Travel advisory, October 2026: The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to Xaisomboun Province. Unexploded ordnance remains in rural Laos, so stay on main routes and marked paths and never touch metal objects. Methanol poisoning has occurred in bars, so drink only sealed drinks. Mekong boats, rafting, kayaking and swimming have caused deaths, and the Foreign Office calls speedboats dangerous. Check FCDO and travel.state.gov before booking.

Travel advisory, October 2026: The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to Xaisomboun Province. Unexploded ordnance remains in rural areas, so walk only on marked paths, use local guides for countryside hikes and never touch metal objects. Methanol poisoning has occurred in bars, so choose sealed drinks after your walk. Rivers have caused drownings. Check FCDO and travel.state.gov before you travel. The best walking in Laos is urban.

Travel advisory, October 2026: The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to Xaisomboun Province, and unexploded ordnance from the 1964 to 1973 bombing remains in rural areas. Stay on cleared, marked paths and never pick up metal objects. Several tourists have died of methanol poisoning in bars, so drink only sealed drinks. Waterfalls and rivers have caused drownings, so swim only in signed pools. Check FCDO and travel.

Travel advisory, October 2026: The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to Xaisomboun Province. Unexploded ordnance remains in rural Laos, so keep to marked paths and main routes and never touch metal objects. Methanol has poisoned tourists in bars, so avoid free shots and unbranded spirits. Rivers and waterfalls have caused drownings. Route 7 to Phonsavan carries a US caution, so avoid driving it after dark. Check FCDO and travel.

Travel advisory, October 2026: The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to Xaisomboun Province. Unexploded ordnance remains in rural Laos, so keep children on marked paths and teach them never to touch metal objects. Methanol poisoning has occurred in bars, so choose sealed drinks. Rivers, waterfalls and tubing carry a real drowning risk, so keep children within arm’s reach near water. Check FCDO and travel.state.gov before you go.

Travel advisory, October 2026: The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to Xaisomboun Province. Unexploded ordnance remains in rural Laos, so stay on marked paths. Methanol poisoning has occurred in bars, including licensed ones in tourist areas, so choose sealed bottles and avoid free shots. Rivers have caused drownings, and the Mekong is not for swimming. Check FCDO and travel.state.gov before you go. Laos has no sea coast and no resort strip, and the options for couples are modest and few.

Travel advisory, October 2026: The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to Xaisomboun Province. Unexploded ordnance from the 1964 to 1973 bombing remains in rural areas, so stay on marked, cleared paths at every site and never touch metal objects. Methanol poisoning has occurred in bars, so drink only sealed drinks. Rivers have caused drownings. Check FCDO and travel.state.gov before you go. Sightseeing in Laos centres on working temples, a former royal capital, a Khmer-era ruin and a plateau of ancient stone jars.

Travel advisory, October 2026: The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to Xaisomboun Province. Unexploded ordnance from the 1964 to 1973 bombing remains in rural areas, so stay on marked paths and never touch metal objects. Methanol poisoning has affected tourists in bars, so skip free shots and unlabelled spirits. Rivers and waterfalls have caused drownings. Read the latest FCDO advice and travel.state.gov before you go.