Most travellers to Laos will do the usual rounds of temples, shrines and Buddha statues.
Why not sojourn to the countryside near the quiet Vang Vieng town in the north-west Vientiane province? It is filled with limestone hills and caves and waterfalls that you can explore with a trekking day tour.
"The nature here is beautiful and untouched. Vang Vieng is known for its great outdoor activities," says 29- year-old Thavonsouk Resorts general manager Aluna Thavonsouk.
For an adrenaline rush, go water rafting, kayaking and tubing (where you sit on an inner tube of a rubber tyre) at Kaeng Yui waterfall.
Getting there Take a 41/2-hour Thai Airways flight from Singapore to Vientiane via Bangkok ($775), followed by a three-hour bus journey from Vientiane to Vang Vieng (US$14 or S$20.50).
Where to stay Thavonsouk Resort (from US$30) offers views of surrounding cliffs and forests from balconies. Rooms are air-conditioned with private baths.
The quaint Ban Sabai Bungalows (from US$30), which face Nam Song River, are built on stilts.
