| Sabai dee khrup! | | | | Swiss, Japanese and Russian nationals are free to |
| I love to travel to places which hasn't been | | | | enter Laos at anytime, while all other tourists |
| included yet by many tourists in their lists of | | | | need a visa (for one or possibly two months) |
| must-see, must-go destinations. Every time I | | | | issued by the Lao embassy or consulate. A visa |
| travel, I make sure that I get to satisfy the | | | | on arrival is also available to most people entering |
| cravings of my taste buds for a country's national | | | | at the airports in Vientiane and Luang Prabang, as |
| or provincial cuisine, to experience the grandeur of | | | | well as in the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge between |
| its atmosphere and to take advantage of its | | | | Nong Khai in Thailand and Vientiane. |
| picturesque surroundings for souvenir photos. | | | | Laos offers no fancy bars or nightlife venues and |
| Year 2008, My sister and I went to Laos People's | | | | other luxurious amenities. However, the country |
| Democratic Republic. Its a place of great people, | | | | boasts the friendliness of its people and warm |
| rich culture and well preserved historical heritage. | | | | hospitality, the distinctive warmth of their |
| As you read along, I will take you to an | | | | countryside, breathtaking nature destinations, |
| informative journey to a place I called haven. | | | | deliciously superb variety of cuisines and a unique |
| Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a communist | | | | culture that has been enriched by its history and |
| single-party socialist republic. A small land lock in | | | | the modern contemporary time. |
| the Southeast Asia, the country is bordered by | | | | There's a wide array of choices to eat in the |
| Burma and the People's Republic of China to the | | | | place, though I don't remember now what the |
| northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the | | | | names of those foods we ate there, but I tell |
| south and Thailand to the west. Laos is divided | | | | you, you would surely forget your name for a |
| into 18 provinces and the Capital is the City of | | | | while once you tasted any of those. |
| Vientiane. | | | | When in Laos, its a "must" (and I really mean that |
| The official language is Lao which is similar to Thai. | | | | the trip would never be complete if not |
| Majority of the people are Buddhist with a | | | | experienced), to take the 2-day Eco-tourism |
| significant proportion of indigenous religion. The | | | | trekking on Ban Nalan Trail in the north of Laos, |
| county is a member of international organizations | | | | Angkor style Khmers Temples which is |
| such as the Association of Southeast Asian | | | | considered as World Heritage site. Nong Khiaw |
| Nations (ASEAN), East Asia Summit and La | | | | offers slow boat ride between beautiful Karst |
| Francophonie - an international organization of | | | | cliffs where you can discover amazing natures |
| governments with French as the mother or | | | | structures and hill tribes. The other part of Laos |
| customary language, that makes some proportion | | | | has this Iron Age cemetery, limestone caves and |
| of the people are Francophones (French | | | | tubing on the Nam Song river and a cave with |
| speakers) or where there is a notable affiliation | | | | 200 Buddha statues of all sizes that are also |
| with the French language or culture. Laos' first, | | | | meant to be unmissed. |
| French-written and monarchical constitution was | | | | Laos has no railways, except a short link that |
| promulgated on May 11, 1947 that declared the | | | | connect Vientiane with Thailand over the Thai-Lao |
| place to be an independent state within the | | | | Friendship Bridge and Vietnam Airport. To be able |
| French Union. | | | | to Enter the Country of Laos, you need to be |
| The Lao economy is heavily dependent on | | | | from Vietnam or Thailand. |
| investment and trade with its neighbors, Thailand, | | | | Travelling to Laos gives the best value for you |
| Vietnam, and, especially in the north, China. It has | | | | money. For 2 days we spent over 10,000 Thai |
| also experienced growth based on cross-border | | | | baht, if you convert it to Kip, its around almost 1 |
| trade with Thailand and Vietnam, and the tourism | | | | million Kip for the hotel accommodation, food, the |
| sector has grown rapidly from 14,400 tourists | | | | adventures, and fares from Thailand and back. |
| visiting Laos in 1990, to 1.1 million in 2005. Annual | | | | My sister and I left the small but beautiful country |
| tourism sector revenues are expected to grow | | | | of Laos with a heart filled with joy and |
| from $250 to $300 million by 2020. | | | | satisfaction. |