42 Best Sights in Laos

Eclipsed by Luang Prabang's night market and these days less tribally oriented than its name might suggest, this covered market has piles of produce and household goods, including textiles and many Chinese-made items.

To freshen up your knowledge of Lao ethnic groups before a trek, drop by this museum where the exhibits provide a glimpse into the lives and culture of the area's 25 different ethnic groups. The tribal costume display is delightfully kaleidoscopic.

This small but lovely temple next to the Royal Palace compound dates from 1796. Its sweeping four-tier roof is characteristic of Luang Prabang's religious architecture, but more impressive are the magnificent wood carvings and gold-leaf murals on the main pillars and the portico entrance to the temple. These intricate panels depict the last life of the Buddha, as well as various Asian animals. During the Boun Pi Mai festival (Lao New Year), the Phrabang sacred Buddha image is carried from the Royal Palace compound to Wat Mai for ritual cleansing ceremonies.

This wat that dates to 1563—its last major renovation was in 1956—guards the original city pillar, a revered foundation stone also from the 16th century. Throughout the day, this temple receives a steady stream of local visitors seeking blessings for themselves—and their new vehicles! In a small park in front of the monastery stands a rare memorial to Laos's royal past: a large bronze statue of King Sisavang Vong, which survived the revolution because it had been cast by a Soviet artist.

A courtyard with 6,840 Buddha statues stops the show at this intriguing temple-monastery complex across from Ho Phra Keo. Built in 1818 by King Anou, the temple survived Vientiane's 1828 destruction by the Siamese army; the monastery, still active, remains intact in its original form. The courtyard contains little niches and large platforms with Buddhas of all sizes. The impressive temple hall underwent some restoration in 1938. The intricately carved wooden ceiling and doors still impress, but time has taken its toll on the paintings that once covered the hall's walls.

The 16th-century Wat Visoun and neighboring Wat Aham play a central role in Lao New Year celebrations, when ancestral deities, called Pou Nyeu and Nya Nyeu emerge from Wat Aham and dance in the processions down Sisavangvong Road. Wat Visoun was built in 1503, during the reign of King Visounarat, who had the temple named after himself. Within the compound is a large and unusual watermelon-shaped stupa called That Makmo (literally "Watermelon Stupa"). The 100-foot-high mound is actually a royal tomb, where many small precious Buddha statues were found when Chinese Haw marauders destroyed the city in the late 19th century (these statues have since been moved to the Royal Palace). The temple hall was rebuilt in 1898 along the lines of the original wooden structure and now houses an impressive collection of Buddha statues, stone inscriptions, and other Buddhist art.

Forested mountains surround this island-dotted reservoir lake that's accessible by car from Vientiane. Floating restaurants here serve freshly caught lake fish, and there's a large hotel complex, the Dansavanh Nam Ngum Resort. Visitors with plenty of time to explore Laos's countryside may want to skip this trip—there are far better destinations—but those on tight schedules will enjoy the opportunity to experience rural Laos without having to venture too far from Vientiane. Getting here by public transportation is time-consuming. A better option is to take a tour. Green Discovery Laos conducts excellent day trips, 2 million kip ($246) for two people, that include a boat ride on the lake and visits to markets, fishing villages, and salt-extraction cooperatives.

A dramatic area of sheer sandstone cliffs, river gorges, and abundant wildlife, this nature preserve also contains the Ang Nam Leuk reservoir, an artificial lake explorable by boat. The preserve's three rivers empty into the Mekong. Several simple restaurants and refreshment stands do business along the reservoir's banks.

A major archaeological wonder, the Plain of Jars is one of the world's most tantalizing mysteries. The broad, mountain-ringed plain northeast of Vientiane is littered with hundreds of ancient stone and clay jars, some estimated to weigh 5 or 6 tons. The jars are said to be at least 2,000 years old, but no one knows who made them or why. They survived heavy bombing during the Vietnam War, and their sheer size has kept them out of the hands of antiquities hunters.

The jars are scattered over three main areas, but only the Ban Ang site is accessible and worth visiting. Here you can find some 300 jars dotting a windswept plateau about 12 km (7½ miles) from Phonsavan, the capital of Xieng Khuang Province. This is true Hmong territory: you pass Hmong villages on the way from Phonsavan to Ban Ang and on Highway 7, which leads east to the Vietnamese border at Nong Het. There's much of interest in this remote area along Highway 7, including hot mineral springs at Muang Kham. From Muang Kham, a road leads to Vieng Xay, which has more than 100 limestone caves, some of them used as hideouts by the revolutionary Pathet Lao during the war years.

Parts of the ancient city wall in this port in Khammuan Province are still intact. Stunning countryside and karst (limestone caverns and sinkholes) surround Tha Kaek, and the area contains dramatic limestone caves, most notably Tham Khong Lor. More than 6½ km (4 miles) long, this cave is so large that the Nam Hin Bun River runs through it. Thailand's provincial capital of Nakhon Phanom sits across the Mekong River from Tha Kaek. Ferries connect the two cities.

Along with the adjoining Mines Advisory Group office, the center provides sobering insight into the horrifying realities of unexploded ordnance, much of which still litters the Plain of Jars area. The center has a small exhibition about the subject, and documentary films are shown each afternoon from 4:30 to 7:30. A visit here is a must for anyone exploring the region.