The Journal
Destinations
Articles and guides in destinations.
May 2026
Luang Prabang with kids: a five-day plan
Where the kids will love, where they'll be bored, and how to pace it so everyone makes it through the heat.
By Anong Khounvilay
May 2026
The Bolaven coffee loop in three days (or four if you can)
How to ride the southern coffee country properly. Where to stop, where to sleep, where to eat.
By Khamphan Vilaysane
May 2026
Where to stay in Luang Prabang (without the chains)
Family-run guesthouses, restored colonial houses, and one stilted homestay across the river. All Lao-owned.
By Anong Khounvilay
May 2026
River tubing in Vang Vieng: is it still good?
The reformed version of the once-infamous activity. What to expect now, and whether it's worth it.
By Vieng Sengaloun
Apr 2026
Vientiane vs Luang Prabang: where should you go?
Both, ideally. But if you only have one, here's how to choose based on what you actually want.
By Souksavanh Phimsamai
Jan 2026
Two weeks in Laos: a north-to-south itinerary that actually works.
Most two-week Laos itineraries are too ambitious. This one isn't. Day-by-day from Luang Prabang to 4,000 Islands.
By Ken FJ Her
Dec 2025
The Bolaven Plateau is where Lao coffee comes from.
Most travelers never make it to the southern coffee country. They should. The two-day motorbike loop is one of the great underrated road trips of Southeast Asia.
By Leuth Sengphachanh