 A closely guarded secret for nearly 20 years, Laos has only recently begun to receive visitors.Landlocked and wedged uncomfortably between Thailand, Vietnam, China, Cambodia and Burma (Myanmar), Laos is something of a rustic poor relation trapped in a time warp. An hour flight from the steamy crush of Bangkok, Laos is a country of jungles, mountains and valleys frothing with mist and a tiny population of 4 million -- an incarnation of Thailand 40 years ago. Novelty and comparative inaccessibility make it a magnet for travelers who hope to boldly go where few have gone before. "The Land of the Million Elephants and the White Parasol" has always bewitched visitors, with its gentle people, colourful hilltribes, elegant temples, abundant natural beauty and unhurried pace of life. Religion is still a vital part of life and every month sees uniquely Lao festivals combining Buddhist and ancient animist beliefs. Laos was the least significant country in French Indochina, whose colonists referred to it as an earthly paradise and adopted a policy of "benign neglect". This has left a legacy of appalling roads, no railways, and practically non-existent infrastructure, which in its own way, add immensely to the country's charm. | 
About Laos
This trip takes you from the effervescent modernity of Chiang Mai to the tranquil, beautiful time-capsule of Luang Prabang. Traveling along near deserted roads amongst lush mountainous scenery in areas untouched by modern developments and commercialism.
From the Southern Lowlands of Pakse to the former colonial outpost of Champasak, the tranquil presence of Si Phan Don and the lush coffee plantations of Bolevan Plateau.
Every year, thousands of people from all over the country gather here to celebrate The Boun That Luang, the largest Buddhist festival event of Laos to mark the end of religious celebrations for the year here. This colorful festival takes place here in independent square praying to the That (stupa) as to follow their believes for more than 438 years ...