Laos travel advice

Amy Poulton from our supplier, Wayfairer Travel shares her Laos travel advice for foodies:
"Lao cuisine must be one of the most underrated in the whole of Southeast Asia. The people of Laos rely heavily on agriculture, so ingredients are always fragrant, fresh, farm-grown and packed full of flavour. Staple dishes feature meat such as buffalo, seasonal vegetables and indigenous herbs. Mealtimes are for sharing, with woven baskets of sticky rice served next to plates piled high with fiery papaya salad, hearty meat stews, smoky eggplant dip, spicy salsas, river weeds and stir-fried noodle dishes. You’ll most likely be sitting on cushions on the floor around a communal table. Roll your rice into a ball and eat with your hands, as the locals do.

The best way to sample traditional Lao food is with a cooking class, where you’ll pick your ingredients or buy them at a local market, before learning authentic techniques from Lao cooks. When eating out at restaurants, choose sharing platters of dips, fondue or other Lao favourites – and don’t miss out on larb, the national Lao dish, comprised of minced meat or fish with garlic and ginger. For desert, choose exotic fresh fruit, delicate French-style pastries, mango sticky rice with butterfly pea, or moreish coconut pancakes – then wash it all down with a classic Beerlao."