Exploring Laos, enjoying traditional dishes
Vientiane Times is publishing a series of articles on Visit Laos Year 2024.

While exploring the many tourist attractions on offer in Laos, one thing visitors should be sure to sample in depth is the astonishing variety of food.

A set of dishes served at lunchtime at the Thafalang tourist attraction.

Laos, a small country in Southeast Asia, has a rich culture filled with a diverse array of traditional dishes that reflect the uniqueness of the country and the way of life of its people. Food is closely linked to tourism promotion.
Most foreign visitors eagerly tuck into the most well-known dishes, such as the ubiquitous sticky rice (khao niew), spicy laap (chopped meat mixed with herbs and spices) made with pork, fish, duck or chicken, and green papaya salad (tam mak houng).
German and French tourists who recently spent time on Don Deth, one of the 4,000 islands in the Mekong River in Khong district, Champassak province, commented on the Lao foods they tried, with most citing laap and papaya salad as their favourites.
In a bid to publicise Lao cuisine, several food festivals are held each year to familiarise visitors with the vast array of locally produced food items. One such festival took place recently in Khammuan province, in central Laos. The event helped to boost the province’s tourism scene as well as the Visit Laos Year 2024 campaign.
At Laos’ many leisure resorts, restaurants and hotels are keen to offer the best of local food to their guests. The sensory experience of good smells and tastes is an important part of ensuring visitors’ happiness and making a lasting impression during their holidays.
Thafalang is a popular riverside attraction in Khammuan province and receives an average of 200 visitors each day. Most of these are Thai nationals who come by road across the Friendship Bridge linking Nakhon Phanom province in Thailand and Khammuan province in Laos.
The restaurant at this site offers hundreds of food and drink options to meet the needs of its guests, with many Lao dishes naturally featuring on the menu. Guests can choose and order meals according to their preferences, with fresh, safe, and flavourful dishes guaranteed.
The restaurant places a focus on local dishes, such as various types of laap, grilled chicken, grilled fish, papaya salad, bamboo soup, and sticky rice. Customers need not be concerned about the spiciness of the dishes, as the restaurant can prepare non-spicy meals for those who prefer them.
The most popular dishes are khao niew, laap, bamboo soup, grilled fish, and papaya salad, followed by drinks like fruit juices, water, and some alcoholic beverages. These items are offered at reasonable prices.

Laap is one of the most popular and well-known dishes, so at Thafalang the busy cooks prepare different varieties, all served with vegetables, mint, and chilli. At the same time, those who enjoy eating salads made with green papaya, long beans, or cucumber should be sure not to miss these dishes.
While some of these may be rather too spicy for those who are not accustomed to hot food, customers can request a milder version made with fewer chillies.

There are also hundreds of other food options available at Thafalang’s restaurant, including various types of rice, vegetables, noodles, shrimp and squid salads, sour pickled pork salad, and barbecued saba fish.
A beautiful, clean stream and towering limestone formations surrounded by lush greenery are the highlights that draw visitors to Thafalang. Guests can stay overnight, either at a bungalow, in a floating house, or in a two-storey or single-storey cabin.
Activities include swimming, kayaking along a 5-km route, and feeding the millions of fish in the river.
And of course a plentiful selection of food and beverages is available for consumption in the huts that line the river. From these huts, visitors can watch the fish swimming past, as they also enjoy sticky rice and other tidbits that guests may feed them with.
Experiencing a deep connection with the river and nature by swimming or kayaking, while enjoying delicious meals and drinks, is a wonderful way to enjoy Thafalang.
A visit to Laos is an opportunity not only to explore the stunning landscapes but also to savour the many foods on offer, which are closely bound to the Lao way of life and provide enjoyable encounters with the local people.

ByManichanh Pansivongxay
 (Latest Update December 13, 2024)