a river running through a valley with mountains and a city in the distance

Tailor-made Laos Holidays

Green landscapes, river life, twinkling temples. Sink into the laid back culture, & look beyond the orange robes...

Laos Holidays

Relaxing, green and genuinely welcoming, laid-back Laos is the place to spend unhurried time and find your own pace. Its enigmatic landscapes and exquisite temples are perfect for gentle exploration, while its jungle-flanked rivers offer wonderfully immersive boat trips.

The country’s craggy landscapes are incredibly scenic, and trekking is a true joy. Wander along paths through rolling hills and rice paddies to farming villages, or explore the mountain routes which lead to traditional forest communities.

A traditional Buddhist way of life prevails for the majority of Lao people, and days are refreshingly slow-paced, even in the capital city. Visitor numbers are much lower than neighbouring countries, and we’ve experienced a great deal of spontaneous hospitality whilst travelling there.

Green landscapes, river life, twinkling temples. Sink into the laid back culture, & look beyond the orange robes...

Start planning your journey here...

Give us a call 9am-5pm UK time Monday to Friday, or make an enquiry online at any time.

Call us on
01273 670 001
Get in touch

Laos Highlights

Meander down winding riverways and travel overland by train to see some of the country’s most remote corners…
Find community connections with conservation projects, homestays and locally-led experiences in a place where the travel footprint stays light.
See a country that hasn’t been over-polished for tourists – Laos is Asia at its most raw, real and vibrant.
a woman selling vegetables at a market

“A brilliant 26 day tailor-made holiday for the two of us, visiting amazing places and meeting loads of local people. Many temples, elephants, tuk tuks, canoes, bikes, sunset cocktails and BeerLao!”

Graeme Smith, Laos trip, 2023 (Feefo)

Top journey ideas and places to explore

Laos Less Travelled

Laos
With the remote Hin Nam No National Park at its centre, this journey incorporates both better-known and lesser-visited parts of Laos, stretching overland from Luang Prabang to the 4000 Islands on a route threaded with local connections and cultural insights.
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Price fr. £2,990
Ideal duration | 15 days

Laos Unlocked

Laos
A journey through Laos’ laid-back cities and rural landscapes, exploring the country’s rich cultural heritage, meeting the friendly locals and going on an adventure or two.
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Price fr. £3,790
Ideal duration | 18 days
a close-up of a hand reaching out to the water

Rivers, Highlands & Islands

Laos
Covering a remote corner of northern Laos, the Oudomxay region is one of those places that you’ll always want to stay an extra day… This journey honours slow travel at its best, balancing time in Laos’ main cities with a relaxed stay in the forest.
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Price fr. £3,490
Ideal duration | 14 days
long shot of boats on a river

Spirit of Laos

Laos
Step away from the classic routes through Laos to experience the country at its own pace, allowing yourself to follow its calmest rhythms. Discover a deep, natural connection that brings you closer to this resilient country, and feel its steady heartbeat.
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Price fr. £3,290
Ideal duration | 16 days

Northern Soul

Laos
Head to Laos’ scenic northern region where you can expect to find fast-flowing rivers, forested hills, karst-limestone crags, towering mountains and remote communities.
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Price fr. £2,990
Ideal duration | 10 days

Rail, Road & River through South-East Asia

Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Multi-Country, Cambodia
Make the journey the destination by travelling through Indochina & Thailand by rail, boat and road. Trundle by train through spectacular landscapes, pause in rural retreats and energising cities, cruise along the mighty Mekong and winding waterways, and feel the region’s heartbeat as you experience its distances and shifts at their source.
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Price fr. £5,890
Ideal duration | 22 days plus

Where will you visit next?

Stunning landscapes, historic moments, cultural shifts and local connections. Explore Asia, your way...

All places to go

Luang Prabang

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North East Laos

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Northern Laos

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Southern Laos & 4,000 Islands

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Vientiane

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Spiritual cities

a group of young monks walking down the street

There’s no resisting the allure of world-famous UNESCO city Luang Prabang, the country’s crown jewel with hundreds of extraordinary historic temples.

It’s not exactly Asia’s best kept secret these days, but is still surprisingly charming and visitor footfall is relatively low. Thanks to LP’s towering fame, the capital city Vientiane does count as something of a hidden gem — we like to give it a couple of days, enjoying the uncrowded temples and excellent street food stalls.

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a group of young monks walking down the street

Extraordinary landscapes

several large rocks in a field

Laos is full of intriguing landscapes which lend themselves to simply exploring.

The mysterious Plain of Jars, a sprawling megalithic site, is yet to be fully explained by archaeologists, while the Bolaven Plateau offers superb scenery and coffee plantation homestays. In Viang Xai you can visit a cave complex which housed thousands of people during the Vietnam war — complete with underground schools, temples and hospitals.

