Cut off from the outside world for decades, Laos is one of Southeast Asia's most beguiling destinations. Let this fully updated fifth edition guide you down the Mekong river and along misty mountain roads to glittering temples, plunging waterfalls and remote towns that still bear the scars of the country's troubled past. You'll find expert coverage on everything from trekking through little-visited hill-tribe villages to finding your own slice of paradise on one of thousands of tropical islands.

• Eat like a king in Luang Prabang, the former royal capital p.126
• Marvel at Khmer ruins set amid lush mountain scenery p.236
• Sip a cold Beerlao as the sun sets over mellow Savannakhet p.214