We both loved Laos! Even though the population is 6.8 million people, 80% live in villages, so even the capital city doesn’t seem that busy. Coffee is still served with heaps of condensed milk and sugar, but nice coffee if you get it black.
Toilets at restaurants (pretty local restaurants, may have western menu, but nothing else western about it) tend to be in the family house, with hair gel, toothbrushes etc by the sink. Not many locals smoke here, big difference from Indonesia!
Religion is really interesting, over 60% Buddhist, 1.2% christian 0.8% Muslim and over 30% Animists, which believe there is a spirit to everything, animals, plants, rocks etc. Perhaps that explains their attitude, they are so friendly and relaxed. No one hassles you to buy anything, and they all love to practice English, and once again we felt like celebrities. I dread to think how many photos of us are being shown around in Laos.
Animals roam the towns, they always have right of way, and cars/bikes etc don’t mind waiting for them to meander off the road, although they do toot their horns and the animals seem to understand!
The roads are incredibly hilly in the North and roads north and south are full of massive potholes, or the road has disappeared and is clay for a few metres, which in rainy season can make it hard for bus’s to navigate.
It doesn’t take long at all to relax into the Laos way of life, and would recommend this country to anyone coming to South East Asia, a real undiscovered gem!
Toilets at restaurants (pretty local restaurants, may have western menu, but nothing else western about it) tend to be in the family house, with hair gel, toothbrushes etc by the sink. Not many locals smoke here, big difference from Indonesia!
Religion is really interesting, over 60% Buddhist, 1.2% christian 0.8% Muslim and over 30% Animists, which believe there is a spirit to everything, animals, plants, rocks etc. Perhaps that explains their attitude, they are so friendly and relaxed. No one hassles you to buy anything, and they all love to practice English, and once again we felt like celebrities. I dread to think how many photos of us are being shown around in Laos.
Animals roam the towns, they always have right of way, and cars/bikes etc don’t mind waiting for them to meander off the road, although they do toot their horns and the animals seem to understand!
The roads are incredibly hilly in the North and roads north and south are full of massive potholes, or the road has disappeared and is clay for a few metres, which in rainy season can make it hard for bus’s to navigate.
It doesn’t take long at all to relax into the Laos way of life, and would recommend this country to anyone coming to South East Asia, a real undiscovered gem!
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| Luang Prabang |
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| Phonsavan |
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| Vang Vien |
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