Laos - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Northern Thailand - page 762

Discovery ( Click here ) is the only real operator in Nong Khiaw. Vang Vieng has the most
established scene, with dozens of climbs ranging from beginner to expert. Nong Khiaw is
also gaining repute for its limestone ascents.
Trekking
Where else can you wander through primal forests, past ethnic hill-tribe villages and rare
wildlife, the triple canopy towering above you? This is possible largely in a sustainable
fashion throughout Laos, thanks to a blueprint drawn up by various international advisors
that were determined to help the country retain its natural wealth while harnessing its eco-
nomic possibilities. Several environmentally and culturally sustainable tours have been
developed, allowing you to enter these pristine areas and experience the lives of the indi-
genous people without exploitation.
These treks are available in several provinces and are detailed at
www.ecotourismlaos.com . You can plan to trek from Luang Namtha, Muang Sing,
Udomxai, Luang Prabang, Vientiane, Tha Khaek, Savannakhet and Pakse. Treks organ-
ised through the provincial tourism offices are the cheapest, while companies such as
Green Discovery ( www.greendiscoverylaos.com ) offer more expensive and professional opera-
tions.
Tubing
Something of a Lao phenomenon, 'tubing' involves a huge tractor inner tube that carries
you downriver. Climb in, sit back and tune out. Do be mindful of how much you drink
and what time it is; when the Nam Ou river runs high and swift it's at its most dangerous,
and at least one traveller a year loses their life. Vang Vieng is the tubing capital, with
Muang Ngoi Neua and Si Phan Don popular runners-up.
BOOKS
Lonely Planet's Laos has all the information you'll need for extended travel in Laos, with
more detailed descriptions of sights and wider coverage to help get you off the beaten
track.
» A Dragon Apparent (1951) Sees Norman Lewis travelling through the twilight of
French Indochina, animating his subjects with atmosphere and pathos, as the colonies are
about to be lost.
» The Lao (2008) Robert Cooper's locally published book (available in Vientiane) is a
pithy yet frequently penetrating insight into Lao culture, its psyche and the practicalities
of setting up here as an expat.