Sandwiched between Thailand, Vietnam, China, and Cambodia, The Lao People’s Democratic Republic is one of Southeast Asia’s least-known tourist destinations. Landlocked, mostly mountainous, with rivers and waterfalls nearly everywhere in between, Laos is most famous for its natural beauty and friendly, laid-back locals. 

This is part one of our interview with Jason Rolan: for those who may have heard a bit about it or have traveled there before, the mystical ancient capital of Luang Prabang or the rubber-tube river rafting party town of Vang Vieng spring to mind. But to those who listen to the show, you already know there’s so much more. We’ve covered a number of great destinations in Laos before, but today we’re going deeper to discover lesser-known Laos with Jason Rolan.  

Meuang Ngoy – Chilling (courtesy of Jason Rolan)

Scott & Trevor chat about their first visits and where they’ve been in Laos.

Scott; early 2000 to LP, then Vientiane; since been to LP and Vientiane a number of times, 4,000 Islands. There are so many areas there I am curious about and keen to get to.

Trevor: Vientiene in 2001 and then many visits to Luang Prabang, where he nearly moved a number of times.

Impressions of the rest of the country:

Scott: Laos is truly stuck in time (in a good way for travelers); not very developed, and it’s tougher getting around than neighboring countries, but that helps keep its intrigue and cultures intact. Not tough to get truly off the trodden trail.

Viengxay – Circus Cave (courtesy of Jason Rolan)

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Samneua – Hintang Standing Stones (courtesy of Jason Rolan)

GUEST INTRO: Jason Rolan has worked in tourism in Southeast Asia for the past 15 years, predominantly in Thailand and Laos. His past experiences include retail management, sales and marketing, company startup and registration, account management, IT systems, and responsible tourism projects. Proficiency in three languages English, Thai, and Lao has given Jason deeper insight into the communities in which he works and his passion for the region have contributed to a successful career in tourism. 

Discover lesser-known Laos by listening to this week’s episode, in which Jason answers the following questions:

  • Where are you originally from and what first brought you to Asia?
  • When did you first travel to Laos and what were your early impressions?
  • When did you decide that you’d like to live in Laos long-term? 
  • How did you end up working in the travel world?
  • Tell us a bit about your work nowadays.
  • Why don’t we start out with a general overview of the country, from a tourist perspective: what are the main attractions, and which, if any, should be included in any Laos visit?
  • Today you’re going to take us from top to bottom, sharing some secret spots along the way. How did you come up with your Lesser Known spots to share?
  • Okay, so now that we have that out of the way, let’s get into Lesser Known Laos, learning about some spots that should be on an adventurous traveler with a bit more time to explore the country or who have been to the country once or twice before.
  • Take it from the top, working our way from North to South…
Nong Khiaw – Ou River Bridge (Courtesy of Jason Rolan)

Stay tuned for Part II of our interview with Jason coming on June 1.

In the meantime, check out this Google map of Jason’s Lesser-known Laos

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