BASICS - The Rough Guide to Laos - page 71

opponent, and the fight is considered finished when one of the two beetles breaks and runs.
The fighting season is during the rains when the insects breed. They are sometimes peddled
in markets tethered to pieces of sugar cane.
Trekking
The easiest and most popular adventure sport in Laos is trekking , with new routes opening
up across the country all the time. Trekking is rapidly becoming a major money-earner for
Laos, with a range of one- to five-day treks (usually with an environmentally conscious eth-
os) attracting visitors from around the world.
The far north has mountain scenery, forest areas and colourful ethnic hill tribes living in
traditional villages. There are excellent tourist facilities available in many northern towns,
with government-run tourist offices and numerous private operators running programmes for
tourists who want to take part in guided treks that are environmentally friendly and have a
low impact on the local peoples. Responsible trekking agencies should always be transparent
on where your fees go and how they benefit local communities.
For visitors interested in exploring rural Laos on foot, the best towns to head for are Luang
Namtha, Muang Sing, Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng, all of which have developed pro-
grammes for travellers wanting to make a series of day-trips based out of town or take part in
multi-day treks involving camping and village stays.
In South Central Laos , guiding units have been set up to allow visitors to discover sacred
lakes, ancient forests and interact with local tribes. The tours (see Savannakhet activities and
trips ) have been built to foster development and improve the lives of local people without
destroying the region's natural beauty.
NBCAs and eco-tours
A handful of Lao companies organize eco-tours to wilderness areas featuring rare and exotic
flora and fauna. Here, nature lovers and birdwatchers will find some of the rarest species on
the planet and vast forest canopies. Although Laos does not have any national parks in the
Western sense, since 1993 the government has established twenty-one NationalBiodiversity
Conservation Areas (NBCAs) , many still with villagers and hill tribes living within their
boundaries. Unfortunately, though NBCA status means government recognition of their biod-
iversity, this status has not conferred any real protection.
The NBCAs are scattered around the country, often in remote border areas without roads.
While many of the parks are inaccessible short of mounting a professional expedition, several
have been developed for eco-tourism and have visitor centres and guided walks . The best
developed NBCAs for tourists are Phou Khao Khouay , Nam Ha and Khammouane Lime-
stone , all of which can be reached by road.