I fell in love with Laos the first time I set foot in the country. In fact, if there is 1 place in the world I would be happy living indefinitely, it would be in Laos. From Luang Prabang to Vientiane, the people of Laos, the temples of Laos and the ambiance of Laos is magical. Anyone who visits Southeast Asia must not miss a trip to this country! Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and People's Republic of China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west. Laos traces its history to the Kingdom of Lan Xang or Land of a Million Elephants, which existed from the 13th to the 18th century. After a period as a French protectorate, it gained independence in 1949.