Southeast Asia
Backpacking Laos
Laos is a slower-paced stop on the Southeast Asia circuit, with backpacker hostels clustered in river towns such as Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng and the capital, Vientiane.
Photo: Desaga Thierry / Pexels
Hostel destinations in Laos
Hostels and backpacking in Laos
Laos is landlocked and mountainous, and most backpackers move through it along the Mekong and the main north–south road. Luang Prabang is a UNESCO World Heritage town of temples and French-colonial buildings, Vang Vieng is set among limestone karst, and the Four Thousand Islands (Si Phan Don) in the far south are known for hammocks and river life. Journeys are often slow, so itineraries tend to be short on distance and long on time.
Hostels are concentrated in a handful of towns, and many double as the main source of information on bus times, kayaking, caving and waterfall trips. Dorms range from sociable places with bars and communal dinners to quiet riverside guesthouses. Outside the main hubs, accommodation is mostly simple guesthouses, so booking ahead in peak months is sensible.