Laos Holidays

Tours in Laos

Only re-opened to tourists in 1989 and with vast untouched landscapes, Laos is your next great discovery – an adventure tale packed with natural beauty, historic intrigue and cultural wonders. Join our expert local guides, the country’s greatest narrators, on one of our Laos tours to experience all the twists and turns of one of the least-visited nations in Southeast Asia.  

For many, the allure of neighbouring Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia means they just tick off the highlights. But the deeper you go on your holidays in Laos, the more you’re rewarded. In this landlocked nation, golden temples meet shimmering paddy fields, karst mountains tower above wild countryside, and the life-giving Mekong River runs from top to bottom.  

The modern capital, Vientiane, dissected by the Mekong, is a captivating mixture of French-colonial relics and Buddhist temples, while Luang Prabang, the old Lanna kingdom capital, is a World Heritage site of well-preserved French architecture and a lively night market. 

In the north, the traditional life still thrives, while Vang Vieng is a hotspot for active adventures, including kayaking trips down the Nam Song River, caving and other watersports.  

Learn more about our Laos holidays by checking out our adventures below, reading our blog, or speaking to a member of our team.  

In focus: Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang in the north is a sleepy little town on the banks of the Mekong that was once the capital of Laos. At independence, Vientiane became the capital and Luang Prabang slipped into quiet neglect. Its shady avenues, crumbling colonial architecture and numerous wats – Buddhist temples – give the town a unique charm, heightened by a pleasant climate, superb setting amid steep forested hills, and the riverfront sloping down to the Mekong.

“The Luang Prabang atmosphere seeps over you,” says Philip Normington, Exodus expert and former overland expedition driver. “Mooching along the avenues, slipping into the cafés, trying the street food, wandering into a wat to hear the monks chanting…

“Saffron-robed monks still parade along the main street at dawn, collecting alms from the local people, but in the evening the street is transformed into a dazzling market. A bike is the perfect way to explore this seductive place. On one day we rode out to a local beauty spot, the Kuang Si Waterfall, and had a sumptuous picnic between dips in the pools at the foot of the falls. Laos is quite addictive, and very difficult to leave!”

Read more insights from our Exodus experts here.