums and monuments that remind of the Secret War. Because of all these, your everyday journey in Laos will feel like walking and still living in history. Unlike crowds like Laos’ neighbouring countries, this country will give you peaceful experiences.

Best Foods to try

Laos' national dish is called larb or laap which is a spicy minced meat salad. This is made with pork or chicken and other spices that capture the bold flavors of Lao’s cuisine. Sticky rice or khao niaw is what they eat the most, and which you can find in street food stalls too. For dessert, try khao niew mamuang, a sweet sticky rice topped with ripe mango and creamy coconut milk.

For Vegetarians, you can try hoong, veg larb with tofu or mushrooms, and fried morning glory. Everything will be widely available at the street stalls and night markets too.

Best Time to visit Laos

Usually November to April are the dry seasons here. So you will get cool temperatures, which is perfect for outdoor activities like trekking, visiting temples, and Mekong cruises. You will also find and can attend festivals like Boun Pi Mai in April. Try to avoid visiting from May to October, as these are the rainy seasons and cause floods.

Peak time to visit here is from December to February, for clear skies while you are enjoying the best places to visit and the top things to do in Laos!

Best Places to Visit and Things to Do in Laos

Now let’s see in more detail about Laos’ top 10 most popular and best visited spots where almost all the tourists go across the country to do the top things in Laos. You'll then understand what makes each of the places special, and learn how to explore it by doing the best activities there. You will also get some tips during your journey in those places.

Vientiane

The capital city is located along the Mekong river's east bank in south-central Laos. Here you will find urban modernity mixed with sacred old sites that are very near to Thailand across the river. There is a huge golden stupa, and Buddha relics inside makes it Laos' spiritual epicenter. In the Buddha Park, you will find 200+ surreal concrete statues which have gone viral as the "weirdest attraction in Asia."

In this very relaxed and chill city, you can do some activities like climbing Patuxai Victory Arch's seven levels for 360° city views, walking in the Buddha Park (this is one the top rated Laos activities to do), roam Talat Sao Morning Market for snake whiskey and silk, enjoy at the riverside bars, and learn about the Secret War history at the National Museum.

December to February are cooler and dry months, so it becomes comfortable exploring the markets and stupa climbs. You will get a festive vibe that time. But there is a risk of rain year-round. Try to visit Pha That Luang at dusk when it glows. Eat local foods. These simple things can easily fit for anyone’s things to do in Laos bucket list.

Natural Waterfalls & Swimming Spots

Kuang Si Falls

The falls is in northern Laos, nestled within a protected jungle along a scenic road. This multi-tiered turquoise water flows from 60 meters high through limestone into emerald swimming pools. This is one of the best Laos tourist attractions to visit as it is famous for its electric-blue glowing waters. This is also the best photogenic area, and a paradise for nature lovers.

This is a good place for hiking too. So hike the easy 20 minute jungle trail along the butterfly gardens to get multiple viewpoints. For a thrilling and fun experience, you can jump from rope swings into the cool pools and swim there. This is one of the top things to do in Laos. You can also visit the adjacent Free the Bears sanctuary to see rescued moon bears. You can also do picnics here.

November through February offers the best time to visit there. The water then runs crystal clear and stays cool too. You will also get low crowds so you can have peaceful swims. You can catch perfect rainbows in the mist too. Avoid coming from May to October during rainy time as there is risk of dangerous currents. Arrive there in early mornings, and wear solid waterproof shoes for trekking.

Vang Vieng Blue Lagoons

This is located 150km north of Vientiane in central Laos. Here the Nam Song River carves through jagged limestone karsts rising dramatically from rice paddies. This is now a top visited place in Laos for being "Guatemala of Asia". You will catch colorful hot air balloons floating over misty peaks too. This is a photogenic place too, for the social media freaks.

One of the popular things to do in Laos is tubing in the Nam Song River. You can then fly the hot air balloons, swim in the Blue Lagoon 3 turquoise pools, and hike nearby Tham Chang Cave. stay in groups, and with local guides for a safer trip in this one of the best rated Laos tourism places. Wear proper essentials here.

November to March offers the dry season with stable river levels, so perfect for tubing. You will also get calm winds that time for flying. Try to avoid wet months' muddy paths. A good tip is to book the balloons at sunrise for fog-free and more magical stunning views. Wear life vests in tubing.

