The Atlas Obscura Guide To Laos

19 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Laos

Updated August 7, 2023

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Cities

Unusual Attractions in Laos

Kuang Si Waterfalls

Laos

Kuang Si Waterfalls

This tiered waterfall is so pretty it may cause visitors to cry tears of their own.

Kong Lor Cave.

Laos

Kong Lor Cave

A boat ride through utter darkness, lit only by headlamps, reveals an emerald green pool locals believe is sacred.

Plain of Jars site 1.

Phonsavan, Laos

Plain of Jars

Believed to have once stored either human remains or rice wine, thousands of mysterious stone jars lie in ruin.

Buddha Park

Vientiane, Laos

Xieng Khuan (Buddha Park)

More than 200 statues filled with cryptic symbols give this park spot an aura of horror vacui fantasy.

Pak Ou's Caves

Pak Ou, Laos

Pak Ou's Caves

Thousands of effigies of Buddha watch from caves set high above a legendary river, plus whiskey.

Tat Kuang Si Bear Rescue Centre

Laos

Tat Kuang Si Bear Rescue Centre

Buried in the Laos jungle is a sanctuary for bears that would have otherwise been milked to death by poachers.

Vientiane, Laos

Wat Dane Soung Jungle Temple

An ancient jungle temple carved into a rocky overhang of the Dane Soung Plateau.

Patuxai

Vientiane, Laos

Patuxai

When the USA donated cement and funds to expand the airport in Laos, the Laotians built a massive monument instead.

See All 19 Things To Do in Laos

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Laos

When the melted aluminum solidifies inside the wooden mold, the spoon maker pries it open, and removes the spoon.

Ban Napia, Laos

Spoon Village

Heavily bombed during the Vietnam War, this small town turns unexploded munitions into utensils.

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Ruins 5

Caves 4

Statues 4

Ecosystems 4

War History 4

Bombs 4

Military 4

Rivers 4

Sacred Spaces 3

Vietnam War 3

Temples 3

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Stories About Laos

Podcast: Plain of Jars

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.

by The Podcast Team

Buddhist monks collecting alms of rice in Luang Prabang, Laos.

In Laos, Former Monks Return to Buddhist Temples as Tour Guides

Tourism can be a support system for young men who spent years studying, collecting alms, and meditating.

by Isobel van Hagen

December 17, 2019

It's believed these jars once held bodies before burial.

Found: A New Plain of Massive Stone Jars in Laos, Used to Store the Dead

The society responsible for them remains a mystery.

by Jonathan Carey

Chit Sisanom stands with Lola the buffalo and a cup of ice cream at Laos Buffalo Dairy.

How Laos Got Its First Buffalo Dairy Farm

First, two friends rented a buffalo.

by Timi Siytangco

Solid proof the muntjac is still around.

Found: A Rare Tiny Deer in Vietnam

It's called a muntjac, and the last time it appeared was nearly two decades ago.

by Christina Ayele Djossa

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