There are some 6 million people living in a country about the size of Britain. The mix is wide and colourful with an official tally of 68 different ethnic groups. They range from sophisticated city dwellers to isolated hilltribe people living high in the remote hills.

About 60% of the population
are Theravada Buddhists
and this is recognised as the state religion.
Spirit worship is widely practised,
not only by most of the other 40%
but by many Buddhists too.

The Mekong valley has been fought over for thousands of years. But modern Laos started coming into shape with the arrival of Buddhism
in 1356. French colony 1893–1953; Japanese occupation 1941–45; the secret war linked to the Vietnam war 1964–73; communist Lao People's Democratic Republic born 1975 and closed period of repression and killings began; softening political regime and move towards capitalist economy in recent years.

Laos is a land of mountains, rivers, forests and mists. It is slightly larger than Britain, elongated between China and Cambodia and also bordering Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. There are three main seasons: hot in March to May, rainy between May and November, and dry and relatively cool from November to March.

Rich in culture, rich in heritage, rich in Buddhism, rich in rivers, mountains and forests ... Laos is a place of fascination
and adventure amid a diverse and hospitable people.

Work your way through our site and find what you want when you travel - and, at the same time, take the time to learn a little about this struggling nation that once again stands at a crossroads between the past and the future with powerful neighbours and even more powerful forces of trade and politics.

Go now, before the Mekong is changed, before the road networks eat into the wild places and before the modern influences reach the easygoing pace of a rural nation that must change to combat its problems.