UNESCO Heritage & Temple Sites

Luang Prabang Old Town

The town lies in northern Laos and this is the country's ancient royal capital, and a UNESCO World Heritage gem surrounded by misty mountains. This spot is renowned as Southeast Asia's only UNESCO town blending intact French colonial villas with 33 glittering Buddhist temples. The town has preserved 14th century Lan Xang Kingdom without mass commercialization.

Start your town tour at dawn to join the sacred Tak Bat alms procession and watch hundreds of saffron-robed monks collecting sticky rice from locals. This is a must see in Laos. Then if you want some hiking, climb 329 steps up Phousi Hill for 360° views over the rivers. You can explore the vibrant night market to buy handwoven silk scarves and other things as souvenirs.

December to March are the peak times to visit here. You will find festivals like Boun Pi Mai water celebrations. The weather remains comfortable for walking and taking photos of the clear skies. Try to skip rainy months. Pay respect to monk photography etiquette; this is a must among things to do in Laos.

British travel writer Pico Iyer complimented the place as,

"Asia's most enchanting city, where time stands still."

Wat Phou Champasak

The town is in southern Laos and it is a sprawling hillside complex amid rice fields near Cambodia's border. This town is UNESCO-famous for holding 1500 years of unbroken Hindu-Buddhist worship, and for showcasing pre-Angkorian stone carvings that rewrite Southeast Asian history.

Some of the best things to do in Laos can be done here. You can climb the 400 weathered stone steps at sunrise past lintels and lingas to the central Shiva shrine, then explore the sacred spring pools, and see the big baray reservoirs below. You can also walk the palm-shaded paths, visit museums etc. Keep this town in your ‘Laos bucket list destinations’ itinerary.

November to March is the dry season and so the best time to visit here, to avoid slippery stair falls. You will get lush green backdrops, and festival vibes. Arrive pre-dawn for fog-mist magical views, wear modest clothes as it is a sacred site, keep other necessary gears.

River Journeys & Island Escapes

Mekong River Cruises

This cruise will take you across Laos' entire 1800km length from the northern border town to the southern 4000 Islands. This is another best place in Laos, to visit as it becomes a tourist hub. The famous two-day "slow boat" from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang is celebrated as Southeast Asia's ultimate overland adventure for raw views of karst cliffs, ethnic villages, and gilded riverside waters.

Ride on the colorful longtail boats for the full two-day epic journey. This is the most popular among things to do in Laos. You can also paddle kayaks through gentle rapids and spot water buffaloes there. You can also opt for a short one-hour Vientiane sunset cruise while relaxing on wooden benches with river breezes.

November to April offers low water and is the perfect season for steady boat rides, and crystal-clear wildlife views of fishermen and birds. Peak months are December to February for clarity. Keep motion sickness pills, and choose boats with life jackets. Book in advance for seats, as this is among the top spots in Laos and so there are always crowds.

Paul Theroux, a travel author wrote about the cruise experience as,

"The Mekong slow boat is the journey of a lifetime – pure, raw adventure."

4000 Islands (Si Phan Don)

The 4000 Islands scatter across the far southern side near Cambodia. This is a lazy archipelago of 4000 islets of mostly rocks linked by French colonial bridges. Here you will find Earth’s last wild Irrawaddy dolphins (critically endangered). This place can give an ultimate chill vibe among Laos tourism places.

You can kayak to have guided dolphin-spotting tours, ride bikes on flat red-dirt paths across islands, trek to explosive Li Phi Falls viewpoint and swim amid spray.

December to April are cool and dry, so it is the best time for seeing dolphin activities. You can spot the dolphins around 7 to 9 am. This activity is one of things to do in Laos for kids. Keep sun protections.

Ancient Mysteries & History

Plain of Jars

These clusters can be found around Phonsavan town in central Laos. They are on a highland plateau with grassy hills full of Secret War bomb craters.This 2000 year old mystery of 2000+ giant stone jars of 1 to 3m tall are a popular visited place in Laos for being the "Stonehenge of Southeast Asia". This is a UNESCO tentative site and so a must see in Laos.

Archeologists fly over to see such an unsolved mysterious place. So you can also do guided tours across Sites 1 to 3 that are marked safe. You will have to climb the jars for viewpoints and see panoramic scenes of the surroundings. You can also visit the bomb museums to know about the War and these 80 million leftover U.S. bomblets.

