Luang Phabang, or Louangphabang, commonly transliterated into Western languages from the pre-1975 Lao spelling ຫຼວງພຣະບາງ as Luang Prabang, literally meaning "Royal Buddha Image", is a city in north central Laos, consisting of 58 adjacent villages, of which 33 comprise the UNESCO Town Of Luang Prabang World Heritage Site. It was listed in 1995 for unique and "remarkably" well preserved architectural, religious and cultural heritage, a blend of the rural and urban developments over several centuries, including the French colonial influences during the 19th and 20th centuries.
Quảng Nam is a province in the Central region of Vietnam. It is bordered by Thừa Thiên–Huế province to the north, the nation of Laos to the west, Kon Tum province to the southwest, Quảng Ngãi province to the southeast, the South China Sea to the east, and the city of Da Nang to the northeast. The province is known for being a tourist destination in the Hội An cultural site, alongside an export and manufacturing hub within central Vietnam.
Dams and reservoirs in Laos are the cornerstone of the Lao government's goal of becoming the "battery of Asia".
The Xiangkhouang Plateau or Xiangkhoang Plateau, also known in French as Plateau du Tran-Ninh is a plateau in the north of Laos. The landscape is characterized by green mountains, rugged karst formations and verdant valleys with plenty of rivers, caves and waterfalls.
The Nam Song River, also transliterated as Nam Xong, is a small river in Laos that flows through the town of Vang Vieng. It is a popular tourist destination as many people enjoy seeing the Laotian countryside while going down the river in the inner tube of a tractor tyre or in a kayak. The river is surrounded by striking karst rock formations. Upstream from Vang Vieng, numerous bars have been built on the river's banks to attract the tourists floating by.
The Nam Ngum Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Nam Ngum River, a major tributary of the Mekong River in Laos. It was the first hydropower dam built in the Lao PDR.
Nam Ngum is a 354 km long river in Laos. It is a major tributary of the Mekong River.
Bokèo is a northern province of Laos. It is the smallest and least populous province in the country. Bokeo Province covers an area of 6,196 square kilometres (2,392 sq mi). Bokeo Province borders Luang Namtha Province to the northeast, Oudomxai Province to the east, Xaignabouli Province to the south, and Thailand to the southwest and Burma to the west and northwest. The province has five districts:. It is rich in deposits of precious and semiprecious stones. Bokeo's provincial capital is Houayxay on the Mekong River. The province is in the Golden Triangle, at the border of Myanmar and Thailand. There are 34 ethnic groups in the province. Houay Xay is the border town with Thailand and regional economic centre.
Bolikhamsai is a province of Laos. Pakxan, Thaphabat, Pakkading, Borikhane, Viengthong, and Khamkeut are its districts and Pakxan is its capital city. The province is the site of the Nam Theun 2 Dam, the country's largest hydroelectric project.
Vientiane Province is a province of Laos in the country's northwest. As of 2015 the province had a population of 419,090. Vientiane Province covers an area of 15,927 square kilometres (6,149 sq mi) composed of 11 districts. The principal towns are Vang Vieng and Muang Phôn-Hông.
Xiangkhouang is a province of Laos on the Xiangkhoang Plateau, in the nation's northeast. The province has the distinction of being the most heavily bombed place on Earth.
Houaphanh Province is a province in eastern Laos. Its capital is Xam Neua.
Khammouane Province (Khammouan) is a province in the center of Laos. Its capital lies at Thakhek.
Salavan is a province of Laos, located in the south of the country. Its earlier name was Saravan which was changed by Thai to Salavan in 1828. It was part of the Champasak Kingdom in an area known as Muang Mang inhabited by minorities of Mon-Khymer groups.
Luang Namtha is a province of Laos in the country's north. From 1966 to 1976 it formed, together with Bokeo, the province of Houakhong. Luang Namtha Province covers an area of 9,325 square kilometres (3,600 sq mi). Its provincial capital is Luang Namtha. The province borders Yunnan, China to the north, Oudomxai Province to the east and southeast, Bokeo Province to the southwest, and Shan State, Burma to the northwest.
Vientiane is a prefecture of Laos, in the northwest Laos. The national capital, Vientiane, is in the prefecture. The prefecture was created in 1989, when it was split off from Vientiane Province.
Luang Prabang is a province in northern Laos. Its capital of the same name, Luang Prabang, was the capital of the Lan Xang Kingdom during the 13th to 16th centuries. It is listed since 1995 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site for unique architectural, religious and cultural heritage, a blend of the rural and urban developments over several centuries, including the French colonial influences during the 19th and 20th centuries. The province has 12 districts. The Royal Palace, the national museum in the capital city, and the Phou Loei Protected Reserve are important sites. Notable temples in the province are the Wat Xieng Thong, Wat Wisunarat, Wat Sen, Wat Xieng Muan, and Wat Manorom. The Lao New Year is celebrated in April as The Bun Pi Mai.
Champasak is a province in southwestern Laos, near the borders with Thailand and Cambodia. It is one of the three principalities that succeeded the Lao kingdom of Lan Xang. As of the 2015 census, it had a population of 694,023. The capital is Pakse, but it takes its name from Champasak, the former capital of the Kingdom of Champasak.
Xaisomboun is a mountainous province in central Laos, between Vientiane Province and Xiangkhouang Province. The province covers an area of 8,300 square kilometres (3,200 sq mi) and had a population of 85,168 in 2015. Xaisomboun town in Anouvong District is the economic centre. There are extensive copper and gold mining operations nearby at Sana Somboun.
Ban Phou Pheung Noi was a Laotian village located on the mountain peak, Phou pheung, in the Xieng Khouang province, Laos. The height of this mountain is approximately 916 m (3,005 ft). During the Vietnam War, this mountain was a place of combat between the American allies, the Hmong, and their enemies: the Pathet Lao, the Laos Marxist government, and the communist North Vietnamese, the Vietnamese People's Army. The area was mainly mountainous and covered with tropical forests in the late 1960's. This mountain, Phou pheung, runs from East to West. It is south of Muang Soui - Nongtang-Nato, and west of Phou Douk, Muang Phuan, Phonsavan and Plain of Jars. On the east side, about 10 miles from Ban Phou pheung noi is the Num Ngum 4 hydroelectric dam.
