Vegan Nomads Slow Travel

Luang Prabang is a UNESCO World Heritage site mainly due to its wonderful architectural heritage.

Although not the largest, Luang Prabang (very often shortened to LP by people who want to show off their insider knowledge of Laos) is certainly the most important city for tourists. A trip to Laos is simply not complete without Luang Prabang, and you must shape your itinerary in a way so that you can include it somehow. It's the ideal base for exploring the rolling mountains of the north, the hill tribe villages and jungle atractions or just taking a lazy meander down the Mekong.

Luang Prapang is actually a collection of small villages. This is quite visible in the centre, where walking down the streets you will have the feeling that you are indeed in a village. The centre of the city has a wonderful atmosphere, is very quiet and there is very little traffic, so walking can really be enjoyable. Then of course, there is the Mekong river right in the centre of town, with cafés all along the riverside, most of which are actually built over the water. There are buildings only on one of the river banks, the other one is occupied by thick jungle – and plantations of course.

Vang Vieng is a small town north of Vientiane, on the Nam Song River. It's surrounded by striking limestone mountains and caves. Tham Poukham, to the west, is a cave with a blue-green lagoon and a reclining Buddha statue. North is the deep Tham Nam Cave, which has a spring at its entrance. Nearby, Tham Xang Cave has a stalactite resembling an elephant. The town is home to 16th- and 17th-century monasteries.

Situated at the bend of the Mekong River, close to the Thai border, Vientiane was virtually destroyed by the Siamese army in the 1820s after an unsuccessful rebellion. When Laos became a French protectorate in 1893, colonists rebuilt the city which is why, wandering around, you’ll often see hints of Paris. Besides the Patuaxi monument, an homage to the Arc de Triomphe, this is most evident in the charming riverside old town with its cafe culture, and the fading but still handsome mansions.