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several large rocks in a field

Time to unwind

a person fishing in a lake

The 4,000 Islands region (Si Phan Don) offers this landlocked country an alternative to the seaside.

Riverine islands sit in a broad shallow stretch of the Mekong, where the flow slows and life is laid back even by Laos standards. Spend time here relaxing, island-hopping and messing about in boats, all within reach of the Bolaven Plateau, the peaceful streets of Champasak, and the Angkor-era temple of Wat Phou.

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a person fishing in a lake

River life

a river with trees and mountains in the background

Rivers are still a significant way for locals to get around in Laos.

A river journey will help you synchronize with the gentle pace of your hosts, and there’s no better way to sense the country’s heartbeat. Catch a boat and you’ll be out amongst the local fishermen, with a fine view of life on the riverbank and rarely a tourist boat in sight.

a river with trees and mountains in the background
jeep
Luang Prabang at sunset
Elephant Conservation Centre

Fantastic holiday

Using Selective Asia took all the stress out of booking and organising the trip ourselves as we were travelling around the country. Selective Asia were really responsive to our needs and created our perfect honeymoon holiday. They were available whenever we had questions or needed some help. I would highly recommend using their service!

Alice, Sri Lanka

Another fantastic trip with Selective Asia

We’ve been on 5 trips to the Far East with Selective Asia over 17 years with the same consultant (Lionel). They take the time to tailor the holiday individually with invaluable local knowledge and once again got it spot on. Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them.

Rob Clarkson, Vietnam

Highly Recommend Selective Asia

Have been to Asia with Selective Asia twice now, and we can't fault them. We had the most amazing holiday staying in 6 different locations throughout Thailand. Selective Asia did us proud by giving us a well thought out itinerary. The accommodations were first class. Our private guide called James was very knowledgable and made our holiday very memorable.

Susan Bartlett, Thailand

Personalised and spot on journey

Personalised service all the way up to departure and then throughout via on the ground help and advice in country as well. Ideal.

Ann B, India

Our trip to Japan was outstanding

We had had several discussions with Andrew, our agent, before booking the trip and he incorporated all the activities we were interested in plus recommending other activities that he knew we would be interested in. Much of our trip was self guided and SA provide an excellent app to help with this. It was intuitive, easy to use and had the option to be able to contact someone locally if necessary. The whole trip was seamless and managed at a thoroughly professional yet friendly level. I would travel with this company again (we have travelled with them before.)

Heather, Japan

It was amazing from start to finish. Really informative when we were planning the trip, flexible about our itinerary, offering a range of options but all backed with knowledge of the lodges and reserves. The support when we were away was excellent with alternative arrangements made quickly when a flight was cancelled and great advice when our return flight seats were changed. We would absolutely recommend the company, particularly if you are looking for something a little different but special.

Linda Johnson, Borneo

Inspiring experiences and places to stay

Lean into the details of your bespoke Asia trip to discover rare experiences, exceptional hotels, local connections, inspiring conservation and much more…

Start planning your journey here...

Give us a call 9am-5pm UK time Monday to Friday, or make an enquiry online at any time.

Call us on
01273 670 001
Get in touch
a person in a helmet on a zip line
Laos

‘Zip’ over the unspoilt jungles of Laos

people watching elephants from a safe distance
Laos

Discover dedicated elephant conservation in a rural idyll

Laos

Get involved with Community-Based Tourism in Laos

a group of people hiking in the woods
Laos

Lofty Laos: walking & trekking

Laos

Nam Ou River Homestay

nests at nam et
Laos

Rest in the jungle at the Nam Et Nests

a person eating food on a table
Laos

Taste Laos

Laos

Traverse the Bolaven Plateau by Jeep

Place to stay
Deluxe Resort

La Folie Lodge

Don Daeng, Southern Laos
Place to stay
Mid-range

Nam Kat Yorla Pa

near Muang La, Oudomxay
Place to stay
Mid-range

The Sanctuary Pakbeng Lodge

Pakbeng
Place to stay
Mid-range

The Belle Rive Boutique Hotel

Luang Prabang

Talk to our expert team...

Every Asia trip we build is finely tuned to fit you, and that all starts with a chat. Let us know what you're hoping to see, feel and experience on your travels, and the places you're dreaming of, and your Asia Specialist will craft a route that includes everything you want and more.

Call us on
01273 670 001
Get in touch

The Selective Asia difference

  • Bespoke journeys tailored just for you
  • Unparalleled local knowledge and expertise
  • Award-winning, nose-to-tail service
  • Responsible travel
  • 24 hour local support
  • Our flexi-booking promise and financial clarity

No ordinary Travel Company

Personally designed, exceptional journeys across Asia that champion a passion for travel with care for community connections and the planet.
Unfollow the herd.

Fully protected and flexible bookings

Selective Asia is a fully ATOL licensed and bonded tour operator, and our flexi-booking promise offers increased protection & peace of mind.,

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