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Laos is located in the heart of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia, and is a
landlocked country without direct access to the sea.
Laos encompasses a total of 236,800 square kilometers with the terrain
characterized by three distinct regions - mountains, plateaus, and plains. The
mountains and plateaus make up three-quarters of the total area.
High mountains rising to an average height of 1,500 meters dominate the Northern
region. The three highest mountains in the country are all located in the Phou Ane
Plateau in Xieng Khouang Province. They are Phou Bia at 2,820 meters, Phou Xao
at 2,690 meters and Phou Xamxum at 2,620 meters. The Phou Luang (Annamite
Range) stretches from Southeast on the Phouane Plateau down to the Cambodian
border; the others are the Nakai Plateau in Khammouane Province and the Bolaven
Plateau in Southern Laos, which is over 1,000 meters above sea level.
The plain region consists of large and small plain areas distributed along the
Mekong River. The Vientiane Plain, the largest, is situated on the lower reaches of
the Nam Ngum River. The Savannakhet Plain is situated on the lower reaches of
the Sebangfai River and Sebanghieng River, while the Champasack Plain on the
Mekong River stretches out to the Thai and Cambodian borders. Blessed with rich
and fertile soil, these plains represent one quarter of the total area known as the
granaries of the country.
Laos is crisscrossed with a myriad of rivers and streams. The largest is the
Mekong River, flowing for 1,898 kilometers from the North to the South, with 919
kilometers of the river forming the major portion of the border with Thailand.
The beautiful mountain ranges, river systems, attractive ancient temples and
palaces, and multi ethnic cultures make Laos one of the most fascinating tourism
destinations in the Mekong Sub Region. Join our tours to explore this beautiful
country while its natural landscapes and cultures are not yet influenced by the
speed of modernization.
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