I arrived in this country by land, where the border is drawn with Thailand. It’s almost ironic how cemented and finite an invisible line can be, dividing two entire nations from one another. I find this feeling speaks louder whenever crossing borders by foot or by land. We have grown so accustomed to flying into another country, it is easy to forget just how tightly shared these ‘borders’ sometimes are. I paid nearly ten dollars, stamped my passport and just like that, walked into Laos. After I crossed, I hitchhiked with a friendly truck diver who spoke zero English but nevertheless, we had quite a sweet, very broken, conversation thanks to my incredibly awful Thai. Tonal languages are no joke. 

My first impressions were the all too familiar Southeast Asian theme of ‘same same but different’. I had just spent the last year living in Thailand and while only just across the border, the vibe was still very much Thai. I could even hear similarities in the language, their greeting and ‘hello’ was the same phrase used in Thai to say that you’re doing well, ‘sabai-dee’. A minor detail like this, is one of the things I love most about traveling, moving from one country to another, the nuances unique to each place add texture to the way you differentiate the two. This is why no two places are the same. 

Lush and Untouched

I had always intended on visiting Laos but what really brought me here was the Gibbon Experience. It’s one of the tallest tree houses in the world, deep in the Laotian jungle and the only way in or out is by zip-line. It’s an incredible experience, if you love an adrenaline filled thrill like I do, then I highly recommend it. While this adventure is what brought me here, I was charmed by the almost primitive nature of the country. As I traveled from one place to another, almost always by bus or car, I witnessed acre upon acre of untouched land. Much of the land was jungle or farms, and towns that flew by the window were small, underdeveloped and quite honestly, poor. You couldn’t ignore the lack of resources, opportunity and access that you saw in the countryside. It stares right back at you, you’d be ignorant not to take notice. It’s a small country and if you’ve never been to Southeast Asia, the rural parts of this world greatly differ from those of the West. It may shock you a little if it’s your first time and that’s okay. This is the process of seeing a world that is different from our own. Keep your eyes and mind open. 

Why was Laos bombed?

Laos was an innocent bystander during the Vietnam War but because of its close proximity to all of the action, it undeservingly paid a price. The country could not be seen to be lost to the advancement of the communist party and was crucial to supply chains into the North of Vietnam. As a result, the US government bombed it, hard. Laos remains to be the most bombed country in history and still to this day, has the highest number of lost and undetonated land mines in the world. There is an estimated 80 million bombs left behind and littered across the country of Laos. You could blame the inevitable consequences of war or you can blame a lack of foresight by the American government. Either way, the US failed to recover the explosives after the war had ended and in return has failed the Laotian people. 

Land that looks wild and innocent may be armed and ready just beneath the Earth. Families’ homes and livelihoods coexist with this threat in their day-to-day. Children run and play in their small towns and a few hundred yards away lies a silent, dormant and very real danger. 

You can see a glimpse into this while traveling the country, fenced off portions of land, signs warning that it isn't safe for the locals. What you see more of are the effects that the war and unexploded mines have had on the country’s development and growth of its people. Despite the challenges the citizens face, you’ll be greeted with warmth and generosity. It never ceases to amaze me the optimism and kindness maintained by those less fortunate throughout the world. 

Is Laos safe to visit?

Laos is a beautiful country, its rugged nature offers a sense of adventure, its people and culture create a travel experience that you won’t forget. You walk away feeling charmed by an unlikely, small and humble country. While very real dangers do exist, as a visitor you don’t need to worry about stepping on a land mine. Is Laos safe to visit? The simple answer is yes. It is safe to travel here, it is highly unlikely you will be wandering in rural areas where these mines are buried, but just to be sure, let’s not do that, okay? I have been almost everywhere in Asia and the majority of it I have travelled alone. To this day, I can count on one hand the number of times I legitimately felt unsafe in Asia. There’s no need to worry but also be smart. Just have your wits about you and you’ll be fine.

Laos is sometimes the forgotten country of Southeast Asia and oftentimes left off the backpacker’s well trodden trail. I encourage you to consider Laos for a more unique travel experience.

How can I help?

Amongst great tragedy, there is always hope. Today, people and many organizations are working hard to mark and remove the explosives from the country. If you feel inspired to help, I encourage you to check the organizations out below, donate or better yet - make a trip abroad and experience this beautiful country for yourself. Even by spreading the word, we can help bring more awareness and hopefully, action to the forgotten innocents of Laos. 

ORGANIZATIONS DOING GOOD

APOPO https://www.apopo.org/en

Mag International https://www.maginternational.org/what-we-do/where-we-work/laos/

The Halo Trust https://www.halotrust.org/where-we-work/south-asia/laos/ 

Handicap International https://www.hi-us.org/freeing_laos_of_landmines

• Madeline

  
  
  

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