November to April are the dry season and so the best time to visit here, for safer and dirt-free trails. This is a perfect half-day of exploration and so one of the short things to do in Laos. Make sure to hire local guides. A tip is to visit Site 2 for the fewest crowds. Keep essentials for walking.

Remote Adventure & Villages

Phongsaly

This is Laos' northernmost province, and is densely surrounded by tall mountains that cross the China-Laos line. It is covered in misty cloud forests and stepped rice fields on hillsides. It is popular for being the least-visited untouched ethnic enclave. You will get mesmerized seeing the authentic village life here. You can see their Phongsaly weaving traditions and heritage.

You can do guided 2 or 3 days of loop trekking to the remote villages by passing waterfalls and tea plantations. This is among the long things to do in Laos. You can also watch women demonstrating backstrap loom silk dyeing, and for culture lovers, this is a must see in Laos. You can enjoy drinking hill tribe rice whiskey around fires that local agencies will organize from the town.

November to February are the best time to visit here, for cool temperatures and clear trails. This is also the harvest season for villagers, so you can see golden rice glowing. Be careful with summer leeches, so keep insect sprays. Keep rain gears always, but also screenscreens and waterbottles during trekkings.

Ethical Wildlife Sanctuaries

Elephant Village Sanctuary

It is situated in northern Laos' forested hills. This is a riverside haven amid lush jungle trails. It received fame for rescuing over 40 mistreated work elephants after elephant riding scandals. The elephants are now living in a ride-free forest life. This work got praised by World Animal Protection and set a global welfare standard. That is why it is among top Laos tourist attractions.

You can do a paid half-day mahout training session and hand-feed sugarcane and bananas to the elephants. You can also river-bathe them gently using scrub brushes. This is one of the must things to do in Laos. Besides these, you can trek jungle paths alongside them to observe their natural behavior. You can also ride scenic bamboo trains through surrounding rice paddies.

November to March offers dry paths and favourable temperatures. So this is the best time to visit here and have fun. But advance booking is essential. Remember to wear quick-dry clothes and water shoes as you will be working with and in the water. Don’t do flash photography to prevent startling the elephants. Come in the morning to beat heat and see active feeding.

Stay digitally connected to the world when you get lost in the Magical Laos places

Just when you land at Vientiane and are filled with excitement for the best things to do in Laos in their top spots, get connected easily with SimCorner's Laos eSIM or SimCorner local SIM card. But remember that our eSIMs will need initial internet, like free airport WiFi to set up and activate; without it, they won't start working.

No worries about roaming bills from your homeland or any hidden charges. You can Choose our instant eSIM (after setup) or grab a SimCorner local SIM card for 98% nationwide coverage, from vibrant Vientiane night markets to remote 4000 Islands. You can translate the local language, find temple or forest routes, share live photos and videos without any tension.

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Things to do in Laos: FAQs

How many days are needed for visiting the best Laos tourist attractions?

Around 10 days will be more than enough for travelling across cities and exploring the popular tourist spots and the best places of Laos to do the top activities. You can travel cheaply on domestic flights. First a few days for the nights at the capital, then you can plan and divide your rest days for river cruise, trekkings, temple visiting etc.

Is Laos safe for travelers doing things to do in Laos?

It is a very safe country with low crimes and friendly locals everywhere. Stay in the tourist paths, use vehicles at night, and join guided tours for visiting remote areas or trekkings. Women travelers also love the chill vibe here. But avoid isolated areas after dark.

What are the top Laos activities to do for first-time visitors?

Go to Kuang Si Falls for swimming and bear sanctuary visits, Luang Prabang's dawn Tak Bat monk alms ceremony, and Vang Vieng for tubing and Blue Lagoon jumps. These blend Laos' best nature, culture, and adventure. You can also do fun in the capital, and other old towns exploring their ancient culture and heritage.

What language is spoken in Laos tourism places?

Their official language is Lao which is similar to Thai, but basic English too works well in tourist spots, hotels, and city markets. Learn some basic Lao for interacting with locals. You can also use our SimCorner’s eSIM data for translations.

How to stay connected while exploring Laos tourist spots?

Our SimCorner's Laos eSIMs or physical SIMs offer high speed reliable data in every remote to city places. It is perfect for finding routes, translating the local language, alerting you with tips and necessary information about festivals, staying online to share live pictures etc. Check our Laos eSIM service for unlimited plans, activation, and pricing details.