The three unlikely locations - placed first, second and third - were part of a list of ten hotspots readers of Wanderlust thought would eventually make it on to holidaymakers' wishlists.

After giving alms in the early morning of the full moon day in February each year, devotees place balls of rice around the That Phonh stupa in Savannakhet province to honour the guardian spirits.

A Lao company is building a five-star hotel at the southern end of Don Chan in Vientiane, and vows the project will be finished in time for the Asia-Europe Meeting Summit in November.

The Department of the Environment in Laos is considering applying Strategic Environmental Assessment guidelines to current legislation governing environment al protection .

So many places, so little time ... and nowhere near enough money. But that's never stopped me working on my bucket list, which is probably longer now than it was when I started this job.

Phoukeng mountain, a place to cast hars of ancient people, has been declared as a new tourism site in Paek district, Xieng Khouang province, Laotian news agency reported.

A tuk-tuk full of saffron robed monks pass by the entrance to Ban Vilaylac. Their Wat is directly across the street.

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COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: The Lao People's Democratic Republic is a poor, developing country ruled by an authoritarian, Communist, one-party government.

With foreigners flocking en masse to the once-isolated communist country, traditional Lao New Year rites are now conducted amid a carnival-like atmosphere.

The Lao government has decided not to approve this year's logging quota from production forests due to lack of detailed planning.

VIENTIANE, Laos, Jan 27 -- The United Nations Population Fund will actively work to help Laos reduce the mortality of mother and child and uphold the role of women and youth.

The devastated family of a Melbourne student killed in a tubing accident in Laos have paid tribute to the teenager, describing him as a generous spirit who made lasting impression on those who met him.

The central bank of Laos will next month issue new 100,000-kip banknotes to encourage people to use the national currency instead of US dollars and Thai baht, news reports said Thursday.

Vientiane provincial authorities have been given a stark reminder of the challenges involved in tackling human trafficking , with news that Thai authorities recently repatriated 31 local victims who were tricked with false promises of employment.

New Brunswick is a big place with big-hearted people who love to dance, sing and eat, especially during the colorful Acadian Festival.

The body of a Melbourne teenager has been found in a river in Laos, three days after he disappeared while tubing in the popular tourist destination.

The European Union has advised Asean member nations to look at integrated food chain control, to ensure the quality of food products exported to the EU and maintain market access.

The National Regulatory Authority and Lao National Unexploded Programme held an annual project review and UXO Trust Fund steering committee meeting in Vientiane yesterday to discuss ways of speeding up UXO clearance.

The European Union's development assistance to Least Developed Countries including Laos will not be reduced in spite of the ongoing debt crisis in Europe.