Laos: Jewel of the Mekong

The official name of Laos is the Lao People's Democratic Republic, or Lao PDR. The country and the people are charm and friendly. This is the main tourist attraction of Lao destination. The country moves at a pace as languid as the Mekong River that flows through it. Towns are less hectic than elsewhere in Asia and the countryside is a combination of beauty and tranquility.
Like its neighbors in Indochina, Laos spent much of the last half of the 20th Century hidden from the gaze of the outside world. Visitors today encounter a simple society with a strong spiritual tradition where the stresses and strains of the modern world seem irrelevant. Many travelers bemoan the loss of "Asia in the old-days", but it can still be found in Laos. The temples have a unique charm and whilst not as grandiose as the temples of Angkor, they exude serenity and character.