Laos is landlocked, mountainous and slower-paced than its neighbours. Luang Prabang, a former royal capital of monasteries at the confluence of two rivers, is the centerpiece; Vientiane is a low-rise capital, and the Mekong provides both transport and the landscape most trips are built around.
The guides on this page cover Laos as a whole. The dry season runs November to April, with the hottest months before the rains arrive. Agricultural burning from roughly March to May produces heavy haze in the north that affects both views and air quality. Overland travel is slow — mountain roads and river boats set the pace regardless of distance.