The land of the lotus eaters, whatever that means, for me, Laos is a land of beautiful weaving, a whole population that seems artistic with a serious sense of style, the food a fascinating blend between traditional Laotian food, with it’s fresh herbs and chilli, and French food, with it’s flair and imagination.

Beer Lao is to be enjoyed on the banks of the Mekong, whilst the occasional, almost affordable, glass of wine and a good cup of coffee is also possible. (For those of you who have not travelled through South East Asia, two things that are sometimes difficult to acquire are an affordable glass of wine and a reasonable cup of coffee).

Luang Prabang is a beautiful town, now world heritage listed and the centre of some of the most interesting contemporary designs in weaving, based on traditional techniques, to be produced in Laos in the last decade.

What is not to love?