Gay Laos

This horrific incident occurred just a short distance from Luang Prabang, while the two were visiting a zip-lining park. The article says they encountered the swarm of killer hornets while climbing a tree with their guide at the eco-adventure resort near Luang Prabang. https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/father-and-son-die-after-getting-stung-more-than-a-100-times-by-killer-hornets-in-laos

From MSN / South China Morning Post In some poorer areas, stunting is even more prevalent. Experts say a lack of dietary diversity is a big part of the problem Laos is facing worsening child malnutrition, with experts warning that the country's economic challenges and underfunding for agriculture are contributing to the crisis, leaving thousands of children at risk of experiencing stunted growth and other serious health complications. At the 10th National Nutrition Forum in Vientiane, speakers from global agencies and academia said there was a need for comprehensive measures to tackle the crisis, as failure to do so would hurt the Laotian econ…

Visiting in January 2025 for a week. I’ve sussed a lot of the cultural ‘must dos’ but does anyone have recommendations on gay bars, clubs, massage places or spas please? Any info appreciated especially from recent travellers x

I find it rather funny. His massage fails make me feel like an expert in navigating the unexpected here in Thailand. The translation from Japanese to English takes some getting used to, especially when he uses terms like "cave exploration" (I think it means insertive sex), "sword" (penis) and "white light" (cum?), "exit" (ejaculation?) The structure of Japanese sentences also do not convert well into English, so you have to overlook that. Overall, it's nice to see what a straight sex tourist gets by way of experiences.

From The Nation While still in its developmental stages, this ambitious project already offers a captivating glimpse into the nation's rich artistic heritage, showcasing a stunning array of masterpieces that speak volumes about Lao culture, spirituality and history. Officially opened on January 5 in Nonsa-at Village, Xaythany District, the museum is a significant undertaking, spanning 80 hectares and aiming to become a major cultural landmark. The vision for this grand institution was conceived by Phisith Sayathith, who sought to create a space that blends traditional and modern artistry, inspiring unity and pride. The complex currently features …

From The Nation The first 7-Eleven convenience store in Luang Prabang, Laos, has received a positive response from both residents and tourists, according to its operator, CP ALL. Chairoj Tiwatmuncharoen, Senior Vice President of CP ALL, said the 7-Eleven LPB PHOSY branch was officially opened on Thursday and is operated by its subsidiary, CP ALL Laos. Viengthong Hatsachanh, Mayor of Luang Prabang, presided over the opening ceremony of the store, highlighting the city's worldwide acclaim as a premier tourist destination and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. “Luang Prabang presents strong potential for…

From MSN Colourful rectangular wooden boats carrying tourists are chugging along at a leisurely pace across the Mekong River. The atmosphere is idyllic, disturbed only by the monotonous throbbing of the boats' engines. Hills rise gently on both sides of the mighty river, water buffaloes are grazing on the banks. A fisherman in a longboat casts his net, while the heat of the day slowly descends on Laos from the pale blue sky. The cosy vessels are dubbed "slow boats" and the contrast to the speedboats that whiz along the canals in neighbouring Thailand could hardly be starker. The name embodies the Laotian atti…

From The Independent by Amelie Maurice-Jones Cracking open bottles of ice-cold Beer Lao, we gaze across the Mekong River, eyes peeled for elusive elephants amidst the oil-green cliffs and stormy jungle before the sky, heavy with rain, turns inky black. I’m with a crew of backpackers, stopping overnight in the small town of Pakbeng on a two-day boat trip from Thailand into central Laos. While the elephants evade us, multiple sightings of water buffalo that we mistake for the world’s largest land mammal, prove thrilling enough after several drinks. A few decades ago, this journey wouldn’t have been possible. Caught up in America’s war on Vietnam (L…

From The Star A group of hikers at the top of Phou Malong mountain in Laos. -Pasaxon VIENTIANE: Authorities of Laos’ southwestern Champassak province are planning to create a hiking trail on Phou Malong mountain in Phonthong district, aiming to attract more tourists and create more revenue for local people. Provincial officials and the staff of Green Discovery adventure and eco-tourism company have decided on a round-trip trail covering a distance of 15.4 kilometres, starting from Nava village in Phonthong district. The trek will last two days and include an overnight stopover point. The trail passes through dense woodland and past clear streams.…

