LAOS

Easily reached from Thailand or Cambodia, Laos is cheap and becoming more popular with tourists (though it still isn't Bangkok!). Laos is a breathtaking country with really friendly people. There is some AWESOME white water rafting and kayaking in Laos through some absolutely gorgeous countryside and they have some great moutain climbing and trekking trips as well. Check out the website below.

Visas:

Money

Places to go:

Vientiane

Some people say to get out of Vientiane fast, but having at least 1 night and 1 day there is worth it. It's very relaxed for a capital city! You can rent bicylces for US$1 till 9pm to get around the city - it's easy to navigate with the Lonely Planet map and it's small enough that you can bike around with no difficulty. Traffic is light to non-existent on the weekends.

getting there:

It's not too expensive to fly to Vientiane or Luang Prabang from Bangkok. You can also take the overnight train from Bangkok to Nong Khai, then tuk-tuk/bus it to Vientiane. Make sure you take the overnight train with the 1st class sleepers though or you will be on the train from hell.

to see:

Buddha Park - It's a bit of a way out, but you can find a tuk-tuk that will take you out there, wait for you, and bring you back into town for about 15,000kip ($15US). It's about 45 minutes each way. You can take a bus out there much cheaper, but it runs a bit sporadically, and you can fit 5 or 6 people in the back of a tuk-tuk to split the fare if you can find others.

Patuxai - like the Arc de Triomphe of Laos with a good view of the city from the top. Close by is one of the main Buddhist temples of Laos, Pha That Luang and a huge market.

Luang Prabang

Another relaxed city. It's a gorgeous city with lots of temples, beautiful scenery, and really friendly people. Wander around the city and relax in sidewalk cafes.

to see:

Pak Ou Caves - take a day trip (returns at 1pm) up the river to see them.

Phu Si Mountain - in the center of town and the view from the top is amazing.

Lots of Buddhist temples and lots of good day trips.

Vang Vieng

Loads of outdoor activities as the place is packed with caves in the impressive 1200m limestone karsks. It's easy enough to find the caves - one of which extends for an hour till you reach a "blue" lagoon in the back. The structures in the caves are all well-preserved. Hike to the tops of the hills for amazing views. Take a day tour of a water cave, elephant cave (not so impressive) and kayak down the river back into town. For US$3 you can rent a tube (large tyre inner tube?) and a tuk-tuk ride to drop you off and you can tube the river. There's also a 7 metre rope swing and zip line (omega) into the river!

There are bars and entertainment spots for the evenings too.

Top Tips:

• Allow a day to commute from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng.

Web Sites:

Go trekking and see the elephants with Green Discovery - http://www.greendiscoverylaos.com/

Their tours look really good and the staff at offices in Vientiane and Luang Prabang are really helpful and speak great English. Be aware of time restrictions - the tours don't go every day.