Country Guide

Laos is a completely landlocked country of Indo-China, bordered by Myanmar and China on the north, Vietnam on the east, Cambodia on the south, and Thailand on the west. It is about as large as the United Kingdom and much of the country is rather hilly and mountainous.

The general features of the weather and climate of Laos are similar to those described for Vietnam. It has a single rainy season with a maximum rainfall between May and September or October. The rest of the year is dry and rather sunny.

Temperatures remain rather high the year round but in the northern mountains occasional cooler days may come during the winter season of the north monsoon. As in northern Vietnam, cooler, cloudier weather at this time is associated with outbreaks of colder continental air from China.

The humidity is significantly lower during the dry season and, in spite of the warmth, the weather is more comfortable and pleasant than during the rather muggy and sultry days of the main monsoon rains. See the tables for Luang Prabang and Vientiane, which are representative of the lower parts of Laos.