From Laotian Times Laos’s inflation rate dropped in 2024 to 21,3 percent, down from 31,2 percent in 2023, according to official reports. Despite this decline, the cost of living remained high throughout the year, with data from the National Statistics Bureau showing a surge in the Consumer Price Index, which rose from 208,3 in 2023 to 243,5 in 2024. This has highly impacted household expenses, particularly in areas like healthcare and food. In 2023, spending on basic needs like food and non-alcoholic beverages, the most commonly purchased items for Lao people, had the greatest impact on household budgets. A significant portion of income was allocat…

From NY Times The Vientiane Railway Station is one of the new behemoth train stations in Laos that feature peaked red roofs and cavernous waiting rooms.Credit...Lauren DeCicca for The New York Times By Christine Chung Christine Chung, a travel reporter, spent a week in Laos, traveling by train and bus. Jan. 1, 2025 Laos, a place that feels stuck in time, is at the precipice of change. Backpackers found the country decades ago, drawn by staggeringly beautiful limestone mountains, elaborate Buddhist temples and an unhurried and inexpensive pace of life. Only the most intre…

From VN Investment Review DoubleTree by Hilton Vientiane is situated in the heart of Laos’ capital city with access to major transport hubs and iconic local attractions, making it a prime choice for business and leisure travellers. The opening reflects Hilton’s continued expansion in Southeast Asia, spotlighting the growth opportunities in the region, where Hilton is set to almost double its portfolio in the coming years. “Laos boasts a rich cultural heritage and stunning natural landscapes. With the opening of DoubleTree by Hilton Vientiane, we are honoured to bring Hilton’s signature hospitality to the heart of this up-and-coming destination,” said …

From Richardbarrow.com The Vientiane (Khamsavath) Railway Station is set to open in April 2024 for shuttle trains crossing over the border from Nong Khai. There are also plans for at least two trains a day to transport passengers all the way from Bangkok to Vientiane in Laos, with a fare of less than 300 baht for the cheapest ticket. All three classes of travel will be available. PLEASE NOTE: This is the metre-gauge line from Thailand. It has nothing to do with the high-speed line that is still under construction. Pichet Khunatamruk, the Director-General of the Department of Rail Transportation (DRT), revealed in an interview with Daily News that the DRT wi…

From The Thaiger A treasure chest was unearthed along the banks of the Mekong River in Bokeo Province, Laos, revealing a trove of Buddha statues, gemstones, coloured stones, metal artefacts, and other valuable items. The discovery follows earlier findings of Buddha statues and ancient artefacts in the same area, believed to be the site of an old temple and city from the fabled Suvarnakhomkham Kingdom era. Monk Khattiya Baramee shared images of the excavation, showcasing a large, well-preserved Buddha statue. The statue’s remarkable condition has garnered much admiration. Other numerous valuable items such as glass, diamonds, coloured stones, gemstones…

From MSN At least once in their lives, devout Buddhists in Laos strive to visit a very special temple inside a natural landmark, the Pak Ou Caves, directly on the mighty Mekong River, the lifeline of Southeast Asia. According to estimates, there are as many as 6,000 Buddha statues of various sizes and materials like wood and bronze in two limestone caves, put there by pilgrims over the centuries. Buddha is depicted with various hand gestures - called mudras - each of which has a specific meaning. "It is estimated that there are around 4,000 sculptures in the lower cave and around 2,000 in the upper one," says tour guide Somjai Simoonthong, who re…

From Travell and Leisure by Kevin West Kevin West From left: The pagoda-style station in Luang Prabang, built for the 2021 opening of the country's new high-speed rail; prehistoric megaliths at the Plain of Jars, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the south of Laos. © Provided by Travel + Leisure The Mekong River has been a primary source of food, livelihood, and transportation in Laos since time began. Now a high-speed railway has arrived. What changes will it bring, and what will it take away? As the twin-engine prop plane from Bangkok began its descent into Luang Prabang, the former royal capital of Laos, I saw through the pearly dry-season a…

