Laos

After years of political isolation and war, this landlocked country has emerged in recent years as a destination for travellers looking for a long-lost Southeast Asia, and they find it in Laos' lush forests, buzzing day and night markets, rice fields, regal wats and French colonial traces. Traditional ways of life continue in the face of our rapidly changing world as hill-tribes retain their age-old customs and the scene of the devout Buddhist monks collecting alms is a daily event.

The former royal stronghold, Luang Prabang, is brimmed with gilded temples, colonial villas and monks wrapped in deep saffron robes. In the diminutive capital, Vientiane, you’ll find faded French-colonial mansions and coffee shops. The rest of the country is predominately one blanket of green, carved with slow-flowing tributaries of the Mekong. Visiting Laos is a truly special experience bound to stay with you forever.