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Guided walking & cultural holidays
Touring: France, Vietnam, Lao & Bhutan
LAO
History and Geography
Lao is a landlocked country sandwiched between Vietnam, Cambodia,
Thailand, Burma and China. This has meant that it has for centuries
been caught up in power struggles as its more aggressive neighbours
played out their strategic games. Laotians tend to be devout, peace
loving and tolerant Buddhists and their aspirations to independence
occurred at a relatively late stage. There is a saying to the effect
that "The Vietnamese plant the rice, the Cambodians water the
rice and the Lao listen to the rice grow!" They are indeed
a most friendly and apparently relaxed people.
Although they achieved independence as early as 1949,
they quickly got caught up in struggles involving China, Vietnam
and the US, and this resulted in truly appalling tonnages of bombs
being dropped on the country until the ceasefire in 1973.
In 1975, the Pathet Lao established the Lao People's
Democratic Republic and this is still the ruling Communist government
today.
Approximately 70% of its total area (236,800 square
kilometres) comprises mountain and plateau areas. The Mekong River
(one of the longest rivers in the world) forms a natural border
with Thailand for much of its length. It flows through almost 1,900
kilometres of the territory of Laos and is extremely important as
an artery for moving goods around. Equally important is the role
of the Mekong and its tributaries as a vital source of fish, the
mainstay of the Lao diet. In addition, its fertile floodplains form
the country's primary agricultural zones.
Population
It was estimated that, in 1999, the population of Laos was 4.8 million.
Around 85% of the population are farmers and live in rural areas.
The great majority of Lao are Buddhist.
Climate
Laos has a warm and tropical climate with two seasons: the rainy
season, from the beginning of May to the end of September, and the
dry season from October to April. The average temperature is around
29 degrees centigrade in the lowlands and 25 degrees in the highlands.
Generally, tourists are recommended to visit Laos during the months
of November to March because these are cooler months and rainfall
is lower than at other times. The monsoon season arrives from May
onwards and lasts through to November, with the heaviest rainfall
recorded in the southern peaks of the Annamite mountains.
Supporting sustainable Eco-tourism
Unlike its neighbours, Lao's small population, rugged hills, and
decades of economic isolation, has provided a legacy of vast tracks
of natural landscape. Significant bio-diversity regions have been
identified, and numerous agencies have assisted Lao to develop sustainable
tourism projects designed to enhance the value of protected regions
as well as provide economic value to residents.
We are working in conjunction with agencies dedicated
to enhancing the positive relationship and integrity of Lao's fragile
protected bio regions and this program contributes directly to this
aim.
DATES AND COSTS
18 Feb - 5 March 2006 $4393 per person, twin share,
from Australia return or $3343 joining in Lao.
Best Travels, 82 Bellevue Street, CAMMERAY, NSW
2062
tel (61+) 2 9929 9391 besttravels@ozemail.com.au
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