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"The brothels are cleaner than the hotels, marijuana is cheaper than pipe tobacco, and opium easier to find than a cold glass of beer." Such was the case when Paul Theroux, author of The Great Railway Bazaar, visited Laos in the mid '70s. Much has changed since then, but this corner of 'old Indochina' still has a great deal to offer the adventurous traveller.

Getting to Laos is easy: the capital, Vientiane, is accessible by both air and night train from Bangkok. However, a popular and more adventurous alternative is to enter up north from Chiang Khong in the Golden Triangle. Here, a narrow wooden skiff takes you across the Mekong to Huay Xai, where most travelers pause only to exchange modest amounts of US $ for impossibly huge bundles of Lao kip (forget the money belt!). From the nearby quay, boats set off both up and down the Mekong, which flows the length of the country.

And here the real fun begins, because although it is easy to get to Laos it can be another matter altogether to get around once you are there. Much less developed than its neighbours, Laos has no railway, or even a comprehensive road network. Rivers are the highways here, transporting people, cargoes of everything imaginable and even livestock. Boats on the Mekong alone make up a quarter of all traffic in Laos.

With a choice between fast, but cramped and ridiculously noisy speed boats, or the more leisurely barges, most travelers opt for the latter. The scenery is entrancing—the placid, chocolate-brown river, flanked by thick monsoon forest and rugged mountains. Occasionally there's a glimpse of a small hut in a clearing, or an elephant hauling logs, but for the most part the jungle is dense and totally undisturbed. Unsurprisingly, the river route south from Huay Xai has become a backpacker favourite.

It's a full day's travel by slow barge to the rustic village of Pak Beng. Guesthouses and restaurants are strung out along an unpaved road, catering to travellers. Don't expect any luxury though; cold water vats and a plastic scoop for washing, electricity only available from 7 to 10pm, beds separated by nothing more than thin bamboo partitions. But the makeshift toilets perched among coconut palms high above the Mekong must have the best view in the world!

From here boats continue down the river to the old royal capital Luang Prabang, and on to Vientiane. The village is also the starting point for the buses and trucks that ply the atrociously rutted track towards Udom Xai, the provincial capital, market town and starting point for transport to further afield. Two to four days from there (depending on road conditions) is the famous, enigmatic Plain of Jars where hundreds of huge stone vessels are scattered across the rugged landscape. There are many theories, but nobody is sure of their origin or use, although they are suspected to be around 2000 years old. Bandits and anti-government rebels are still occasionally active in this area and some roads are off-limits. From here a couple of days north takes you to the Chinese border.

Most buses in this area are actually trucks fitted out with narrow wooden benches, so expect minimal comfort. The scenery more than makes up for the lack of leg room however, and these journeys can be an experience in themselves. Packed with locals, every conceivable space is taken up with baskets of chickens, bits of furniture, sacks of unidentifiable substances and strange musical instruments. Items that fail to be squeezed in are lashed to the roof. Fruits are sliced and offered around, snacks shared, and travelers won't be left out. The frequent breakdowns are best seen as welcome toilet stops and a chance to stretch your legs.

These buses pass through tiny villages of stilted thatched-roofed bamboo houses, where people live their lives mostly out in the open. Naked children play in dusty yards or splash around at nearby water holes. Dogs doze in the shade, while plump chickens and turkeys squawk and preen. Men squat to repair farm tools or sit behind the counter of the tiny hut that serves as the village shop, cigarettes and home brewed liquor neatly arranged and festooned with sachets of shampoo and Nescafe coffee powder. In the shade of the houses women and girls, dressed in traditional sarongs, sit at looms weaving the vibrant brocades that Laos is famous for. Spotting a foreign face, the children play shy peek-a-boo from behind bemused adults, themselves only recently grown used to the unusual sight.

The village wat, with its community of young monks, is often beautifully decorated with carvings and mosaics made of tiny pieces of coloured glass. A rough shelter of wooden slats, with nothing more than a chalkboard and a few rough benches inside, serves as the village school. Enthusiastic children will be keen to try out their few words of English on you, and later, when school is out, you may be lucky enough to see the boys playing a spectacular fast moving version of volley ball in which only the feet are allowed to touch the woven rattan ball.

In the towns, head for the markets. Women with trays of freshly fried doughnuts squat under colourful parasols between stalls heaped with fresh produce. Trestles overflow with cheap plastic combs and hair ornaments, piles of tea and packets of Chinese instant noodles. Look out for the rainbow-walled fabric booths selling gorgeous traditional Lao sarongs and sashes, some intricately decorated with threads of gold and silver. Nearby, seamstresses work at antique sewing machines and metalworkers nap behind glass cases of delicate earrings and intricate silver belts. If you are lucky you may see some tribal Hmong women, traditionally dressed in black with trimmings of bright blue and electric pink, selling vegetables carried down from their villages in the hills.

