The Lao system of 20 National Protected Areas (NPAs) covers nearly 14% of the country and is recognized as one of the best designed NPA systems in the world.

Laos' NPAs offer a range of ecotourism attractions among their large tracts of tropical monsoon forest, diverse wildlife populations, bizarre karst limestone formations and dozens of ethnic minority groups,

Although most of Laos' NPAs are remote and difficult to reach, they still offer several ecotourism activities such as trekking, kayaking, bird watching and camping that present visitors with keen insight into the country’s magnificent natural and cultural diversity.