Far North to Far South

Cambodia entry and exit points A rundown on Cambodia entry and exit points including international airports and land border crossings relevant to our Cambodia small group tours. Airports The small Southeast Asian country of Cambodia currently boasts three airports for commercial, passenger flights, all of which have international facilities and two of which are relevant to our Cambodia small group…

Kuang Si Waterfall The picturesque waterfalls, turquoise cascades and limestone-edged ponds of Kuang Si, nestled amid forest some 30 kilometres southwest of Luang Prabang, are an understandably popular destination with both locals and foreign visitors. Though not far from town, it did used to be a bit of an arduous trip along either muddy or dusty, but always bumpy, trails…

Lao money | Which currencies would I be using on a tour of Laos and how much should I take?

Wat Phu Wat Phu and associated vestiges, situated in the vicinity of Champassak Town in southern Laos, comprise the ancient Hindu temple itself, an eclectic collection of outlying sanctuaries and the remains of at least two significant-sized ancient settlements. Much of what we see today at Wat Phu dates to the 11th century and the reign of King Suryavarman I,…

Highlights of Southern Laos The picturesque World Heritage town of Luang Prabang in northern Laos is justifiably renowned, as are the spectacular, karst formations of scenic Vang Vieng. The strategically placed, riverside capital Vientiane also, inevitably, sees a regular flow of visitors but many of the other wonderful sites Laos has to offer remain consistently off-the-beaten-track. Our brief rundown of some…

The Plain of Jars The World Heritage Plain of Jars, situated in remote northeastern Laos, is a seriously off-the-beaten-track destination although, fortuitously, visits are facilitated by Xieng Khouang Airport which serves the adjacent town of Phonsavan and provides daily connections to the capital Vientiane. At present, the far-flung provincial capital has just three road connections. Route 7 leads west to…

Best things to see and do in Vientiane The relatively small capital of relatively small Laos slips under the radar in comparison to larger and more high-profile Southeast Asian capitals such as Bangkok, Hanoi, Kuala Lumpur and even Phnom Penh but, while it is very much a low-key and laid-back kind of city, (so much the better), there are certainly…

Cambodia money This Cambodia money post explains the slightly complicated dual currency system, which one you’re likely to use, what it’s worth and how to obtain it. The official currency in Cambodia is the riel, with approximate exchange rates being 5,200 for one UKP or 4,500 for a Euro, while a dollar will get you around 4,000. Conveniently, the nice…

When’s the best time to visit Laos? Probably the most frequently asked question in respect to this part of Southeast Asia is ‘when’s the best time to visit Laos’. In our opinion, there’s no simple answer so read on for a brief overview of Laos weather and a few of the pros and cons of travel at different times of…

Laos World Heritage Sites The latest addition to UNESCO’s Laos World Heritage List – inscribed in 2019 and to our minds, long overdue – is the Megalithic Jar Sites of Xiengkhuang, commonly known as the Plain of Jars. Usually associated with adjectives such as mysterious or enigmatic the site consists of over 2,000 giant jars, carved out of solid rock…

Lao E-visa A new online, Lao E-Visa system is now in place and valid for entry at the following immigration points: Wattay International Airport, Vientiane, Luang Prabang International Airport, Pakse International Airport and land crossings at the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge Vientiane and the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge II, Savannakhet. (Note it is not available at the Friendship Bridge IV, which connects…

A few random pics from our recent Mekong Adventure tour; a 2-week and 1,000-kilometre journey by land and by river through the heart of Indochina from Lao’s laid back and scenic capital of Vientiane to Cambodia’s bustling and fun Phnom Penh. The first stop on our Mekong Adventure after leaving Vientiane was a great local market set up by Hmong…