Laos is a laid-back landlocked country of spectacular natural beauty and strong spiritual traditions. With roughly six million people, it is one of the least populated countries in the world. It is also the least developed and most enigmatic of the three former French Indochinese states. Dominated by majestic mountains, verdant valleys and broad snaking rivers, the country is perfect for nature lovers and those seeking adventure. Vientiane is probably the most relaxed capital city in the world, where travellers get a real insight into tranquil riverside life. Laos is fast becoming the darling of South-east Asia, satisfying all the romantic images of perfumed frangipani trees, saffron-robed monks, rusty old bicycles and golden temples, all set amongst a rich tapestry of tropical river islands, ethnic minority villages, cascading waterfalls and vivid, green rice paddies, and bound together by the mighty Mekong River, the country’s lifeline.Often overlooked in favour of its better-known neighbours as Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos remains one of Southeast Asia’s most beguiling destinations. Caught in the middle of the two Indochina wars and long isolated from the rest of the world, the country retains a slow, rather old-fashioned charm, and its people – incredibly laidback and friendly, even by Asian standards – are undoubtedly one of the highlights of any visit.Laos, officially known as the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), is one of the poorest nations in Southeast Asia. A mountainous and landlocked country, Laos shares borders with Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south, Thailand to the west, and Myanmar and China to the north.