1. Since December 1975, the official name of Laos has actually been “Lao People’s Democratic Republic” – but to this day, everyone still calls it Laos.
2. The Laotian New Year celebration is a 3-day-long festival held from April 13 to 15.
3. The Khone Papeng, which is found in Laos, is the largest waterfall in the whole of Southeast Asia.
4. The first time Laos has ever hosted the Southeast Asian Games, or SEA Games, was not until 2009.
5. Laos has been tagged as the “World’s Most Bombed Country.” Over two billion tons of bombs were dropped in Laos during the Vietnam War.
6. The jars in the Plain of Jars are each big enough to hold a person. The largest of these jars weighs more than six tons!
7. The highest point in Laos, the Phou Bia, is unfortunately not open to tourists because it is filled with unexploded ammunition.
8. When shopping in Laos, you can pay not only with the Laotian currency, the Lao kip, but also with Thai bahts and US dollars.
9. Laos’ biggest agricultural export is coffee.
10. A full 80% of all Laotian work is in agriculture.
Hello fellow travelers! My name is Mary and I am the main author of Traveling East. Just like any other travel enthusiasts, traveling has also been our passion! For inquiries, suggestions or anything travel related, please feel free to send us an E-mail at support@travelingeast.com.
