Author: Jason Rolan

Travel Gems: Phonhong, Vientiane

Published by Jason Rolan

Greetings, travelers! Around 70km north of Vientiane lies the capital of Vientiane Province, Phonhong. It’s usually not even a blip on the tourist radar. It looks much like any other highway junction town; a few petrol stations, a market, and a handful of noodle stalls. But slow down, dig a little deeper, and you will find some fascinating things. To the west and south of the city lies the expansive Phou Phanang National Protected Area. Due to high levels of encroachment and fruit and rubber plantations, it’s now just a National Protected Area in name only. It is marked with large expanses of sandstone escarpment, hiding a couple of treasures for our visit today. Laos’ Grand Canyon View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jason Rolan (@jasonrolan) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jason Rolan (@jasonrolan) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jason Rolan (@jasonrolan) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jason Rolan (@jasonrolan)   Location: Sitting just a few kilometers west of Phonhong …

Vientiane: Like You Bor Hu!

Published by Jason Rolan

Greetings, readers! I’m Jason, a Texan based in Laos for over a decade, working in various aspects of tourism. In a sense, I’m the reverse from most of you; perhaps an American-Lao? In any case, I have been here long enough to have fallen long out of that “honeymoon” phase that foreigners on short-term contracts to Laos often have. They’re the ones responsible for the generic superficial articles you typically see on Laos, enchanted by lines of monks at almsgiving, savory food, marvelous waterfalls, and the slow pace of life. Those things are all great, but there’s much more to Laos than that. I like to look at unusual places; the neglected history, what makes the country tick, and where it may go from here. I make no claims to be an expert on anything, but am simply curious to learn more and show you what I’ve found. I’ll aim to present the things I find, to the best of my understanding, though others may likely know more or find my thoughts completely off track. …