Eventually every traveller arrives in Luang Prabang, an unmissable mix of historic temples, lively markets and faint echoes of a colonial past. It is a tranquil town with much to see, a treasure house of Lao culture. Ancient temples enshrine golden Buddhas and children play among shady banyan trees in the grounds. Faith in Theravada Buddhism is deep here, and every morning, as the mist rises off the surrounding hills, villagers distribute alms to the orange and saffron-robed monks. Magnificent murals describing the life of the Buddha, and graphic depictions of hell, painted in bright colour and frightening detail, cover many temple walls. The old royal palace, now a museum, houses the revered 'Pha Bang' image, the heart of Lao Buddhism.

When you tire of frescos, Buddhas and temples, stop for lunch at a food stall for foe—rice noodles with vegetables and meat in a tangy spicy soup, served with hot chilli sauce, lime wedges and a plate of fresh herbs such as lemon grass, coriander and mint. Or sit and watch the world go by from a charming French-style caf�, complete with baguettes and pâté.

Later, hire a boat to take you up river to the mysterious Pak Ou Caves filled with serene Buddha images of every size. Better still, take a tuk tuk out to the Kuang Si waterfalls. Climb the precipitous paths up the sides of the plunging multi-tiered falls to swim in the gorgeous lagoons (not for the faint-hearted!). Back in town, pay a visit to the quaint wooden offices of the Red Cross where both locals and travelers flock for massage and a wonderful herbal steam bath. Crammed together in the tiny cubicles, it is a quick way to make friends.

Most evenings you can find an incongruous mix of travelers, local couples, and novice monks on the Phou Si, a hill in the middle of the town topped by a gilded stupa. The views are wonderful, and people gather to reverently watch the setting sun turn the hazy sky a burning gold as it sinks beyond the Mekong. Afterwards, reflect on the day over a couple of bottles of Beer Lao in the riverside bars and caf�s, or gorge on banana pancakes sold from the night stalls that spring up at dusk, lit by candles.

Until recently, it was highly advisable to fly the 200 or so kilometres from Luang Prabang to Vientiane as the unpaved road was often impassable and plagued by bandit attacks. Now, however, with a new all-weather road in place, and no attacks reported for some time, it might be safer to take the bus—Lao Aviation is said to be in a bad way with ancient planes and no money to pay its mechanics. Check the current situation before you travel however, there are speculations that news of 'incidents' on the roads are suppressed by the government for fear of putting off tourists.

Vientiane is laid-back and charming, more like a provincial town than a capital. The illicit pleasures of the 70s have long since disappeared (or gone underground), but it is an enjoyable town to spend some time in and there are several grand sights, the foremost being the 'Great Sacred Stupa', the most sacred shrine in Laos, the golden spire of which is the country's national symbol. Visit in the late afternoon when the sun causes the golden surfaces to glow in a spectacular way.

Another landmark is the slightly comical, but impressive 'Patuxai', an oriental version of the France's Arc de Triomphe. Known affectionately as 'the vertical runway', it was built using materials meant for an airport construction project. An interesting crowd of hawkers, locals and tourists hang out in the surrounding plaza, making it a good spot for people-watching.

Of Vientiane's temples, Wat Pha Kaew is particularly interesting. Built as a royal temple over 400 years ago, until 1779 it enshrined the famous Emerald Buddha now in Bangkok's royal palace complex. The Lao Revolutionary Museum is also worth a look.

Walk the wide, empty boulevards, explore the markets and browse in the many antique and handicraft shops. And in the evening, indulge in a feast at one of the authentic and very reasonably priced French restaurants, or join the local teenagers by the river, drinking beer and admiring the colourful lights of an amusement park in Thailand just across the water.

South of Vientiane, you really are off the beaten track, but there is no lack of attractions. Champasak province in the far south boasts thousand year old Khmer temple ruins to rival those at Angkor Wat, and the coffee producing Bolaven Plateau has numerous spectacular waterfalls. The lower reaches of the Mekong are dotted with hundreds of scenic islets, and remain one of the last habitats for rare Irrawaddy freshwater dolphins.

This beautiful and intriguing country where the small rituals of daily life still hold so much tradition and custom perhaps embodies the romantic idea of 'old Asia'. Despite the host of minor discomforts, for many, one visit is not enough. 20 years ago Paul Theroux concluded that Laos was "exceptional, but inconvenient." Today's travellers would probably agree.

and text � Lucy Moss

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