Southeast Asia is probably the best place in the world for your first extended backpacking trip. The food is delicious, the locals friendly, the beaches extraordinary, the accommodations well-established and the sites varied and unforgettable. You’re likely to return home with plenty of fond memories and incredible photos of Southeast [...]

I’ve never been to Laos, but it seems like everyone who has inevitably spends some portion of their trip tubing in Van Vieng, a town in Vientiane Province that has begun to take on the dreaded moniker: “Backpacker Ghetto.” And when I hear this I ask why they ended up [...]

GoMadNomad.com founder and friend of our site Stephen Bugno spent a good part of this year traveling through Southeast Asia as part of his nomadic wanderings. To try to encapsulate such a trip in 10 or 11 pictures would be futile, but I asked Stephen if I could share with [...]

For travelers who’ve been to Southeast Asia, they know that Laos itself is no longer the hidden gem of the region it once was, with more and more travelers having been turned on to the slow rhythms and friendly people that populate this small, landlocked country. Many backpackers end up [...]

The only problem with mass public transit is the immediacy of arrival. Although I find trains romantic, planes quick and comfortable, buses affordable, you do see a lot more when you travel by car. Such was Jon Faine’s experience on his road trip. He and his son, Jack, made a [...]

Yves Schiepek took a pretty epic trip throughout Southeast Asia, including stops in Vietnam, Laos, Singapore and Malaysia, documenting most of the trip here on his Vimeo page. The above video is taken from the Laos portion of his trip where, it appears, he spent much of the time tooling [...]

Places like Taiwan, China, Laos, and Japan maybe more known for their motor bikes, or their overly utilitarian use of bicycles. This WSJ article, explores a less popular way to get moving through, and in touch with, the cultures of these these countries. The article states, “Sometimes the truest way to experience a [...]

With its massive stupas, vast eco-reserves and relaxed vibe, Savannakhet is a must-see in southern Laos, but to really understand the region be prepared to slow down and take it all in, one laid-back day at a time. By Hal Amen Savannakhet was quiet. Shockingly quiet. Coming to it as [...]