Laos

Lao culture has been heavily influenced by the Khmer Hindu kingdom dating back to the 5th century. More recently, Theravada Buddhism was introduced and remains a centerpiece of Lao culture to this day. Although Laos is now a communist country, Buddhism and socialist orthodoxy are able to co-exist harmoniously. My Laos travel adventure began in Vientiane and followed the Mekong south ending in Si Phan Don “4000 Islands” near the Cambodian border. Unfortunately, Laos still bears the scars of the secret bombing campaigns of the US military during the Vietnam War. Indeed, more bombs were dropped on Laos than all of the bombs dropped on Europe during the entirety of WWII, resulting in the deaths of countless Lao civilians.