Luang Prabang is the UNESCO-protected jewel in Laos' crown. Visit for a day and you'll find numerous temples, French-Colonial facades and a laid-back Sunday morning ambience. Stay awhile longer and you'll experience early morning alms-giving rituals, a sensory overload at Long Street food market, and the secret to climbing the stone steps to the top of Mt Phou Si without the crowds. Get on your bike and explore around the Nam Ou River for a more agricultural perspective on life in Laos' ancient capital.

You won't find as many temple-ticking tour groups in Vientiane as you might in Luang Prabang, which is why we often suggest discovering this small and unassuming capital before exploring the rest of the country. Spend entire days bimbling around Vientiane, strolling by the riverside or dipping in and out of coffee houses and French-style bakeries. The night and day markets are geared towards locals, rather than tourists, and are great places to shop and socialise. The parks surrounding the Buddhist pagodas and national monuments are perfect for taking a break and watching the world wander by.

Northern Laos does ‘off the beaten track’ extremely well, whether you’re keen to trek to traditional villages or contemplate life on the banks of the Nam Ou River from the peace of a bamboo balcony. Temperatures are cooler in the north and life feels, somehow, less complicated. Accommodation ranges from natural spa resorts to rustic riverside retreats; although you're just a day's drive from Luang Prabang, you're a world away from the typical tourist circuit. This is somewhere to tune into nature and drop off the grid for a while.

Oudomxay

Far from the tourist trail, you can trek or cycle through forested mountain foothills, or pad quietly across tiled temple floors, without worrying about avoiding the crowds.Oudomxay hides some superb cosy lodges, too, where you can spend a couple of nights exploring the region, learn Lao cookery from locals, and sit back to soak up the scenery.

Nong Khiaw

Sleepy Nong Khiaw, 78 miles (126km) north-east of Luang Prabang, straddles the languid Nam Ou River at the bottom of a deep, forested valley. Wonderful views of the surrounding peaks are to be had from the Chinese-built bridge that connects the two sides of the village, but you’ll get a more vivid feel of the landscape by taking a guided trek along the river.

Phongsali

The people of this remote, tea-growing region of Laos are sometimes considered to have more in common with neighbouring China; seeking out the cultural heritage museum in Phongsali's cobbled old town is great for learning more.

This intriguing region is rarely visited by travellers unless they're crossing into Vietnam, which is a shame because it’s home to utterly spectacular mountain scenery as well as some of Laos’ most compelling history. Base yourself in Phonsavan and you'll have access to one of Southeast Asia's most important prehistoric sites, the Plain of Jars, as well as the not-for-profit organisations, MAG and Lone Buffalo. Xam Neua provides another great setting to explore in the mountainous northeast, with the nearby Vieng Xai Caves creating a sobering reminder of the lengths Laotians went to during the American War.

The Plain of Jars

The Plain of Jars is one of Southeast Asia's most significant prehistoric sites, but due to its out-of-the-way setting it's still rare to see many other visitors. There's no gate, no opening times, and no guard. The nearest town, Phonsavan, has a small hotel where you can stay overnight, allowing you to spend a full day here if you have time. Sunrise over the Plain as the early morning mist rises from the valley floor can be absolutely mesmerising.

Vieng Xai Caves

The surrounding mountains are nothing short of humbling, and feature one of the region's most fascinating remnants of the American War: the Vieng Xai Caves. This vast subterranean network was where the Pathet Lao hunkered down, and they served as protection for thousands of Laotian civilians against the constant barrage of US bombs.

Nam Ou River

We feel confident asserting that the Nam Ou is one of the most stunning rivers you'll ever see. Life along its banks continues much the same way as it always has, with the reptile-green water flowing through sheer limestone gorges and forested valleys on its way to join the Mekong.

‘Laid back and sleepy’ barely does southern Laos justice, but if you're looking for tiered waterfalls, abundant birdlife, and even the (perhaps surprising) possibility of inland island hopping between Si Phan Don’s deserted beaches, it’s the place to head to. Press pause in a luxury riverside resort and explore Angkor-era ruins and Buddhist temples without the crowds. Trek to backwater villages to discover traditional ways of life and dusty jungle trails, and to the coffee and tea plantations of the Bolaven Plateau for cooler climes where you can escape the heat.

Si Phan Don (4,000 islands)

One of the most formidable impediments to full navigation of the Mekong is the mighty Khone Phapeng Falls near the Cambodian border. Beyond the cataracts, the river divides into a tangle of different channels, flowing for roughly 30 miles, around a constellation of islets and islands. The so-called Si Phan Don, or ‘Four-Thousand Islands’ region supports a population of rice subsistence farmers, whose paddy fields form splashes of brilliant green against the dun-coloured river banks.

Champasak

Clambering up hundreds of higgledy-piggledy stone steps to Wat Phou, just outside Champasak, is a great way to gain deeper insight into the might of the Khmer empire, without having to navigate the crowds of Angkor Wat. The hillside setting, at the base of Mount Phou Khao, offers far-reaching views all the way back to the Mekong, and the sheer scale of the complex encourages imaginations to run riot amongst 1,000-year-old stone statues.

The Bolaven Plateau

Lying between the Annamite Mountains and Mekong River in the far south of Laos, the Bolaven Plateau ranks among the most remote and beautiful corners of Indochina. A lush, fertile upland filled with waterfalls, spice plantations, cardamom and coffee groves, it was originally developed in the 1900s by the French, who appreciated the region’s temperate climate.