1. As early as 2018, I was affected by the words of "Cui Yongyuan", (this country is a pure land in Cui Yongyuan's mouth of "never close the door at night, and the road will not be left behind".) It made me yearn for this country, so I didn't hesitate to pack my bags and choose to come to Laos alone for a travel experience.
Before I came to Laos, I learned from the Internet that Laos was a poor and backward country, with a GDP ranking low in the world. However, when I experienced Laos for myself, I realized that the pace of life here is very slow, and the people here seem to live very comfortably.
2. Laos, the full name of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is located in the northern part of the Indochina Peninsula, with a land area of about 236,000 square kilometers and a total population of about 7.3 million.
Laos shares borders with China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar and Thailand. The terrain is high in the north and low in the south, mainly composed of mountains and plateaus, with high vegetation coverage, hot and rainy climate, and belongs to the tropical and subtropical monsoon climate.
The Mekong River is the largest river in Laos and is rich in domestic resources, including coal, iron, oil, natural gas and manganese ore.
3. Laos' economy is relatively backward and its industrial base is weak. The GDP in 2021 was only $18.8 billion, and the GDP per capita was about $2,550. The economic level of Laos is very low, just like the fourth and fifth tier cities in China.
Walking on the streets of Laos, I noticed that the roads here are very old, I don't even see many traffic lights, and there are no zebra crossings, and I thought to myself, maybe this is also because of poverty. There are also very few families with cars in Laos, and ordinary people generally go out more by bicycle and motorcycle, so they don't care so much about dilapidated roads and transportation facilities.
4. Before going to Laos, I was still worried about whether the country would be too poor and chaotic, and I also prepared some malaria medicine and folded mosquito nets in advance. But one thing to say, after coming to Laos, I found that I thought too much, and my previous worries were unnecessary. The climate of Laos is divided into dry season and rainy season, I came to Laos in February, this time period happened to be in the dry season, the climate is suitable and relatively comfortable.
5. The first time I set foot in Laos, I had a good impression of this small country in Southeast Asia! I flew directly from Changsha to Vientiane Airport in Laos, and arrived at this pure land in less than three hours.
Vientiane Airport seemed to me to feel a little small, when I arrived it was just late in the evening, the weather here was a bit muggy, the high temperature of about 34°C made me feel the tropical atmosphere immediately.
6. The first thing I did when I arrived here was to change the currency first, after exchanging the currency at the airport, I took a taxi to the hotel, the Chinese song played by the driver made me feel more cordial, and his fluent Chinese answer made me realize that the popularity of Chinese here is so wide!
During the taxi journey, I observed through the window the familiar scene on the street, there are many signboard shops with Chinese traditional Chinese characters on the street, and there are quite a few Huawei and OPPO stores here. The roads in Laos are full of potholes, and I, a person who has never been motion sick, can stand it after a ride in a car driven by a Laotian driver, and I want to vomit! It is worth mentioning that the air in Laos is very fresh, with blue skies and white clouds, and the natural environment protection here is okay.
7. In Laos, if a girl is 18 years old and has not yet married and had children, she will be ridiculed by the people around her, and after the age of 25, she is considered an older leftover girl, and if she can't marry at this age, she will be disliked by her own family!
8. Men in Laos live a very comfortable life, mainly because they are lazy, and they deal with all the big and small things in life as women. Men can basically be said to be retired after the age of 30, they don't have to go to work to make money, they are only responsible for waiting for food and drink at home, and women don't have that welfare, and they have to support a whole family. Lao women usually marry early, so they suffer a lot, but they seem to be used to taking care of everything in the family. In the wet markets of Laos, most of the vendor owners I saw were basically women.
9. The Lao girl left me with the impression of being gentle, simple, warm and open. Their facial features and skin color are very similar to ours, and when you walk the streets of Vientiane, it is difficult to tell which one is local and which one is from our country.
