Laos
officially known as the Lao People's Democratic Republic – is one of the great travel frontiers; landlocked and mountainous, swamped by jungles and promising Indian Jones adventures in remote tribal villages and ancient Buddhist caves. With Thailand on one side and Vietnam on the other, you might expect Laos to be commercial and crowded, but this is Asia’s backwater, where life moves as slowly as the churning waters of the Mekong River, which forms the border with three countries – Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia – as it snakes south towards the Gulf of Thailand. A long-running civil war – during which the USA dropped millions of bombs in Laos – kept the country off the mainstream tourist circuit for many years. Unexploded ordnance and poor infrastructure continue to pose a challenge to tourism, but each year brings a new crop of upmarket accommodation to supplement the existing backpacker hostels – Laos is finally finding its feet. Eco-tourism looks set to be its trump card, taking visitors to remote tribal villages and pristine national parks teeming with weird and wonderful wildlife. Despite this rugged outlook, the capital city, Vientiane, feels remarkably cosmopolitan, helped by a café culture left behind from when this was part of French Indochina. Dotted around its pleasantly faded, palm-shaded streets are ancient ruins, gleaming stupas and graceful colonial buildings. source: www.worldtravelguide.net
officially known as the Lao People's Democratic Republic – is one of the great travel frontiers; landlocked and mountainous, swamped by jungles and promising Indian Jones adventures in remote tribal villages and ancient Buddhist caves. With Thailand on one side and Vietnam on the other, you might expect Laos to be commercial and crowded, but this is Asia’s backwater, where life moves as slowly as the churning waters of the Mekong River, which forms the border with three countries – Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia – as it snakes south towards the Gulf of Thailand. A long-running civil war – during which the USA dropped millions of bombs in Laos – kept the country off the mainstream tourist circuit for many years. Unexploded ordnance and poor infrastructure continue to pose a challenge to tourism, but each year brings a new crop of upmarket accommodation to supplement the existing backpacker hostels – Laos is finally finding its feet. Eco-tourism looks set to be its trump card, taking visitors to remote tribal villages and pristine national parks teeming with weird and wonderful wildlife. Despite this rugged outlook, the capital city, Vientiane, feels remarkably cosmopolitan, helped by a café culture left behind from when this was part of French Indochina. Dotted around its pleasantly faded, palm-shaded streets are ancient ruins, gleaming stupas and graceful colonial buildings. source: www.worldtravelguide.net
Lao Cuisine
is very similar to its Thai and Vietnamese neighbour’s culinary offerings. Spicy soup, sticky rice and a range of meat-based side dishes make up a meal, shared by all at the table.
1. Khao Niaw (Sticky Rice) The sticky rice is a traditional Laos food, which is rolled by hand into small pieces. It is often contained in a small woven basket. You can enjoy the sticky rice with other food and sauces.
2. Khao Jee (Baguettes) A typical Laos food, which can be found on every street corner in Luang Prabang. You can fill it with tomatoes, carrot, cheese, and pork meat topped with chili sauce. Further choices can be chicken, avocado and bacon!
3. Tam Mak Houng (Spicy Green Papaya Salad) The green Papaya salad is made from shredded papaya. The dish includes five main ingredients, which are mixed with hot chili, sour lime, salt, fish sauce and sugar. You should try once when traveling to Luang Prabang.
4. Larb (Laap, Larp or Lahb) This special cuisine in Luang Prabang can be made with chicken, beef, duck, fish, pork or mushrooms. The meat is flavored with lime juice, fish sauce, and fresh herbs. It is usually served with raw vegetables and sticky rice.
5. Or Lam (Stew) This food originates from the northern of Luang Prabang. It is a stew mainly made from vegetables, eggplants, beans, black mushrooms and gourds. Then they are seasoned with chili and coriander.
