Before reading this guide, this reviewer knew little about this forgotten country of South East Asia. However, readers are told that “Laos, with its Tharavada Buddhist culture, pristine countryside and French influence is one of the great treasures of this huge region. It is a truly unique and delightful country to visit.”
Getting into Laos by any method of transport can be a bit of a challenge, we are told. Visas and currency are no longer a problem, but air travel (mostly from Bangkok) can be tricky. Lao Air run a fleet of Franco‐Italian ATRs, but their one and only Boeing 737 was repossessed by the American leasing firm because the Lao government had defaulted on the payments. However, the two most popular routes in by air from Bangkok are to Vientiane (the capital of Laos) and the Thai city of Udan Thani whence buses run to the Friendship Bridge crossing the Mekong River into Laos. Flights from other countries such as Singapore and Burma have been suspended because of economic conditions.
Once travellers have succeeded in getting into Laos the guide gives much valuable information on customs and etiquette, safety, where to stay, getting around (the tuk‐tuk or motorised three‐wheeler taxi is a popular sight in towns); food and drink, shopping, and holidays and festivals. There is also a much‐needed chapter on health precautions which intending visitors should study. There is an excellent list of further reading as well as a useful list of Internet sites which contain up‐to‐the‐minute information on the region.
The regions of Laos are then described, commencing with the capital city Vientiane, recommending places to visit, sites of historic importance, accomodation, eating out, bars, entertainment and shopping. Much of the Northern region of Laos is mountainous, a remote borderland which abuts Thailand, Burma, China and Vietnam. It has a significant population of hill peoples. Until recently, the best method of travel was by boat along one of the many fast‐flowing rivers which carve their way through the impressive landscape. Now, road travel is beginning to improve, but is still not easy. The key centre of the North is the old royal capital of Luang Pratam, one of the world’s most beautiful cities. To the East is the Plain of Jars ‐ a strange and wonderful place ‐ and to the North are the string of small towns which are becoming increasingly popular places to visit. Part of this region ‐ particularly the Plain of Jars ‐ was heavily bombed during the Vietnam War.
The central provinces are sandwiched between the Mekong River ‐ which in turn forms the border with Thailand ‐ and the Annamite Mountains and Vietnam in the East. This area is less popular with visitors. Travellers do cross into Laos from Vietnam here, but few choose to linger for long. However, the scenery is beautiful, particuarly in the upland areas of the East. The Mekong towns of Thakhet and Savannakhet are elegant and relaxed in French colonial style. The Southern part of Laos was earmarked by the French for settlement and still bears strong French influence. The area has become a coffee producing region and is popular with tourists. Visitors who travel South down the Mekong River from Pakse, near the former capital of Champassak, see some of the finest Khmer ruins outside Cambodia at Wat Phon. Travelling downstream even further, the visitor finds that the Mekong divides into myriads of channels and islands. The largest of these ‐ Dan Khong ‐ offers a wonderful escape from the world.
The regional sections of the guide are followed by an excellent background chapter on the country which covers the history of Laos and its colonisation by the French, who eventually granted it independence. This was followed by the rise of Communism which eventually, and tragically, led to involvement in the Vietnam War. Travellers can still visit (with an experienced guide) the Ho Chi Min Trail which the Americans bombed (unsuccessfully) during the war. Much unexploded ordnance still abounds, and everywhere can be found discarded vehicles and equipment which, in due course, turn up in unlikely guises in Laotian villages.
The geography of this little‐known country is fascinating and the intensive rainfall leads to Laos being a major rice producer. The country also has a strong cultural and artistic background, and interesting descriptions of the hand‐woven and dyed fabrics for which the country is justly famous can be found here. The prime religion is Buddhism and this influences both the literature and the art of the country. There are a large number of tribes inhabiting Laos as well as different ethnic groups (Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Malay etc), and this leads to a vibrant but peaceful society. Life expectancy among the tribes is not good, with poverty endemic and tropical diseases rife. Laos, though beautiful, is one of the poorest countries in the world and, consequently, part of the black economy consists of growing opium poppies ‐ Laos forms part of the golden triangle of South East Asia. However, as the chapter on the economy shows, gradual improvement, though slow, is happening and the country is beginning to open up and improve relations with surrounding states.
To conclude, this is probably the best guide to Laos around, and a must for the travel reference shelves. The authors are all experts in their field and very familiar with this region, thus lending the work further authority which other guides do not have.