10. Many girls here in Laos will come out to be tour guides in order to subsidize their families, they charge very cheaply, only 100 yuan, they can take us to visit the beautiful scenery and taste the food. At that time, my friend and I hired young local girls as tour guides, and they had very good personalities, they didn't lose their temper casually, and they didn't sell all kinds of goods. After dinner, they would invite us to their home, but we politely declined, but I was very happy with their warmth and hospitality.
11. The economic development level of Laos is average, similar to that of the fourth and fifth tier cities in China, the housing prices are very cheap, the living pressure is not great, and they have no habit of saving money. The legal retirement age for men in Laos is 60 years old, and the pension is up to 80 per cent of the original salary, but not many people actually go to work. Laos is a large agricultural country, there are many farmers, and the state provides social security subsidies, so many Lao men retire as early as the age of 30.
12. The gap between the rich and the poor in Laos is huge, the rich live in singing songs every night, while the poor live in poverty. Despite the polarization between the rich and the poor, and despite the hardships of ordinary people's living conditions, the majority of Laotians have shown an astonishing sense of happiness and contentment.
13. Although the land area of Laos is not large, more than 70% of the area here is mountainous and plateau, and the forest coverage rate is high, so the transportation is very inconvenient.
There are many curves, and hard braking and sharp turns are the norm in Laos, but local drivers have become accustomed to it. Most locals rely on bouncing cars, motorbikes and bicycles to get around, while better families use pickup trucks.
What I noticed is that buses in Laos don't stop strictly by stop, so we need to actively press the stop button on the bus to tell the driver to get off.
14. The food in Laos is almost the same as Thai and Vietnamese food, which is mainly sour, spicy and raw food. Sticky rice is their staple food and is usually eaten by kneading it into a ball shape by hand.
Traditional Lao delicacies include grilled fish, stir-fried minced pork with coriander, shredded papaya and hot and sour soup. There are many types of fruits in Laos, worthy of the tropics, such as durian, mango, rambutan and jackfruit, as well as various flavors of dried fruits to try.
15. Laotians living in the city also like to drink coffee, especially in the cafes in Luang Prabang, which has a strong petty bourgeois atmosphere, so that we, foreign tourists, can't help but go in for a drink and try the taste. And Beerlao, as the "national drink" of Laos, is famous in Asia and has won awards at international beer festivals!
16. Laos can also be said to be a state religion country, and Lao people are inseparable from Buddhism in their daily lives. In the capital city of Vientiane, temples are the most common, and looking at the monks seems to have become a part of the city's scenery.
Many festivals in Laos are related to Buddhism, such as the Visandun Buddha Festival, the Ten Thousand Buddhas Festival and the Rice Soul Festival, which are celebrated in a way that is closely related to Buddhism.
17. Laotians are also influenced by religion in their dressing, even when swimming, they will wear short sleeves and shorts, this dress habit shows their respect for religion. In the changing rooms next to the pool, there are no strict dress codes for foreign tourists, but we respect local customs and it is best not to wear swimsuits that are too revealing.
18. In Laos, temples and stupas are everywhere, and monks wear robes, which is part of daily life in Laos. Here, do not touch someone's head casually, because the head is regarded as the most sacred part of a person. Laotians also taboo to pass items with their left hand as the left hand is considered unclean.
19. Laos is a predominantly agricultural country, with a per capita GDP of only US$2,500 (2019), which is one of the least developed countries in the world.
In Laos, the monthly salary of a waiter is about 800 yuan, the monthly salary of ordinary office workers is about 1,000 yuan, and the monthly salary of bank staff who can speak Chinese can reach 5,000 yuan, which is quite a high level in the local area.
Even if Laos is economically backward and poor in materials, the prices in Laos are actually not low. A lunch is about 30 yuan, mineral water is 3 yuan, braised eggs are 2.5 yuan, and the accommodation cost is between 200 and 300 yuan.
20. China is the largest source of investment in Laos, and many roads and shopping malls here are built by China. As a transnational special economic zone in the Sino-Laos cooperation plan, the Boten Special Economic Zone indicates that Laos' economy may improve in the future.