6. Lao Barbecue (Sindad) The traditional Lao Barbecue (BBQ) includes a round metal dish and a cooking platform where you take a slab of fat and rub it all over the grill before cooking. Your can choose chicken or pork for this favorite Laos food. At Villa Maly, we serve the BBQ at the poolside area. This Lao-styled barbecue is locally called Sindad.
7. Sai Oua (Lao Sausage) This refers to a popular type of sausage in Luang Prabang, which is made from chopped pork. It is seasoned with ginger, lime leaves, garlic, fish sauce and salt. A must-try fast food for tourists in Laos.
8. Ping Kai (Grilled Chicken) A whole chicken is marinated in black pepper, garlic, coriander root, fish sauce and salt and is then cooked over hot coals. You may try it with sticky rice and sometimes with raw vegetables in Luang Prabang.
9. Khao Piak Sen (Lao Noodle Soup) Noodle soup is popular everywhere in Luang Prabang. It is a common breakfast dish but can also be enjoyed at any time of the day. The bowl comes with beef or chicken broth, which is poured over rice noodles and flavored with various tasty herbs.
10. Khao Pun This unique soup is tasty as sweet and spicy coconut sauce is poured over rice noodles. It is made with pounded fish, chicken or pork and filled with the common ingredients like lime leaves, fish sauce, ginger, and garlic.
source: http://villa-maly.com/top-10-laos-food/
is very similar to its Thai and Vietnamese neighbour’s culinary offerings. Spicy soup, sticky rice and a range of meat-based side dishes make up a meal, shared by all at the table.
1. Khao Niaw (Sticky Rice) The sticky rice is a traditional Laos food, which is rolled by hand into small pieces. It is often contained in a small woven basket. You can enjoy the sticky rice with other food and sauces.
2. Khao Jee (Baguettes) A typical Laos food, which can be found on every street corner in Luang Prabang. You can fill it with tomatoes, carrot, cheese, and pork meat topped with chili sauce. Further choices can be chicken, avocado and bacon!
3. Tam Mak Houng (Spicy Green Papaya Salad) The green Papaya salad is made from shredded papaya. The dish includes five main ingredients, which are mixed with hot chili, sour lime, salt, fish sauce and sugar. You should try once when traveling to Luang Prabang.
4. Larb (Laap, Larp or Lahb) This special cuisine in Luang Prabang can be made with chicken, beef, duck, fish, pork or mushrooms. The meat is flavored with lime juice, fish sauce, and fresh herbs. It is usually served with raw vegetables and sticky rice.
5. Or Lam (Stew) This food originates from the northern of Luang Prabang. It is a stew mainly made from vegetables, eggplants, beans, black mushrooms and gourds. Then they are seasoned with chili and coriander.
6. Lao Barbecue (Sindad) The traditional Lao Barbecue (BBQ) includes a round metal dish and a cooking platform where you take a slab of fat and rub it all over the grill before cooking. Your can choose chicken or pork for this favorite Laos food. At Villa Maly, we serve the BBQ at the poolside area. This Lao-styled barbecue is locally called Sindad.
7. Sai Oua (Lao Sausage) This refers to a popular type of sausage in Luang Prabang, which is made from chopped pork. It is seasoned with ginger, lime leaves, garlic, fish sauce and salt. A must-try fast food for tourists in Laos.
8. Ping Kai (Grilled Chicken) A whole chicken is marinated in black pepper, garlic, coriander root, fish sauce and salt and is then cooked over hot coals. You may try it with sticky rice and sometimes with raw vegetables in Luang Prabang.
9. Khao Piak Sen (Lao Noodle Soup) Noodle soup is popular everywhere in Luang Prabang. It is a common breakfast dish but can also be enjoyed at any time of the day. The bowl comes with beef or chicken broth, which is poured over rice noodles and flavored with various tasty herbs.
10. Khao Pun This unique soup is tasty as sweet and spicy coconut sauce is poured over rice noodles. It is made with pounded fish, chicken or pork and filled with the common ingredients like lime leaves, fish sauce, ginger, and garlic.
source: http://villa-maly.com/top-10-laos-food/