A route planner for people who would rather not ride
Laos Explore exists for travelers who want Kong Lor, the Bolaven Plateau and the Nam Ou valley, but not on a rented scooter. We work out how each leg should be done, and arrange it.
About
What we do
Laos Explore is an independent trip-planning business focused on three parts of Laos: Thakhek and Kong Lor, the far south around Pakse, and the Nong Khiaw and Muang Ngoi valley in the north, with Vientiane and Luang Prabang as gateways.
We plan routes, check them with local providers, and set everything out in a written proposal: the order of places, each transfer with its mode and realistic duration, where to stay, the total price and who provides each service. If you accept, we handle the booking and remain your contact. Local drivers, boat operators, guides and accommodation deliver the services. We do not own vehicles or boats, and we do not employ the drivers or guides.
Why motorbike-free
Two of the most famous trips in Laos are usually described as motorbike loops, and the river route to Nong Khiaw has been replaced by a slow road. Many travelers either ride when they would rather not, or skip the places they came for. Neither is necessary. The same sights can be reached by car, boat, train and plane, if the route is planned for it.
Contact
Email hello@laosexplore.com or use the trip form. We aim to reply within two working days.
How we work
Four principles
Routes before bookings
We start with the order of places and the real time between them. A booking only makes sense once the route does.
The right transport for each leg
Trains, flights, boats, shared minivans and private drivers each have a place. We use a driver where it changes the trip, not by default.
Honest times and conditions
Journey times are ranges, slow roads are called slow, and simple rooms are described as simple. Facts that change carry a source and a date.
Named providers, written terms
Every proposal names who provides each service, what the price includes and excludes, and what happens if plans change.
Plan with Laos Explore
Tell us where you want to go, not how to get there
Share your dates, the places on your list and how you feel about motorbikes. We reply by email with a realistic route, and when you are ready, a written proposal with transfers, prices, inclusions and who provides each part of the trip.