21. The education system in Laos is very backward, and the Lao government and parents do not pay special attention to the education of their children. Although primary school is required to be 6 years old, many children reach this age, and their parents are reluctant to send them to school, let alone invest large sums of money in education. Therefore, Laotians do not have the pressure of children's education, and their lives are easy. Although some children have school, they don't seem to like to read, and they often drop out of school.
22. The medical conditions in Laos are also very backward, I once fainted in Laos due to low blood sugar and was sent to a local nearby clinic. These clinics look like small clinics in rural areas in third- and fourth-tier cities in China.
In Laos, some of the most common diseases are often difficult to treat effectively, and drugs are less expensive. Therefore, the local poor are basically unable to afford medical expenses, and those who are better off will go to Thai hospitals for treatment.
23. There are many traditional festivals in Laos, and the most lively one is the Songkran Festival. Every Songkran Festival, the men, women and children on the street have a lot of fun, and even attract many foreign tourists to participate in the fun. Summers in Laos are particularly hot, with lows often above 26°C, so participating in Songkran can also be a fun way to cool off.
24. The gap between the rich and the poor in Laos is unimaginable, ordinary people live in simple wooden sheds, and they ride a bicycle when they go out, and motorcycles are considered high-end here. Compared with the rich, the rich live in luxurious villas, and the living conditions are called beautiful!
25. If you come to Laos for tourism, December to March of the following year is the best time to travel. There are many tourist attractions in Laos, and many of them are free. If you don't go to the famous attractions, you can also hire a local Lao girl as a guide.
Compared to other countries, the number of tourists visiting Laos every year is not very large, only about 1 million. In Laos, temples are the most common in the city, and there is basically at least one temple in every village. It is worth mentioning that Laotians prepare some food in front of their homes every morning and wait for passing monks to come and make a fortune.
26. Places worth visiting in Laos include Vientiane Pagoda Temple, Lao Triumphal Arch, Quang Si Waterfall and Phousi Mountain. Wat Ta Luang is the most important temple in Laos, and the Arc de Triomphe was built in imitation of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Kwang Sai Waterfall is known for its spectacular beauty, while Phuci Hill is home to the ancient city of Luang Prabang.
27. There are some precautions that we need to pay special attention to when traveling to Laos. It is important to bring your passport and other relevant documents. If you choose to travel by car, make sure you have the appropriate insurance and strictly follow the traffic rules, especially not to exceed the speed limit to avoid heavy fines.
However, when you think that the road conditions in Laos are not very good, all kinds of breakage, bending, and sparse population, forget it about self-driving travel, don't ask for trouble, once the car breaks down, it may be difficult to find someone to repair it.
You should also be very careful when parking, I used to park on the streets of Luang Prabang and was fined 1 million kip, about 800 yuan, by the local police for violating the law. After haggling, 500 yuan was finally paid. This experience made me realize that as foreign tourists, we can easily become the target of "routines".
28. It is recommended not to try the food of roadside vendors casually, and it is best to avoid unfamiliar foods in case the body can't stand it after eating. Also, be careful when you meet a street beauty handing out water or other items, which can be a promotional tool. If you take over, you may have to pay several times more than the normal price.
29. If there are beautiful women in Laos who hand you cigarettes, they are hinting to you, people may be interested in you, and it is recommended not to accept cigarettes from beautiful women in Laos. Although they are industrious and simple-minded, don't have too many illusions about them. Although many Laotian girls also want to marry in China, if you don't have a certain economic foundation, people will not look down on you.
30. Although Laos is a poor and agrarian country, the happiness index of the people of Laos is surprisingly high, which is somewhat similar to Nepal.
The Lao people never complain about the hardships of life, and their happiness, peace, tranquility and far-reaching attitude to life are particularly precious in a materialistic society.
It is hoped that the development of Laos will become more and more prosperous, and this peaceful pure land will bloom with more charming brilliance. #精品长文创作季#