Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the Mekong for the picturesque trip south to Luang Prabang - one of Southeast Asia's great
river journeys.
Lost in the misty mountains of the far northeast,
Hua Phan
province was the nerve centre
of communist Laos during the Second Indochina War, and remains well removed from the
Mekong Valley centres of lowland Lao life. The provincial capital,
Sam Neua
, has a resol-
utely Vietnamese feel (hardly surprising when you consider its proximity to the border), and
though it has a rather limited tourist infrastructure, there's a certain charm about the place
once you dig a little deeper. The main reason for a stay here is to visit
Vieng Xai
, where the
communist Pathet Lao directed their resistance from deep within a vast cave complex, and
where the last Lao king was exiled until his untimely demise. South along Route 6 from Hua
Phan is
Xieng Khuang
province, the heartland of Laos's Hmong population.
Phonsavan
, a
cool and dusty town, is the starting point for trips out to the mystical
Plain of Jars
.
To the
south
, the tail of Laos is squeezed between the formidable Annamite Mountains to
the east and the Mekong river as it barrels towards Cambodia.
Thakhek
is a good base from
which to visit the
Mahaxai Caves
and
Khammouane Limestone NBCA
, the highlight of
which is
Kong Lo Cave
, a cave with a river that can be navigated by canoe. Genial
Savan-
nakhet
, almost as culturally Vietnamese as it is Lao, makes a pleasant urban retreat, with an
architectural charm second only to Luang Prabang. The cool and fertile
Bolaven Plateau
,
where most of Laos's coffee is grown, is a refreshing stop during the hot season, not least to
try a cup of the famous brew. To the southwest lies diminutive
Champasak
, with its red-dirt
streets and princely villas. The ruins of
WatPhou
, the greatest of the Khmer temples outside
Cambodia, perch on a forested hilltop nearby.
Anchoring the tail of Laos, the countless river islands of
Si Phan Don
lie scattered across
the Mekong, swollen to 14km from bank to bank, all the way to the Cambodian border. One
of the most significant wetlands in the country, Si Phan Don is the perfect spot to while away
lazy days, and harbours scores of long-established fishing communities, as well as centuries-
old lowland Lao traditions.