From The Star (photo credit: Laotian Times) VIENTIANE (Xinhua): The Lao government's efforts to submit its Hin Nam No National Protected Area to UNESCO's list of world heritage sites are one step closer to fulfillment following the agency's acceptance of the application dossier. In the near future, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Center will conduct an on-site verification of the facts contained in the dossier and confirm the authenticity of the statements made in support of a world heritage listing, according to a report issued on Monday from Hin Nam No National Park's website. Hin Nam…

From Travel and Leisure In the ancient city of Luang Prabang, even popular spots feel intimate. Boats cruise the Mekong River — almost all head out around golden hour and cruise through twilight — yet it seems as if you’re floating alone on this iconic waterway, which flows from China to Vietnam and through Northern Laos on its way. As I lay on the wooden deck of a traditional slow boat, one that Sofitel Luang Prabang uses for guests, I watched the outline of the hills in the distance, and in the foreground, fishermen standing on their respective sampans. For a moment, time stood still; it was just the fishermen, me, and the Mekong. Visitor numbers ha…

From Associated Press Landlocked Laos doesn't have the famous beaches of its neighbors to attract tourists, but instead relies on the pristine beauty of its mountains and rivers and historical sites to bring in visitors. The crown jewel is Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where legend has it that Buddha once rested during his travels. It brings all the elements together, with its mix of historic Laotian and French colonial architecture on a peninsula at the confluence of the Mekong and the Nam Khan rivers. But a multibillion-dollar dam project underway 25 kilometers (15 miles) upstream has prompted concerns that it could result in the city…

From Thai PBS World / Radio Free Asia (RFA) A Chinese-owned hotel in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, was forced to terminate its ring-toss game, in which Chinese men took turns tossing hoops at young Lao women to win wine and beer, according to Radio Free Asia. The decision was made after a short video of the game went viral and received angry comments criticizing the treatment of women in such a manner. RFA reported that the video showed a dozen young Lao women standing still on steps outside the building as a group of Chinese men took turns throwing hoops at them, hoping to ring their bodies for cans and bottles of beer, wine, or spirits they held. T…

From Pattaya Mail Lao Airlines is expanding its flight services with new routes both domestically and internationally, in anticipation of increased passenger flow during Visit Laos Year 2024. The airline announced new routes connecting Savannakhet to Bangkok, Vientiane to Phnom Penh, and Vientiane to Danang to accommodate the surge of travelers and celebrate its 35th anniversary. Starting March 15, Savannakhet-Bangkok flights will operate three times a week, while Vientiane-Phnom Penh flights will commence on March 19 with a similar frequency. From April 4, flights between Vientiane and Danang will be available twice a week. Chanthanom Khampheng, Deputy Dir…

From Laotian Times VIENTIANE (Laotian Times): Nestled amid the green landscapes of South-East Asia, Laos finds itself at the epicentre of an extraordinary tourism surge, statistics by the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism revealed. The first nine months of this year have seen an astonishing influx of more than 2.4 million foreign tourists, marking a jaw-dropping 285 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. This is a testament to Laos’s growing appeal on the global stage. According to the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism, Asean countries contributed over 1.6 million tourists, with substantial numbers from the Asia-Pac…

From Laotian Times The Laotian Times reported on August 30 that Lao workers are leaving the country in large numbers, searching for employment opportunities abroad amid the skyrocketing cost of living at home. At the same time, from the manufacturing industry to construction and hospitality, local businesses have reported a dire shortage of labourers, which has affected their operations and post-pandemic recovery. According to the newspaper, the labour crisis has been caused mainly by workers seeking employment in other countries due to low wages in Laos, which, despite some increases, have failed to keep pace with the continued depreciation of the Lao…

Hey friends, Im travelling soon. What's the latest and best places to go? I heard than many shut during covid. Thanks

From The Diplomat Yesterday saw the beginning of crossborder passenger services on the China-Laos railway, a move that presages the tighter integration of the two countries. The 1,000-kilometer rail line, which links the Lao capital Vientiane to Kunming, the capital of China’s Yunnan province, was completed in December 2021, but crossborder services have since been limited to freight transports due to the barriers erected by Beijing’s severe “zero COVID” policies. The Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported that the first train departed from Kunming South railway station for Vientiane yesterday, at the auspicious time of 8:08 a.m. According to a report in…