Laos

The vast majority of travellers to Si Phan Don end up on these twin islands. Don Det (ດອນເດດ) is defined by its hippyesque party scene, though it's really quite mild and there's nothing stronger than grass in the 'happy' snacks sold openly at some bars.

Pakse (ປາກເຊ), the capital of Champasak Province and the gateway to southern Laos, sits at the confluence of the Mekong and the Se Don (Don River). It's a relatively lively town with lots of accommodation and eating options, as well as transport connections, and many travelers base themselves here for forays to surrounding attractions such as the Bolaven Plateau and Wat Phu Champasak. The many good restaurants, stylish hotels and clued-in tour companies make it a comfortable and convenient spot.

Languid, time-trapped and somnolent during the sweltering days that batter the old city's plasterwork, Savannakhet (ສະຫວັນນະເຂດ) is a charming blend of past and present Laos. The highlight is the historic quarter with its impressive display of decaying early-20th-century architecture. There's little to do in town but wander the riverfront and cool off in one of a clutch of stylish restaurants and bijou cafes that are steadily growing in number.

Mysterious giant stone jars of unknown ancient origin are scattered over hundreds of hilly square kilometres around Phonsavan, giving the area the misleading name of Plain of Jars (ທົ່ງໄຫຫິນ). Remarkably, little is known about the Austro-Asiatic civilisation that created them, although archaeologists estimate they date from the Southeast Asian iron age (500 BC to AD 200) and were likely used for elaborate burial rituals.

Ever since Tha Khaek opened its French-colonial shutters to travelers and the dramatic 4.3 mile-long underworld of Tham Kong Lor became a must-see fixture on itineraries, central Laos has been enticing visitors. Thanks to its honeycomb of caves and dragon-green jungle, activities on offer run from world-class rock climbing outside of Tha Khaek to trekking in the otherworldly karst forests of Hin Namno NPA.

Hin Namno NPA might just be one of the most stunning protected areas in Laos, if not in all of mainland Southeast Asia, and the experts seem to agree: combined with two linked protected zones in neighbouring Vietnam, the greater area – the largest karst region in the world – is, at the time of writing, under consideration as a bi-country Unesco Natural World Heritage site.

Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ) slows your pulse and awakens your imagination with its combination of world-class comfort and spiritual nourishment. Sitting at the sacred confluence of the Mekong River and the Nam Khan (Khan River), nowhere else can lay claim to this Unesco-protected gem's romance of 33 gilded wats, saffron-clad monks, faded Indochinese villas and exquisite fusion cuisine.

Nong Khiaw (ຫນອງຂຽວ) is a traveler's haven in the truest sense, offering pampering, good food, decent accommodation and bags of activities with established adventure-tour operators. Nestled on the west bank of the Nam Ou (the river almost currentless since the building of the dam upstream), spanned by a vertiginous bridge and bookended by towering limestone crags, it's surely one of the most photogenic spots in Laos. On the river's scenic east bank (officially called Ban Sop Houn) is the lion's share of guesthouses and restaurants.

Si Phan Don (ສີ່ພັນດອນ) is where Laos becomes the land of the lotus-eaters, an archipelago of islands where the pendulum of time swings slowly and postcard-worthy views are the rule rather than the exception. Many a traveller has washed ashore here, succumbed to its charms and stayed longer than expected.

Southern Laos is dominated by the Bolaven Plateau, a fertile highland that spreads over four of the region’s provinces. It is the site of Laos’ thriving coffee plantations and also many of the region’s beautiful waterfalls.