Laos is not a backwater country like most expect, but an unbelievable sprawl of mountain hideaway communities groomed to off-grid living and a perfect travel destination for people who want being in the middle of nowhere. The landlocked ASEAN nation is a former French colony that still has small urban centers where you can replenish supplies or get your feet back on pavement, but the real attraction of Laos for creative types is the solitude and peace for a recharge in mountain country. Living in the bush is never as bad as Survivor contestants make it to be.
